The fig may indeed be an overlooked fruit that is not top of mind for many.
More so simply because fresh figs are not as readily available for purchase on your routine run to the grocery store as many others are.
Why is that?
Great question!
It is because they have a short harvesting season, do not ripen after they are picked, and most notably are very soft which does not allow them to travel well.
Consequently, grocery stores consider them too perishable to consider keeping in stock.
Lucky are you if you have a fig tree or live where they are grown and harvested and can easily make desserts with figs!
Figs are beautiful and sweet!
And get this, dried figs have the highest source of fiber of any other dried fruit, even prunes!
Very interesting.
In my mind, desserts are even more elevated when they incorporate the natural sweetness found in fruit!
What’s the difference between fresh figs and dried figs?
Fresh figs are the natural, ripe fruit harvested from fig trees. They are somewhat fragile, as they don’t further ripen after picked and need to be plucked at just the right time to use in recipes. Birds and bugs are all waiting for just the right time to eat too and can decimate a fig tree before it can be harvested. The skin, seeds and fruit are all edible.
Dried figs have been dehydrated to remove their moisture. They have a concentrated sweetness and are very chewy inside. Again, the skin, seeds, and fruit can all be eaten. The only tough part is the nub on one end where it was pulled from the fig tree. There are also many different varieties of figs available in markets, so read your recipe carefully if it calls for a special kind of fig.
So with that said, today I have a list of fifteen baking with figs recipes so you will be prepared when your path crosses some amazing fresh figs!
Fig Newtons are a popular treat and yes, there is a recipe for these homemade beauties included.
Additionally, there is no way I could put together this post without a nod to the famous Christmas fig dessert—Figgy Pudding! Of course the Simple No Bake Mascarpone Fig Tart With Pistachio Crust sounds incredible, too.
How will you choose? For starters, better go for the chewy and moist #14!
When thinking about desserts with figs, cookies may be the first dessert idea that comes to your mind.
This traditional Italian fig cookie is rich and flavorful, and uses dried figs.
The unique part to this recipe is that the filling and dough can be made days in advance and kept in the fridge.
The food processor starts off making the filling.
The dough is made separately and both are kept in the fridge till baking day arrives.
The filling is formed into several long ropes and wrapped in the dough that has been rolled out flat!
Traditionally, these cookies have icing and sprinkles but these are sweet enough without them.
For perhaps the most beautiful fresh figs dessert ever, I offer this chia pudding with fresh figs!
Chia seeds need to soak before enjoying, so this dessert should be made the day before serving.
The matcha powder, milk and chia seeds are mixed with white chocolate and placed in the fridge overnight.
Next step is making the jam with figs, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice.
When ready to serve, fill the glasses by alternating pudding and jam and adding fresh fig slices for decoration and nuts sprinkled on top!
Upside down cakes are a favorite for those making them and those enjoying them!
This fig dessert is exactly that, an upside down fresh fig cake with a touch of honey and a hint of rosemary.
This cake does have some other somewhat unusual cake ingredients besides honey and rosemary, like almond meal and yogurt!
The sliced figs are placed on the bottom of the pan with the honey so those become the top of the cake after baking.
Take note this cake cooks for over an hour with additional cooling time.
But hey, no icing or additional decorations needed!
When the local farmer’s market has fresh figs, you may find yourself wondering what to do with figs for dessert.
Easy.
Make cupcakes using chopped fresh figs AND fig jam, and by all means, do not forget the frosting!
Celebration around the corner or not, these cupcakes are perfectly spiced and make any day feel special!
Kinda along the lines of carrot cake but slightly crunchy with the figs and walnuts.
There are several parts to this batter, namely the flour mixture, the liquid mixture and the jam.
The directions for the frosting are included as well.
Definitely worth the effort!
You guys, this recipe is seriously an easy fig dessert idea with a presentation that will knock the socks off everyone!
I mean, just look at it!
Believe it or not, there is also no cooking involved!
This is my kind of dessert!
The crust is made first, with the help of a food processor, and pressed into the tart pan.
Next comes the filling with mascarpone, honey, vanilla and rose extract to pour on top.
Decorate with halved and sliced fresh figs in whatever way your creativity takes you!
Chilling for an hour or two is recommended before serving!
Oh yeah, this easy fig dessert idea only requires three ingredients.
Well, two technically, but who’s counting?
Taste is what matters here!
All that is required is to cut the fresh figs in slices (four or five), melt some chocolate (dark, milk, light, whatever!), and dip the slices into the melted chocolate leaving a bit of the fig peeking out.
Place it on parchment paper and sprinkle on crushed pistachios if you want.
