• Zest and juice the orange into separate bowls and set aside. You will need orange juice for both the cookie dough and the glaze. It takes about 16 small dried figs to make 1 cup of chopped figs. Trim off any stems and cut the figs into small pieces. Finally, roughly chop the pecans so they are about the same size as the fig pieces.
• Weigh or measure the powdered sugar and set it aside. Next, weigh or measure the flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk to blend.
• In a stand or hand-held mixer, cream the butter on medium speed. Turn the mixer down to low and slowly add the powdered sugar, then mix for 3 minutes until creamy. Next, add the vanilla extract, orange juice, and orange zest and blend to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is fully mixed.
• Turn the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape down the bowl if needed, making sure the flour is fully incorporated. Turn the mixer off and add the chopped figs and pecans. Mix for about 10 seconds, or just until combined.
• Place the cookie dough on a lightly floured pastry mat. Form a log about 2 inches wide and 19 to 20 inches long, then cut it in half to make 2 logs. If you prefer larger cookies, you can shape the dough into 1 shorter, wider log instead.
• Wrap each log in plastic wrap. I like to place the wrapped logs in a baguette pan to help them stay round while chilling. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C or 180°C). Take one log out of the refrigerator and unwrap the plastic wrap. Slice the dough into ¾-inch slices and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
• These cookies spread very little while baking, so leave about 1 inch between each cookie. Bake for 12 to 13 minutes. Let the cookies rest on the pan for about one minute after removing them from the oven, then transfer them to a cooling rack.

GLAZE

• Weigh or measure the powdered sugar into a bowl, then add the honey and orange juice. I like using a French whisk to mix the glaze because it comes together quickly and smoothly. Add the milk a little at a time until the glaze reaches your preferred consistency.
• To glaze the cookies, spoon a little glaze onto a spoon and tilt it slightly so a thin stream runs down the side. Move the spoon back and forth over the cookie to create a light zigzag across the top.