14 Ways To Use Dried Figs

Sweet and elegant, figs are a unique, teardrop-shaped fruit with a moreish, jammy texture and honey-like flavor. In their fresh form, these fruits can be used in countless different ways. However, their shelf life is relatively short, and they'll only keep for around two to three days at room temperature. Conveniently, dried figs are also widely available. Stored correctly, these will last for up to a year in the pantry, and surprisingly, they're equally as versatile as their fresh counterparts.

Whether you're getting your bake on, whipping up a batch of healthy snacks, or crafting some delicate appetizers, dried figs can absolutely come in handy. And, if you thought they were only suited to desserts, think again. These chewy delights will also fit seamlessly into an array of savory recipes, from stuffings to salads. Dried figs can be chopped up small and stirred through batters, stuffed with complementary ingredients, or even blitzed into a satisfying smoothie. So, next time you venture down the dried fruit aisle at the store, consider grabbing a bag of figs, and you certainly won't be short of ways to enjoy them!

Need some appetizer inspiration for your next dinner party? Stuffed dried figs are the perfect option. They're incredibly simple to prepare and easy to customize, too. However you choose to fill them, the result will be a pleasing, bite-sized treat that offers an irresistible combination of sweet and savory flavors.

When it comes to stuffing figs, cheese is always an excellent option. A tangy, crumbled blue cheese would provide an amazing sharp contrast to the sweetness of the dried fruit, whilst cream cheese would be ideal if you're after a smoother, richer mouthfeel. Harder cheeses, such as Asiago, cheddar, or Gouda, would also taste great here, adding plenty of bite and saltiness. Another ideal pairing for the figs is prosciutto, which keeps things elegant while adding even more savory flavor. Or, if you prefer something heartier, you could add some finely chopped, cooked bacon. Toasted nuts such as pecans or walnuts would work beautifully, too, adding some crunch to the mix. And feel free to finish everything off with a drizzle of tangy balsamic glaze or some finely chopped fresh herbs.

To stuff the figs, simply make a slit down the length of the fruit, ensuring this doesn't go all the way through to the other side. Then, gently open out the pocket and use your fingers or a small spoon to add the fillings.

A favorite during the festive season, fruit cakes are typically made with ingredients like raisins, currants, candied cherries, and citrus peel. But dried figs are another excellent add-in for amping up the chewy sweetness. 

To incorporate figs into a fruit cake, just chop them up roughly, removing any tough stems, and toss them into the mixture along with the other dried fruits. You'll find that they impart a wonderful honey-like taste. And, whilst figs can absolutely be combined with other dried fruits, they can absolutely serve as the star ingredient of the cake as well. One option is to create a fig upside-down cake by arranging slices of dried fig over a layer of sticky caramel in the bottom of the cake pan, before pouring over the batter. Try pairing the figs with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, or boozy additions like brandy or rum. They also work especially well with chocolate, whether that's stirring cocoa powder or melted chocolate into the cake batter, or whipping up a chocolatey glaze or frosting.

Figgy pudding is a traditional British dessert with a gloriously sticky texture. And, this sweet and fruity treat simply wouldn't be complete without the addition of dried figs. To make it, you'll start by simmering the figs in liquid, such as coffee or milk, to soften them up. You can also pair the figs with Medjool dates for extra sweetness. Then, you'll blend the soaked fruit into a smooth paste. Next, prepare the batter by beating butter, sugar, and eggs, then folding in flour, baking powder, and the blended figs. Figgy pudding can either be steamed or baked, with the former yielding a more moist, dense texture, and the baked version being a little lighter and fluffier.

Serving your figgy pudding with a gooey sauce is always a great idea. Try melting butter and brown sugar together in a pan, and stirring in a dash of lemon juice and a glug of heavy cream to create a caramel-like consistency. Then, fold in some chopped, toasted walnuts for some complementary nutty crunch. Pour the sauce all over the pudding while it's still warm, and serve each slice with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream if desired.

With their naturally sticky texture, dried figs make a fitting addition to a batch of no-bake energy balls, helping to bind the other ingredients together beautifully. You can go for endless combinations here, with nuts, butters, spices, and seeds all tasting delicious alongside the sweet, chewy figs.

One particularly tasty mashup is dried figs, walnuts, desiccated coconut, and cinnamon, for a wonderfully sweet and spicy energy boost with plenty of texture. Just grind the walnuts, blend the de-stemmed and roughly chopped figs in a food processor, then add the remaining ingredients and blend again. The mixture should now be thick and sticky enough to shape into balls with your hands.

Another great approach is pairing the figs with Medjool dates, almond butter, rolled oats, flaxseed meal, and vanilla extract. Here, you can simply blend everything together in a food processor until smooth and moldable. There are countless other add-ins to explore, so feel free to get creative here. For a more indulgent finish, you could incorporate some cacao powder or mini chocolate chips. Chia, hemp, or sunflower seeds are also ideal for packing in some extra fiber. Or, to create the ultimate post-workout snack, add a scoop of vanilla protein powder into the mix. 

