Buttery and flaky fig cookies stuffed with dried figs, chopped walnuts, and cinnamon.

Love holiday cookies? Try our pecan balls or caramel toffee cookies.

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Fig cookies are buttery, light, and flaky cookies with a delicious cinnamon fig and walnut filling. They may look ultra fancy and maybe a little intimidating but the truth is, this fig cookie recipe is pretty easy to make.

It’s just a matter of mixing up the dough, chilling it, and rolling it up with filling inside.

The dough recipe is very similar to a traditional rugelach recipe. It’s made with cream cheese and butter. So it’s soft and easy to work with. The fig filling is totally customizable too. Simply use your favorite dried fruit and nuts!

Types of Figs to Use

For these fig filled cookies, you can use dried Mission or Smyrna figs. Both varieties of dried figs are readily available at most supermarkets.

Mission figs are small, with thin dark skin. Whereas, Smyrna figs (also known as Calimyrna figs) are larger than Mission figs, with thick, dry, beige skin.

When buying dried figs, look for figs without any added preservatives, additives, or sugar. Few brands that I like are this one and this one.

Ingredients

Before you begin, you’ll need the following ingredients for the dough and filling:

ingredients for fig cookies.
  • cream cheese
  • unsalted butter
  • cane sugar
  • salt
  • vanilla extract
  • all-purpose flour
  • dried figs
  • walnuts
  • cinnamon
  • egg
  • milk

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

Here are some options you can use to change this Italian fig cookies recipe to fit your preferences, time constraints, or what you have on hand.

  • Use different dough. Use crescent dough, phyllo dough, or puff pastry instead of making the dough yourself. The recipe for this dough is actually very easy to make, but if you want to use one of these options, it will still taste delicious just result in a different texture.
  • Buttermilk instead of milk. Brush the tops with buttermilk instead of eggwash. If you run out of eggs right as you were starting this recipe, don’t worry, you can use buttermilk or even just milk to brush the tops of the cookies.  
  • For a crunchy top. Sprinkle turbinado sugar or sliced almonds on top before baking for a fun crunchy texture.
  • Add icing. Drizzle the tops of the cookies with a simple icing of powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk.  
  • Citrus flavor. Add lemon zest or orange zest to the filling for a citrusy flavor.

How to Make Fig Cookies

Making the Dough

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Beat in sugar, salt, and vanilla. Make sure to scrape the sides as needed.

cookie batter in a bowl

Add flour and mix on low speed until combined.

cookie dough for fig cookies

Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula forming the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

finished fig cookie dough

Making the Filling

In a large skillet, preferably non-stick, melt butter over medium heat. Add figs, walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook for just a few minutes while stirring until well combined and fragrant. Do not let the sugar dissolve, otherwise, it will crystalize and harden.

fig filling for cookies

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk. Set aside.

Assembling Fig Cookies

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and divide the dough into three equal portions. Working with one portion at a time on a well-floured surface, roll the dough into a roughly 13 X 11 rectangle, give or take. It should be between 1/8″ – 1/4″ inch thick.

rolled out cookie dough

Spread about 1/3 of the filling over the dough, spreading all the way to the edges. Starting at one edge, tightly roll up the dough into an 11-inch log.

cookie dough with fig filling

Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1-inch thick slices. Arrange slices onto a prepared baking sheet seam side down, about 1.5 inches apart.  Brush on the egg wash. Repeat with the other two portions of dough. 

sliced cookie on a baking sheet

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 28-35 minutes. They should be golden brown in color. Transfer to a wire rack to cool and enjoy!

What Other Fillings Can I Add to These Cookies? 

During Christmas time, cookies are one of the most popular desserts to bake. There are so many different variations you can try with these rugelach-like cookies.

Try adding or replacing the ingredients in this recipe with almond paste, peach preserves, pecans, sliced almonds, toffee bits, coconut flakes, cinnamon sugar, or other dried fruits such as dried cherries, dried cranberries, raisins, or other dried fruit.

Any of these options will make for a delicious filling wrapped in rich, flakey dough. 

