Do you like Fig Newtons? It was my favorite cookie as a kid and a frequent guest in my Partridge Family lunch box. I wanted to make a breakfast-y bar version that could double as dessert and created these buttery oatmeal fig bars.
Save This Recipe!
Enter your email and we'll send it right to you!
This fig bar recipe is the best because:
- One layer does double duty. The oatmeal crust base layer is used again as the crumble on top giving amazing texture.
- Versatile. You can use any kind of preserves in the middle.
- Warm flavor. A hit of cinnamon in the crust warms everything up in the best way.
p.s. If you aren’t especially fond of figs, give its soft-baked cousin, the cranberry bar a try. So good!
The Ingredients
Crust and crumble layer
Basic baking ingredients make up the top and bottom layers:
- Oatmeal
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Butter
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
This post contains links to affiliate websites including Amazon. I make a small commission for any purchases made using these links. Thank you!
The Filling
This is what I call a “high/low” recipe. Meaning parts of it are made from scratch and parts of it aren’t. And I’m not one bit mad about it. The filling comes from a jar of preserves or jam.
Two excellent options for the fig filling are:
- Trader Joe’s Fig Butter – sweeter in flavor and price!
- Stonewall Kitchen’s Fig and Ginger Jam. A little harder to find in stores, is pricier but has a really luscious spicy note
No matter which you choose, grab two because the recipe calls for a whole jar and you’ll want one on hand when the mood strikes!
Step-by-step instructions
Layer 1
- Start by mixing some butter, brown sugar and eggs until they’re all happy together.
- A little vanilla and a couple of eggs round out the party.
- Then blend the dry ingredients including oatmeal, flour, and cinnamon.
- Press about 2/3 of the crust into the bottom of a prepared square baking pan (I use a 9″ x 9″) reserving the remainder.
Crust Tip
Press a piece of buttered or baking-sprayed parchment paper over the dough and press to evenly spread it in the pan.
-Josie + Nina
Layer 2
Spread the entire jar of fig preserves evenly over the crust covering the whole thing.
Layer 3
Now you’ll take that reserved dough and make nice size plops of it dough on top. It’s ok if there are spaces in between because they’ll all join up while the bars bake to make a cobbly looking cookie top.
Bake
Bake the bars until golden brown on top and a cake tester comes out clean.
Helpful tips
Doubling
Except for the salt, you can safely double all the ingredients in the recipe and use a 9″ x 13″ baking pan. Your oatmeal fig bars will be a little thicker (not a bad thing). The salt will only be increased to 1 1/4 teaspoon total when doubling.
Make ahead
You can make these ahead, allow them to cool completely and either freeze them for up to three months or serve within three days.
Made this recipe?
I’d love it if you’d share your review and leave a star rating and comment!
Warm Oatmeal Fig Bars (with jam)
SAVE THIS RECIPE
Enter your email and we'll send it right to you!
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temp
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 C oatmeal, I used old-fashioned oats, not steel cut or quick cooking.
- 1 ½ C flour, all purpose
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt, *see note below if doubling
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 jar Fig butter or jam, 11 oz or 1 ⅓ cup approx *see note below
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Grease or lightly spray a 9″ square baking pan.
- Cream butter in mixer until creamy.1/2 cup unsalted butter
- Add brown sugar to butter and mix until lightened and well blended, about 2 minutes.1 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.2 eggs
- Add vanilla to mixer.1 tsp vanilla
- Combine next 5 ingredients in a medium bowl and lightly stir with a fork.2 C oatmeal, 1 1/2 C flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp cinnamon
- Add dry ingredients into mixing bowl and mix on low until worked in completely.
- Pat 2/3 of mixture into bottom of prepared pan. If needed, use a piece of parchment paper sprayed with cooking spray to help spread it evenly in the pan as the dough will be somewhat sticky.
- Spread contents of entire jar of fig butter evenly over crust.1 jar Fig butter or jam
- Place (plop!) the remaining crust over the fig jam and lightly press down.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, checking for a golden color on top.
- Remove from oven and cool before cutting into bars.
Notes
- Use your favorite jam or fruit butter flavor- even homemade works.
- Stonewall Kitchen makes a fab Fig and Ginger Jam that I’ve used many times here. Use the whole jar per the recipe above.