That’s it!
Fancy looking, easy making!
When you find yourself in a cheesecake mood, this recipe among my collection of desserts with figs is special and definitely different!
Pistachios seem to be the nut of choice to pair with fresh figs, and this recipe is no exception.
The crust of this cheesecake is more cake like and the filling is super smooth with the use of goat cheese.
It does take quite a bit of time too, so calculate two plus hours to make and bake but then chilling overnight is best, so pencil it on the calendar to make it the day before it is to be served!
Crumb cake gets a serious reboot as a fresh figs dessert in this recipe!
The figs are so sweet, the sour cream boosts the moisture and the crunchy streusel topping does not disappoint.
Traditional process, mix the dry ingredients and the wet separately, then together.
Pour into the pan and arrange the fig slices as you wish on top.
Crumb topping finishes it off before it hits the oven for almost an hour!
Take a picture before it disappears!
This fig dessert bar is reminiscent of a fig newton, but a lot less work than all the rolling and assembling involved.
Here, Turkish or Calimyrna dried figs are simmered with apple juice and salt and then pureed to make the “fruity and soft” filling.
The crust mixture bakes the bottom and the top of the bars.
Three step baking process and a two-hour cooling time will certainly test your patience.
But it is all great in the end when you have that rich fig bar in your hand!
So a friend asked me the other day what to do with figs for dessert and I told her the easiest way to serve them, which is actually this very recipe.
All you need is figs, ricotta cheese, honey, mint and chopped nuts.
No cooking.
No cleaning of appliances.
No unusual ingredients!
Just yummy deliciousness!
This next recipe for baking with figs creatively combines figs and cheesecake in a bar that is finger friendly!
Graham cracker and walnut crust with a honey infused cheesecake filling get baked together and sweet beautiful slices of fig arranged on top.
The bars almost look like geometric puzzle pieces.
Stunning to say the least!
When baking with figs it does not have to be an hour or more adventure.
This quick recipe makes adorable mini fig tartlets that can be ready in less than 30 minutes!
Creative and functional layering with puff pastry as the crust brushed with butter.
Next is the sugar with ground almonds to absorb the fig juice.
Finally, fig slices are arranged on top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and drizzle of honey!
They come out perfect and no one would complain if a scoop of ice cream was added.
Fun fact: if figs are out of season, this recipe could be made with thin slices of apricots, nectarines, apples or pears.
Shortbread is so versatile and fits easily as a base for desserts with figs.
The shortbread is made of flour, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder, salt, butter and applesauce.
Sliced figs are layered across with some of the dough saved for the top.
After baking and cooling, a lovely glaze is made of powdered sugar and honey for that delightful little extra!
Oatmeal raisin cookies come a dime a dozen, but oatmeal fig cookies are a unique, dare I say, elegant twist.
A cookie fig dessert is the best because friends will say how much they love them and they will never guess the secret ingredient was figs!
This is a chewy oatmeal cookie that uses sun-dried figs that are soft to begin with so you can be confident the cookies are wonderful!
15. Figgy Pudding
I absolutely HAD to include figgy pudding on this list of baking with fig ideas!
This recipe is a cobbler-esque design and oh yes, is it good!
No wonder everyone was singing, “Now bring us some figgy pudding!”
The write up is clear and there are lots of pictures to take you step-by-step through the process.
If you are a fan of bread pudding, you will enjoy this very much!
Try our list of other recipes that use figs here too!
The bottom line
Figs are wonderful fruits that are only available for a short time each year.
I hope these fig dessert recipes will help you maximize that harvesting window.
15 Fig Dessert Recipes
Ingredients
- Italian Fig Cookies – Cucidati
- White Chocolate & Matcha Chia Pudding With Figs
- Honey And Rosemary Upside Down Fig Cake
- Fig Cupcakes With Honey Cream Cheese Frosting
- Simple No Bake Mascarpone Fig Tart With Pistachio Crust
- Dark Chocolate Covered Figs
- Goat Cheese Cheesecake With Figs
- Fresh Fig Cake With Crumb Topping
- Homemade Fig Newtons Recipe From Scratch
- Easy Honeyed Figs With Ricotta Cheese
- Honey Walnut Fig Cheesecake Bars
- Fig Tartlets With Puff Pastry
- Vanilla Bean & Fig Shortbread Drizzled With Honey Glaze
- Oatmeal Fig Cookies
- Figgy Pudding
Instructions
- Have a look at our list of Fig Dessert Recipes.
- Choose the dish you want to recreate.
- Start cooking your newly found recipe!
- Share your insights on our Facebook page!
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