Nope, we're not talking about pancakes here, but rather the British version of flapjacks. These sticky, oat-based bakes are sure to satisfy a sweet tooth, and they're brilliantly easy to whip up. A traditional flapjack recipe consists of butter, brown sugar, golden syrup, and oats. The first three ingredients are melted together in a saucepan before stirring in the oats, pressing the mixture into a pan, and baking until golden. 

But of course, there's absolutely room for a fruity upgrade, and dried figs will go down a treat. Just chop these up and toss them with the oats before pouring over the butter mixture. You can even pair these with other dried fruits such as apricots, prunes, dates, or raisins. Spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are also popular add-ins, or you could even add a pinch of orange zest for a burst of citrusy flavor. Fruity flapjacks also make the perfect base for drizzling with melted dark chocolate, to amp up the indulgence even further.

That's right, fresh fruit isn't always required to make jam. You can, in fact, create a deliciously fruity spread with humble dried figs, and you'll only need two other ingredients. Step one is cutting away the tough stem from each fig. Then, cut the fruits into quarters, pop them into a saucepan, and top this up with enough water to almost cover them. Add a pinch of salt, and heat until the water starts to boil. Reduce to a simmer, and let the mixture cook for about 15 minutes. The figs should now be lovely and soft.

Once the simmering time is up, transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor or blender, and blitz until smooth and jammy. Stored in an airtight container, the fig jam will keep well in the fridge for up to a week. It'll taste incredible spread onto crackers or crostini and topped with your favorite cheeses and cured meats. Or, try stirring it into a homemade salad dressing for a sweet and fruity twist.

Dried figs can add a mouth-watering chewiness to homemade cookies, and they'll work especially well alongside nuts and warming spices. You can either chop them up for even distribution throughout the dough or create a thick, fruity filling for fig roll-style cookies.

To jazz up a basic oatmeal cookie recipe, ditch the raisins and toss in some chopped dried figs instead. Pair them with the usual suspects — that's butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, rolled oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon — and you'll have a batch of satisfying, fruit-loaded cookies that'll serve as the perfect mid-afternoon treat. 

Dried figs are also essential when making Sicilian cuccidati — fig-stuffed cookies that are often made during the holiday season in Italy. Here, the figs are soaked and blended into a thick paste, and combined with chopped toasted nuts, spices, chocolate, cocoa powder, raisins, Marsala wine, and jam. This indulgent medley is then used to stuff an orange-infused, enriched cookie dough. The cookies are traditionally crafted in multiple different shapes, with half moons and sliced, circular rolls being popular choices. And, a sweet icing glaze and scattering of sprinkles are the perfect way to finish them off.

There's something undeniably elegant about a galette, and we love how easy it is to switch up the combination of fillings. Fruits like apples and blueberries are a go-to, and savory creations such as those filled with cheese and tomatoes are equally delicious. If you have some dried figs to hand, these are the perfect tool for sweetening up a homemade galette, whether you're making it for dinner or dessert.

Once you've prepped your pastry and shaped it roughly into a circle, it's time to get creative with the fillings. If you're going for a savory galette, consider incorporating something tangy and creamy, such as goat cheese, blue cheese, or feta cheese. These will pair beautifully with fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or parsley, and aromatic ingredients such as roasted garlic or caramelized onions. Now, you can add those fruity morsels. Just roughly chop the dried figs and scatter them on top of the other fillings before folding in the sides of the pastry, brushing them with egg, and baking the galette until gooey and golden.

For a dessert-style galette, consider pairing the dried figs with other fruits such as raspberries and apples, or chopped nuts (perhaps almonds, hazelnuts, or pecans). Ricotta is great for adding creaminess, and a drizzle of honey complements the figs' floral notes fantastically, while a dash of lemon zest is sure to brighten everything up.

An essential part of any festive spread, stuffing is a beloved accompaniment for roasted meats and veggies. Typically featuring a base of breadcrumbs or cubed toasted bread, a homemade stuffing can be enhanced with various fruits, vegetables, herbs, and aromatics, and figs are a top-tier choice for imparting a hint of balancing sweetness.

For the base of the stuffing, start by sauteing your veggies of choice, such as onions and mushrooms, in butter. Then, stir in the chopped figs. Feel free to incorporate some other fruits, such as dried cranberries or grated apple. Cooked chestnuts would also complement the figs brilliantly, and herbs like sage and thyme are great for elevating the savory depth. You could even incorporate some toasted almonds for added richness and crunch. With everything warmed through, pour over some chicken or vegetable broth, bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the buttery breadcrumbs or cubes. Finally, the mixture can be pressed into a dish and baked until lovely and crisp on top.

