Description
These homemade oatmeal fig bars are a delicious and wholesome treat that combines chewy dried fig filling with a lightly spiced oat crust and topping. Perfect for a snack or breakfast on the go, these bars offer a satisfying blend of flavors and textures with natural sweetness from figs, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Easy to prepare and bake in one pan, they provide a healthier alternative to store-bought fig bars.
Ingredients
Scale
Fig Filling
- 1 and 1/2 cups (about 230g) chopped dried figs, stems removed
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) orange juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Crust/Topping
- 1/3 cup (70g) coconut oil, melted (or use melted butter)
- 1/4 cup (60ml) pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 and 2/3 cups (142g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats (or quick oats)
- 1 cup (130g) whole wheat flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to easily remove the bars after baking.
- Make Fig Filling: Combine chopped figs, water, and orange juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until figs are soft and have absorbed some liquid. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla extract, cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth with no chunks.
- Prepare Crust and Topping Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk melted coconut oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, and egg. Add oats, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until fully combined, starting with a whisk and switching to a spoon or spatula as the mixture thickens.
- Assemble Bars: Press just over 1 and 1/2 cups of crust/topping mixture evenly into the prepared pan to form the base layer. Spread fig filling evenly over the crust. Spoon and gently press the remaining crust/topping mixture over the fig filling to form the top layer.
- Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is lightly browned, about 30 minutes in an 8-inch pan or 25 minutes in a 9-inch pan. Avoid overbaking to keep bars moist.
- Cool and Cut: Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Lift bars out using parchment paper overhang and cut into 16 squares.
- Store: Cover leftover bars and store at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Notes
- These bars are a homemade alternative to store-bought fig bars and require a food processor or blender for the filling.
- You can substitute quick oats for old-fashioned rolled oats if preferred.
- Be careful not to overbake to maintain soft texture.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal and cleaner edges.
- Bars will absorb some oil/moisture during baking and cooling—this is normal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/16 of recipe)
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
