These gingerbread sticky fig puddings are a play on the classic sticky toffee pudding, but made with figs instead of dates and other wholesome ingredients like oats and tahini. I also added gingerbread spices to make them more warming, satisfying and festive!
I posted these sticky toffee puddings on my Instagram page a few months ago and you guys seemed to love them! I had so much great feedback from everyone who tried them. I thought why not make another variation, but this time using figs instead of dates.
I think dried figs don’t get the love they deserve, which is a shame because they’re such an amazing ingredient to use. Especially when making healthier, naturally sweet desserts and bakes. Desserts like this gingerbread sticky fig pudding. Since figs are naturally super sweet, I only had to use 1 added tbsp of sweetener, mainly to add more moisture than anything else. It’s amazing how sweet these puddings come out just from using dried figs.
Why I love making these gingerbread sticky fig puddings:
I recently started to experiment a lot more with dried figs. I’ve always loved eating them as a snack, but haven’t really utilised them much in my baking. That’s all changed now. I’ve experienced a new found love for them and as a result I find myself playing around with them in my recipes. As well as these gingerbread sticky figs puddings, I’m also currently working on a simple fig dessert, which I’m really excited to share with you soon!
As well as being naturally sweet, they also have the perfect soft texture to add lots of moisture to bakes without the need to add other ingredients like butter/oil to give your them a soft gooey texture. For example, to make these gingerbread sticky fig puddings, I only had to add 3 tbsp of oil.
I topped my gingerbread sticky fig puddings with a 3 ingredient candied walnuts that I made by simply adding chopped walnuts to a pan with 1 tbsp of agave syrup. You have the option to add more spices here if you like a strong gingerbread flavour. I don’t like mine to be overly spiced so it doesn’t overpower the taste of the figs & tahini.
If you need these gingerbread sticky fig puddings to be nut-free, you can omit the candied walnut topping. They’ll still taste amazing with just the drizzle. I think they taste nice even without the drizzle! So if you want an even healthier version with lower calories/sugar/fat, you can omit the drizzle too. Although I do think a sticky toffee style pudding like this one needs some sort of drizzle/sauce, otherwise it’s more of a cake than a pudding.
What you need to make these gingerbread sticky fig pudding:
Figs – dried figs add a lot of natural sweetness, meaning you don’t need to add any much extra sweetener. I only used 1 tbsp of agave syrup in the dough, mainly to add more moisture than sweetness. The figs also add lots of moisture to these puds, so we don’t need to add too much fat/oil to give them that soft gooey texture we’re looking for. I used Crazy Jack figs, they’re so soft and perfect for this recipe!
Coconut oil – to add moisture and help everything hold together in the oven as it bakes since we’re not using eggs.
Tahini – I love using tahini as a replacement for oil/butter. It’s packed with nutrients, plus it adds a lovely nuttiness to recipes. I always use Middle Eastern/Lebanese tahini as it’s runnier and works best as a replacement for oil. It’s also a lot milder compared to other nut butters like peanut or almond butter. Plus it’s a great option for those who can’t eat nuts.
Oat flour – which is basically oats ground up in a high-speed blender into a fine flour. I make my own at home since it’s a lot cheaper. Also it means you can make gluten-free oat flour using gluten-free oats if you need the recipe to be gluten-free. Oat flour/ground oats is a great healthier substitution to regular flour.
Baking powder – to help the puddings rise a little in the oven.
Spices – I used a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice to get that gingerbread flavour. I also added a hint of cardamom, because it’s my favourite spice EVER and works really well with figs. You can play around with the spices and the amounts to suit your likes/preferences. You can also omit the spices if you prefer.
What you need to make the candied walnuts & drizzle:
I kept it simple and made the candied walnuts by heating some Crazy Jack walnuts together with some of their agave syrup and a pinch of salt. This will only take 5-10 minutes, then you just need to leave them to cool on a baking sheet until they set. They harden as they cool down, giving them a lovely crunchy texture.
The drizzle is probably one of the simplest things you can make! It’s literally mixing tahini, agave, milk and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Done! It gives these gingerbread sticky fig puddings so much more moisture and flavour. Plus, what is a sticky toffee pudding without a drizzle/sauce?
How to make these gingerbread sticky fig puddings:
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Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan.
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Chop up the figs and add them to a saucepan along with the milk. Cook on a medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Mash the figs with the back of a wooden spoon until you have a smooth paste.
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Take off the heat and mix in the tahini, coconut oil and agave syrup.
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In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, spices, baking powder and salt. Fold in the fig mixture and mix until you have a smooth cake batter.
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Divide between 4 lightly oiled mini basins and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
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In the meantime, make the candied walnuts – add the walnuts, agave and pinch of salt to a saucepan. Cook over a medium heat stirring continuously until the syrup has fully coated the walnuts. Remove from the heat and spread over a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Allow to cool completely.
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Make the drizzle by mixing the tahini, agave syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
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Spoon some of the drizzle on top of the sticky toffee puddings, top with a few walnuts and enjoy!
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Store in the fridge in an air-tight container. You can reheat in the oven or the microwave if you prefer to enjoy them warm. They can last up to a week in the fridge.
These gingerbread sticky fig puddings are:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Can be made nut-free
- Made with wholesome ingredients
- Sweetened mainly with figs
- Ready in under an hour
- Made as individual portions
- Topped with candied walnuts for extra flavour and crunch
- Topped with a simple 3 ingredient drizzle
- Packed with warming spices
- The perfect festive dessert to serve on Christmas Day!
Gingerbread Sticky Fig Puddings
Ingredients
- 165g dried figs I used Crazy Jack figs
- 240ml milk of choice
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1.5 tbsp agave syrup I used Crazy Jack agave syrup
- 115g oat flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Pinch of all spice
- Pinch of cardamom
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the candied walnuts
- 40g walnuts I used Crazy Jack walnuts
- 1 tbsp agave syrup
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
For the drizzle
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp agave syrup
- 2-3 tsp milk of choice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
- Chop up the figs and add them to a saucepan along with the milk. Cook on a medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Mash the figs with the back of a wooden spoon until you have a smooth(ish) paste.
- Take off the heat and mix in the tahini, coconut oil and agave syrup.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, spices, baking powder and salt. Fold in the fig mixture and mix until you have a smooth cake batter.
- Divide between 4 lightly oiled mini basins and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle.
- In the meantime, make the candied walnuts – add the walnuts, agave and pinch of salt to a saucepan. Cook over a medium heat stirring continuously until the syrup has fully coated the walnuts. Remove from the heat and spread over a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Allow to cool completely.
- Make the drizzle by mixing the tahini, agave syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl.
- Spoon some of the drizzle on top of the sticky toffee puddings, top with a few walnuts and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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