These fig-filled cookies are a delightful blend of sweet, chewy fig filling paired with a buttery, soft cookie dough. The filling, made with dried figs and crunchy walnuts, offers a wonderful texture contrast that’s wrapped in a smooth, tender cookie dough. Each cookie is shaped to enclose the rich filling, making it a perfect treat for any time of the day. Finished with a light dusting of powdered sugar, these cookies are as beautiful as they are delicious. They’re perfect for anyone who loves fruit-based desserts with a touch of nuttiness.
Why You’ll Love This: You’ll love these cookies because they bring together the natural sweetness of figs and the earthy crunch of walnuts, all wrapped up in a buttery cookie dough. The cookies are soft, slightly sweet, and provide a wonderful balance of flavors. The process of shaping them with a lovely fig-like form makes them a fun and unique dessert to serve, while the tender, crumbly texture of the dough melts in your mouth. Whether you’re baking for a special event or a cozy afternoon treat, these cookies are sure to become a favorite.
Perfect Occasion: These fig-filled cookies are perfect for family gatherings, afternoon tea, or as a sweet snack to enjoy any time. They’re also great for holiday events, making a thoughtful and delicious gift to share with friends and loved ones. Their easy-to-eat, bite-sized form makes them great for parties or dessert trays, and they stay fresh for days, making them perfect for making ahead of time. Whenever you’re in the mood for something sweet but not overly sugary, these cookies are the perfect choice.
Decoration Tips: To give these cookies an elegant finish, dust them generously with powdered sugar after they’ve cooled. You can also enhance the presentation by drizzling a bit of melted chocolate over the top or sprinkling finely chopped nuts for added texture. For a more polished look, consider adding a few small decorative slashes to the top of each cookie before baking, giving them a beautiful, hand-crafted appearance.
Ingredients (for about 25 cookies):
Filling:
- 230 g dried figs, chopped
- 50 g walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 20 g butter
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 200 ml water
Dough:
- 200 g softened butter
- 70 g sugar
- 100 ml oil
- 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
- 1 packet (8-10 g) vanilla sugar
- 1 egg
- 500-550 g all-purpose flour
For dusting:
- Powdered sugar
Instructions:
- Prepare the filling: Begin by chopping the dried figs into small pieces. In a saucepan, combine the figs, butter, sugar, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the figs are soft and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped walnuts. Set aside to cool.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, mix the softened butter, sugar, oil, yogurt, vanilla sugar, and egg until well combined. Gradually add the flour, starting with 500 g, and knead until a soft, non-sticky dough forms. If the dough is too soft, add a bit more flour as needed.
- Shape the cookies: Take a small portion of the dough, about the size of a walnut, and roll it into a ball. Flatten the dough into a small disk, place a spoonful of the fig filling in the center, and fold the edges over to cover the filling. Pinch the edges closed and shape it into a rounded form.
- Bake: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the shaped cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden.
- Cool and dust: Let the cookies cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Once cooled, dust generously with powdered sugar.
Enjoy your sweet and nutty fig-filled cookies, perfect for any occasion!
