Orange Fig Thumbprint Cookies

My local grocery store has a jar of jam called Orange and Fig Jam. I was astonished because I do not recall ever seeing that blend of flavors in the grocery stores in my area, but it is time I take a second look.

But the cookies needed a little crunch with the soft filling of the orange and figs and the soft cookies with the cream cheese. So, of course, that almost always means adding some nuts. I could not think of a better nut than the all-mighty walnut for this combination. I also learned you could purchase Fig and Walnut Butter in a jar; I had no idea they made it.

Ingredients

COOKIE DOUGH

• Cream Cheese 
• Butter unsalted
• Sugar white
• All-purpose flour

ORANGE FIG FILLING

• Dried figs 
• Sugar white
• Orange zest
• Orange juice
• Lemon zest
• Water
• Chopped walnuts

Dried Figs vs Fresh Figs

Mighty figs benefit your health whether you like fresh or dried figs. The MedicalNewToday has an article on figs (they only source peer-reviewed studies) which lists the benefits, risks, fresh vs. dried, and nutrition of figs.

Although the dried figs are higher in calories and sugar, they are also higher in some important minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber.

Dried figs are my favorite for baking cookies. Fresh figs are much bigger and contain more moisture than the dried figs. Fresh figs are not available year-round, and the dried figs I can get any time.

I also find that the dried has a more concentrated fig flavor, like a Fig Newton cookie. I always think fresh figs are best for cake batter, cheese, and crackers. You can cut them into quarters, add honey, and roast them.

If a recipe calls for dried figs, that is what you want to use, or you will need to adjust the ingredients for the moisture content.

Making Orange Fig Filling

The first thing to do is to prepare the dried figs to be infused with the orange. This means trimming and cutting them up so they can be cooked. If you cannot find small pieces of walnuts, you will need to chop the ones you have so they are small.

You will need to remove the stems, which are sometimes pressed down flat and hard to find. Just cut them off at the base of the stem.

Cut the figs into small pieces and set them in a bowl.

Next, juice and zest an orange into separate containers. You will also need to zest a lemon.

You will also need to measure out ¼ of a cup of sugar.

In a small saucepan, add the cut-up figs, the water, sugar, lemon zest, and the orange juice and zest. Bring this to a boil. Stir often until the figs are soft. Then, using a wooden spoon, start to break them up. Reduce the liquid to half.

It takes about 10 minutes to reduce the liquid to about a ⅓ left in the pan. You can use a stick blender, regular blender, or food processor to blend everything. With my stick blender (Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender from Williams Sonoma), it took about 40 seconds to mix these.

You want the puree to still have a little liquid, but all the pieces are fine enough to spoon into the cookie wells.

The reason for keeping the mixture moist is that adding the small, chopped walnuts will absorb some of the remaining liquid. Also, the fig filling does not dry out when baking the cookies.

Leave in a bowl so it will cool down while you make the cookie dough. Stir the mixture once in a while to keep the fig filling moist.

Create Thumbprint Cookies

This is a simple and easy cookie dough recipe. Measure or weigh the sugar into a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, weigh or measure the flour.

In a mixer bowl, mix the butter and cream cheese on a medium speed until combined.

Next, add in the sugar and mix for 3 minutes on a medium mixer speed.

Finally, add the flour and mix until the flour is incorporated, about a minute. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To achieve consistent cookie ball size, I use a medium cookie scooper. Roll the cookie dough into a ball and place 12 onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet pan.

Next, take your thumb straight down the middle of the dough ball, but do not go the whole way through. I also move my thumb around to make the hole wider but not deeper.

Take a small spoon and fill the holes with the orange fig filling. This is why you want to keep the fig filling a little moist since baking will take a little moisture out of the filling.

Bake at 350°F (175°C or 180°C) for 11-13 minutes. Leave them on the pan for a minute after taking them out of the oven before moving them to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

FAQ's

Orange Fig Filling Leftover Ideas

I purchased this small decorative jars that seal. The left over orange fig filling filled 2 of these jars and will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks.

This a favorite of mine: toast a bagel, spread cream cheese all over the slice and then add some of the orange fig jam on top. OMG this is so good!

I serve a wedge of Brie cheese and a jar of this wonderful orange fig jam as an appetizer for my family at Christmas.