Fig Newton Breakfast Bars

6-ingredient breakfast bars with hearty oats, plant-based protein and fresh figs! Gluten-free, oil-free, and naturally sweetened with dates and maple syrup.

Ever since I moved into my townhome as a renter, things have been, well, falling apart.

The first offender was the dishwasher, that, to be honest, never really cleaned dishes very well from the beginning.

Then there was the great dryer debacle of 2020 where, for the span of three months, I hung all of my clothing to dry on a flimsy hang dry rack.

Crunchy towels and jeans are not fun, friends.

The doorbell stopped working after about a month so I’ve grown accustomed to listen intently for persistent knocks.

I’ve also cohabited with a mouse, a swarm of ants, and a lot of web-making spiders.

I joked to my parents on the phone a few weeks back that the only thing that hasn’t gone wrong yet was the AC.

I spoke too soon.

This past Saturday morning I woke up to a stuffy hot home with temperatures on a steady upward incline.

My Nest thermostat didn’t respond to all of my prodding and pushing on the dial so I diagnosed the AC– *gasp*– BROKEN.

Luckily, we’ve had several days in the low 80’s and mid-70’s here in Virginia, making it possible for me to have the windows down and the ceiling fans on.

So the past few days I’ve been limiting my oven use to stay cool.

Luckily, I made Fig Newton Breakfast Bars when the AC was still kicking.

These 6-ingredient breakfast bars are dense, chewy, and naturally sweet with fresh figs and dried fruit!

Let’s reminisce about the past to take my mind off of my air condition-less house, OK?

Did you ever eat Fig Newtons growing up?

Mmm,  I sure did.

I stacked them up on a paper napkin after school and ate them one at a time, reluctantly watching the tower shorten.

The totality of my experience with figs waxed and waned with those greedy bites.

Until I finally had fresh figs as an adult and decided to make fig newton-themed recipes with REAL figgin’ figs.

The inspiration for these Fig Newton Breakfast Bars comes from my PB&J Baked Breakfast Bars!

If you haven’t made them yet, now’s your chance to give them a little bake time, too.

But first, let’s get figgy.

You’ll see a lot of the same ingredients pop up, like hearty oats, gooey dates, and pure maple syrup.

I swapped out protein powder in the original for almond flour, which still boasts quite a bit of nutty protein.

Substitute figs for the strawberries to create a jammy fig newton situation in bar form.

You’re going to love this Fig Newton Breakfast Bar variation for fall!

They’re nutty and perfectly sweet with a golden exterior and moist and chewy interior.

Did I mention they’re also oil-free, gluten-free, and refined-sugar-free?

I mean, it really is hard to beat oats and fresh figs.

Here’s what you need:

• Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• raw unsalted almonds
• almond flour
• fresh figs
• Medjool dates
• pure maple syrup

That’s it!

Hopefully you have everything you need in the kitchen!

I used my favorite Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats as the hearty base to this recipe.

You also need to use fresh figs figs as opposed to dried figs in the recipe.

For the almonds, make sure you have unsalted nut!

If you can’t find or don’t have almond flour, try subbing oat flour for a similar result.

For extra protein, try subbing protein powder for the almond flour for an extra boost.

This recipe start with a high speed blender or food processor.

Add in the oats, almonds, and almond flour and process until you have a fine dust.

Next, add in the maple syrup, fresh figs, and dates.

If your dates are dried out, try soaking them in warm water until they’re soft.

The trick to the best textured bars is to blend half of the oats and then stir in the second half.

I like to throw in some chunks of figs at the end, too, to create more of jammy fig texture.

Spread the mixture into a parchment lined square baking dish and top with sliced figs for aesthetics.

The bars will bake in just 20-25 minutes.

You’ll know that they’re done when the top is golden brown and the edges start to pull away from the parchment paper.

Yes, the kitchen will smell like fig newtons while the bars are baking!

Remove the pan from the oven and allow them to cool before slicing into small squares.

Enjoy!

These bars are absolutely perfect for meal prep!

I like to make a big pan to enjoy over the duration of the week.

They make an amazing nutritious save-the-day breakfast or snack for those weeks you had zero time to grocery shop or prepare any food for the week.

I have a stash in my freezer right now for that very reason that I look at fondly when I’m stumble upon it looking for the frozen fruit.

If there are any remaining, they can easily be frozen and reheated at a later date.

They freeze well and don’t dry out easily so you can keep them on hand for several months.

If you start your day off with these Fig Newton Breakfast Bars, let me know! I’d love to hear what you think of them.

Be sure to leave me a comment, rating, and review so I can use your feedback to create more yums.

Give me a shout on Instagram and use #floraandvino to show me your creations.

Check out my Pinterest page to pin more recipe like this one to make later.

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Want more grab and go breakfasts? You’ll love my Blueberry Maple Baked Breakfast Bars and PB&J Baked Breakfast Bars!

XO Lauren

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This post is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill, but all words and eats are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep me hungry!

Photography by Hot Pan Kitchen