Healthier Fig Rolls (Vegan & GF)

These healthier fig rolls are my current favourite afternoon treat to accompany my cup of tea! They’re so easy to make and only call for 7 ingredients. They also happen to be vegan, glute-free and dairy-free. 

I started testing a fig roll recipe a couple of years ago and dabbled with it again here and there, but never really finalised a recipe I was happy with. A couple of months ago I had a mad craving for fig rolls, so decided to revisit the recipe and test it a couple more times.

I’m now finally happy with a recipe that tastes amazing, but is made with healthier ingredients making it better for you than shop bought fig rolls. I also used ingredients that made the recipe vegan friendly and gluten-free.

If you’ve followed my blog/social media for a while you’ll know that I’m  a huge fan of using dates as a natural sweetener in desserts. Like dates, figs also a great way to naturally sweeten treats. Using them means I don’t need to add as much sweetener to make a recipe taste good. For example, I only use 2 tbsp of added sugar in this whole recipe.

The fig centre in these healthier fig rolls is made up of only dried figs and water. I cook them in a pan for 5-10 minutes to allow the figs to soften and break down creating a soft, spreadable paste. 

I used a mixture of oat flour (that I made myself by blending rolled oats into a fine flour) and ground almonds instead of plain flour. Almonds are a great source of fibre, nutrients, healthy fats and also have some protein. Oats are also a great source of fibre and antioxidants. The mixture of the two coupled with a little bit of maple syrup and coconut oil create the most delicious, crumbly and soft biscuit. If you’re anything like me, I know that once you try them you’ll be making them all the time!

What you need to make these healthier fig rolls:

Figs – A source of fibre, nutrients and antioxidants. They’re naturally sweet, so a great way to add sweetness to a dessert without the need for much added sweetener. The juicier the figs, the less water you’ll need to turn them into a paste. If your figs are on the drier side, you may need to add more water. 

Oats – Another great source of fibre and antioxidants. I love using oats as a healthier substitute for plain flour in baking. You can make your own oat flour by blending rolled oats in a high-speed blender into a fine flour. You can use gluten-free oats for a gluten-free recipe. 

Ground almonds – A source of healthy fats and nutrients (like vitamin E & calcium) , I find ground almonds another great substitute for flour, especially when used along side oat flour. 

Maple syrup – I only used 2 tbsp in the whole recipe to add a little extra sweetness, but it also acts as a glue to hold everything together since we’re not using eggs in this recipe. 

Coconut oil – Adds lots of moisture to the biscuit part of the fig rolls, but also helps hold everything together. You can use butter/dairy-free butter alternative instead if you prefer.

Salt & cinnamon – the salt is used to enhance all the flavours and the cinnamon goes really well with the taste of the figs! 

These healthier fig rolls are:

• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Dairy-free 
• Only call for 7 ingredients
• Made with better-for-you ingredients like almonds, oats and figs
• Easy to make
• So tasty
• The perfect snack to enjoy with your afternoon cup of tea/coffee

Healthier Fig Rolls

These healthier fig rolls are my current favourite afternoon treat to accompany my cup of tea! They’re so easy to make and only call for 7 ingredients. They also happen to be vegan, glute-free and dairy-free. 

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chill time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 16

Calories 105 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

For the fig mixture

• 175g dried figs
• 3-6 tbsp water

For the biscuits

• 125g ground oats/oat flour
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or other liquid sweetener
• 50g coconut oil or butter

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/350F
• Add the figs and water in a large pan and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or potato masher to mash the figs into a paste as they cook.
• In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, ground almonds, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the maple syrup and coconut oil and mix to combine.
• Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the coconut oil to solidify and make it easier to work with.
• Roll the dough out into a 20×20cm square between two sheets of parchment paper. Slice down the middle to create 2 long pieces.
• Divide the fig mixture between the 2 pieces of pastry. Spread along one side, then carefully start rolling into a tight cylinder. Place in the freezer for 15-30 minutes then cut into cookies.
• Arrange on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown. 
• Leave to cool completely and enjoy! 

Notes

Store in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 105kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 53mgPotassium: 6mgFiber: 2gSugar: 7g

Keyword dairy-free dessert, egg-free, figs, gluten-free cookies, healthy baking, healthy dessert, oat cookies, vegan dessert

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If you enjoyed this recipe, you may also like these healthier date rolls!