I made this recipe as I had a jar of fig spread and I like a good fig bar. Well I and my husband agreed these are the best fig bars we ever had! The oatmeal part was so good and of course with the fig. I can see using this base recipe for other fruit jam flavors! These were just as good chilled in the frig as they were at room temp. Will definitely make these again and again!
Thank you so much, Diane! I’m so glad you all loved the fig bars…and if you love this one, give the cranberry variation a try too. It’s soooo good for the holidays…thanks again!
These were so yummy! Sprinkled tiny chocolate chips on the top and also added in cut up raisons and walnuts. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yay Carol! SO happy you enjoyed the fig bars and I love the addition of the chocolate 🤎 (glad the printing worked out) My dad would love these with raisins…I might have to do that for the holidays this year!
I’d like to make a GF version of these delicious bars. I know I specifically need GF oats, but can you suggest an alternative “flour” that would work with this recipe? Looking so forward to sharing these with a celiac friend!
Great question Diane. I always turn to Cup 4 Cup flour which is GF. And the Bob’s Red MIll GF oats or the OneDegree organic oats are another great choice. Hope that helps!
Am i using quick oats or large flakes ?
Hi Michelle – I use old-fashioned oats (typically Quaker) for these oat bars. You might be talking about the thick oats like you can find from Bob’s Red Mill. I haven’t used those and wouldn’t suggest them as the bars might not bake long enough for them to cook up. Hope that helps!
This recipe looks amazing! I’ve been looking a way to use the Trader Joe’s fig butter. Can I reduce the amount of brown sugar?
Hi Ale! Thanks for your question. I have never reduced the sugar – you could try reducing it by 1/4 cup to start. I probably wouldn’t do much more than that as the crust actually doesn’t taste very sweet. If you try reducing it, please let me know how it works for you!
Can you use whole wheat flour
Hi Rose – thanks for the question. I’ve not tried making these bars with whole wheat flour but I would heed the advice of King Arthur Baking Company and substitute by volume as whole wheat flour weighs less than white flour. Hopefully that helps! Let me know if you try it and how it works!
Soooo delicious. Had figs coming out my ears so I made jam. Then I saw this recipe and decided why not! Used my jam for the spread. This recipe is a keeper!
You are so lucky, Robyn, to have a fig tree! Love it! And so happy your tried the fig bars. I make these on repeat for my daughter who loves them too. So glad you like them!
Hi , I made the recipe many times in New York using jam made with dried figs – get some dried figs , cook them on low flame with some water, little honey and lemon until soft. I used immersion stick blender to mash them up.Add some vanilla extract too. . The crust is very good , cookies are even better the next day .
I made them also using fresh fig jam I made in Greece. White figs or black , straight from the trees. It takes longer to cook the jam but is delicious. Kids and my Greek friends loved them !
Thank you for the great recipe
Your homemade fig jam recipe sounds amazing Aleksandra! I will have to try that sometime. Thank you so much for choosing my recipe to feature your beautiful jam 😊
I’m making this tonight – can’t wait!
Yay! Please let me know what you think Lynn!!🤗
Can you use fresh figs? I have a bumper crop this year and am looking for was to use them up.
You totally could! I read about using a slow cooker for like 6 hours. Or you could put them in a covered saucepan on the stove on low. I would just halve them and cook them down with some sugar (maybe 2 tsp or a tablespoon depending how many figs you’ll use). Add water if needed. You might have to puree them a bit after cooking. Let me know if you try it! Thanks Diane!!
The recipe calls for one jar of Trader Joes fig jam, I had to go back to the pictures to see how many ounces that was. I was thankful that picture showed the lable, so I read how many ounces the jar contained. If you are using 1/2 pts of home made fig jam, like I am, it would have been helpful to list the ounces in the recipe discription. otherwise the directions were very east to follow.
Thanks, Linda. Great suggestion – I appreciate it! I am changing the recipe to clarify. Please keep the comments and feedback coming And hope you liked the recipe. Lucky you with homemade fig jam!
Is Trader Joe’s the only place you can
purchase the fig butter? There isn’t one nearby. Would like to try this recipe.
Hi Kim! Stonewall Kitchen carries a wonderful Fig and Ginger Jam that I talk about in the post above. Here is a link for the Classic Fig Jam as well! Let me know if you have any more questions about the bars or I can help in anyway! Thank you!
I love fig bars! These look so delicious and perfect with a cup of coffee ♥
Thank you, Natalie! I love them too and I’m all on board on anything with coffee!🥰