If you haven't tried bacon-wrapped figs, you're missing out. These bite-sized treats offer a mouth-watering balance of sweetness and saltiness, serving as the ultimate easy-yet-impressive appetizer or addition to a grazing board.

To make these tempting creations, start by slicing the bacon into thin strips that are long enough to wrap once around a whole fig with a slight overlap. With the figs wrapped, use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place, and arrange the prepared appetizers onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake them until the bacon has crisped up nicely (for about 15 minutes), and they're ready to serve up to your guests. If desired, you could also try stuffing the figs with a creamy mixture of goat cheese, garlic, and herbs before wrapping and baking them.

Bacon-wrapped figs pair beautifully with charcuterie board classics such as cured meats, cheeses, olives, chutneys, and pickles. Try pairing them with a tangy blue cheese dip or honey mustard sauce. You can even dip them in maple syrup, which will enhance the figs' natural sweetness no end.

Utilizing the natural sweetness of fruits is always the best approach when blending up a nutritious smoothie, and dried figs can certainly help in this department. Blitzing just one dried fig with your other smoothie ingredients is enough to sweeten things up sufficiently, with the fruit's signature honey-like taste complementing a whole host of other smoothie add-ins.

To make a decadent, protein-packed vanilla fig smoothie, first soak a dried frig in water for around 10 minutes, to soften it up slightly. Then, remove it from the liquid and pop it into your blender, along with some creamy Greek yogurt, vanilla protein powder, a fresh fig, some fresh ginger, almond butter, cinnamon, maple syrup, and a splash of almond milk. Blend the ingredients until smooth, and pour the smoothie into glasses. To really go all out, you can garnish each glassful with a cinnamon stick and an extra fresh or dried fig. Other fig-friendly smoothie add-ins include bananas, kiwis, apples, orange juice, peanut butter, coconut milk, and cacao powder, so you can absolutely mix and match different ingredients to craft your perfect blend.

Packed with briny, savory flavor, an olive tapenade makes for a wonderfully sophisticated crostini topper. Typically made with a base of green, black, or Kalamata olives, capers, garlic, and olive oil, the ingredients are blitzed up in a food processor to create a coarse paste. But this medley of rich, salty ingredients can most definitely benefit from a little fruity sweetness.

Add dried figs to an olive tapenade, and the resulting spread will be perfectly balanced, with the figs offsetting the intense savory notes by just the right amount. All you'll need to do is trim the stems away from the figs and pop them into the food processor along with your other ingredients. Fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme would also make great additions here, and a splash of balsamic vinegar is great for bringing a subtle tang to the mixture. Blitz everything up, and your fig-enhanced tapenade is ready for spreading atop your favorite crackers or toasts, pairing with meats and cheeses, or dunking crudites into.

They're a nostalgic treat for many, and Fig Newtons have to be one of the most fitting ways to put dried figs to use. These fruity bites sit somewhere between a cookie and a cake, offering a moreish soft texture and generous filling of sweetened fig paste. To make the dough, you'll need butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and orange zest. Once it's been mixed up, chill the dough in the fridge whilst you prepare the fig filling. This can be a simple combination of dried figs, applesauce, and orange juice, which get blitzed up in a food processor to form a thick paste. You'll want to use Black Mission figs here, which are a little stickier and softer than some other varieties of dried figs.

To assemble the Fig Newtons, roll out your chilled dough into a rectangle and cut it into three to four long strips. Using a piping bag with a large round nozzle, pipe the fig filling lengthways down the middle of each strip, then fold the sides of the dough inwards to create a log shape. Place the logs onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (seam-side down) and bake for around 20 minutes until slightly puffed up. You can also brown the newtons up a little further, if desired, by placing them under the broiler for a minute or so post-baking.

Next time you're whipping up a vibrant, refreshing salad, consider tossing in some dried figs. As well as adding sweetness, they'll introduce a wonderful chewy bite that fits in exceptionally well alongside other fresh, crunchy, and creamy ingredients, resulting in a perfectly balanced bowlful.

Figs and goat cheese are a pairing you'll have noticed popping up again and again throughout this article, and this duo fits together especially well in a leafy green salad. Just add the crumbled cheese and chopped dried figs to a large bowl with some mixed greens, and perhaps some chopped toasted nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans. Mix up a simple vinaigrette with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, and any other add-ins of your choice, and drizzle this over the salad ingredients. Toss everything well, and dig in.

For a heartier, grain-based salad, try combining the dried figs with boiled wheat berries, lentils, or wild rice. Toss in some other diced, crunchy veggies, such as celery, red onion, and cucumber, plus a handful of fresh herbs. Feta cheese will also add a touch of tangy richness, and other chopped fruits such as grapes, apples, or pears are sure to complement the figs' sweet profile. A zesty orange vinaigrette would make for a delicious dressing, too.