Recipe Tips

Fig cookies are easy to make with these tips and tricks. It’ll be a new recipe that your family will request again and again.

  • Measure the flour properly. For best results, use the spoon and level method for measuring the flour.
  • Chop the figs then measure. You’ll need one cup of chopped figs. Measure the figs after you chop them.
  • Check for doneness. All oven temperatures vary, so be sure to start checking the cookies for doneness around 25 minutes. Mine took exactly 33 minutes to bake. Cookies should be lightly golden brown. If they look pale golden, bake for a few minutes longer.
  • Cool all the way. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before eating.
  • Use dried figs. I only tested this recipe with dried figs so I can’t answer with 100% certainty whether fresh figs would work the same.
fig cookie recipe.

How to Serve

Serve these delicious cookies at holiday parties or bring them to a cookie bake sale or cookie exchange. They hold up well during travel.

They are the perfect addition to other festive holiday cookies like Melted Snowman Cookies, No Bake White Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies, or Chocolate Almond Biscotti.  

Storing Tips

Refrigerate: The best way to store these Italian cookies is in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

They’ll stay freshest in the fridge but will be cold. You can allow them to warm up slightly on the counter for a few minutes before eating them if you’d like. 

On the counter: You can also save them at room temperature on the counter if you’d like. They will last for about 3-5 days this way.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use dates instead of figs in this recipe? 

Yes, but dates are sweeter than figs, so the cookies will be slightly sweeter than if you use figs.

Can I use fresh figs or fig jam to make fig cookies? 

You can use fig jam to make these cookies. Fresh figs could possibly work but I can’t answer with certainty as I only tested this recipe with dried figs.

Can I freeze fig cookies? 

Because of the cream cheese in these cookies, they don’t freeze well. The flakey tenderness just isn’t the same after it’s been frozen and thawed again.

If you tried this Fig Cookies Recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how you like the recipe in the comments below.

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fig cookies

Fig Cookies Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Katya
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 35 min
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: 33 cookies 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Buttery and flaky fig cookies stuffed with dried figs, chopped walnuts, and cinnamon. 


Ingredients

Units Scale

Dough

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (16 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup cane sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 cups + 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled

Filling

  • 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 cup chopped dried figs, such as Mission or Smyrna, stems discarded
  • 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. cane sugar
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tbsp. milk

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in sugar, salt, and vanilla.
  2. Add flour and mix on low speed until just combined, scraping down the sides as needed. The dough should be soft but not sticky to the touch, when tapped with a finger. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula forming the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  3. To make the filling, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add figs, walnuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Cook just for a few minutes while stirring until well combined and fragrant. Do not let the sugar dissolve, otherwise, it will crystalize and harden. Set aside.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large (or two smaller) rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
  5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut the dough into three equal portions. Before rolling out the dough, make sure your work surface and rolling pin is well floured. Add more flour if needed. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll out into a roughly 13 X 11 rectangle, give or take. It should be between 1/8″ – 1/4″ inch thick. Spread about 1/3 of the filling over the dough, spreading all the way to the edges. Starting at one edge, tightly roll up the dough into a 11-inch log. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1-inch thick slices. Arrange slices onto prepared baking sheet, about 1.5 inches apart.  Repeat with the other two portions of dough. 
  6. In a small bowl, whisk egg and milk together to make an egg wash. Brush on the egg wash on cookies. 
  7. Bake for 28-35 minutes or until golden brown. Mine take exactly 33 minutes. Cookies should be lightly golden brown. If they look pale golden, bake for a few minutes longer. Remove from the oven, allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. Makes about 33 cookies.

Notes

  • Flour: For best results, make sure to spoon and level the flour. Here’s a great how to.
  • Figs: You’ll need 1 cup of chopped figs. Measure the figs after you chop them.
  • Leftovers: Cover leftovers and store tightly at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie
  • Calories: 170
  • Sugar: 7 g
  • Sodium: 43.2 mg
  • Fat: 11.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.7 g
  • Protein: 2.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 31.1 mg