The best fig muffins! Full of wholesome goodness with dried figs, whole wheat flour, and unsweetened applesauce. This quick and healthy muffin recipe is also vegan friendly and is like a fig newton in muffin form!
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Where are my muffin fans??? There's nothing quite like a warm from the oven muffin paired with some fruit and a cup of coffee to start the day on a good note. Especially when the muffins are quick and easy and bake up soft and fluffy with a fig jam center!
why you will love these fig muffins
- Made with no butter, no eggs and no refined sugar.
- They mix up in one bowl.
- The easy fig jam can be made in one small saucepan.
- Filled with unsweetened applesauce and whole wheat flour for added nutrition.
- The vegan muffins freeze well.
- They taste like a fig newton in muffin form!
ingredients and substitutions for these vegan muffins
- Dried figs ~ I use mission figs and buy them at Trader Joe's, but most grocery stores will sell them either in the produce section or with the other dried fruits. The dried figs are used to make an easy homemade fig jam on the stovetop.
- Unsweetened applesauce ~ provides moisture and natural sweetness.
- Pure maple syrup ~ brings the sweetness to these muffins, but does not impart any maple flavor. Be sure to use real maple syrup. I haven't tested it, but honey should work here too, but the muffins will no longer be vegan.
- Coconut oil ~ melt it and allow it to cool a little. Provides moisture and contributes to the soft and fluffy texture.
- Almond milk ~ any plant based milk should work or cow's milk, if you don't need vegan muffins.
- Vanilla ~ adds flavor.
- Baking powder and baking soda ~ to add some lift to the muffins.
- Kosher salt ~ to help balance the flavors.
- All-purpose flour ~ adds structure to the muffins.
- Whole wheat flour ~ brings some extra nutrition to the fig muffins.
how to make jam from dried figs
Start by stemming and quartering the figs. Then add them and the applesauce and water to a small saucepan.
Bring the mixture to a low boil and then allow it to simmer on low until the figs are soft and the jam has thickened. This takes about 5-10 minutes. Then remove from the heat.
At this point you can place the thickened figs in a small food processor {I love my mini Cuisinart} or use a blender to puree the mixture to a thick and jam-like texture. BUT, if you are like me and want fewer dishes to wash, you can use a fork and a little elbow grease to mash the figs into a jam.😉
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how to make the best fig muffins
I think you will love how this muffin mix comes together in one bowl {again less dishes for the win}!
Start by whisking together the melted coconut oil, applesauce, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt. Then add the all-purpose and whole wheat flour and give them a light mix together before gently mixing them into the wet ingredients until a thick batter is formed.
Next place about two tablespoons of batter {I use this cookie scoop and don't over fill it} in the bottom of each muffin liner {these PaperChef liners are my favorite!}, followed by some fig jam and then topped with the remaining muffin batter.
If you would prefer to have the figs swirled through the muffin you can use a knife and drag it through the muffin before baking.
what's the secret to soft and fluffy muffins?
Not over mixing the batter! When you mix in the flour, mix until just combined; a few small lumps are fine.
Some people swear by using room temperature ingredients, which is a must for most cakes and cookies, but I rarely do that for muffins.
what is the difference between muffins and cupcakes?
Muffins tend to be more like a quick bread where cupcakes are like a mini cake. Cupcakes also tend to have more sugar and fat and are almost always frosted.
Muffin recipes that you find on two sugar bugs tend to be created with healthier ingredients offering a more nutrition dense baked good.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Fig Muffins. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more healthier breakfast recipes to try
- Peanut Butter Oat Banana Bread
- Healthy Breakfast Cookies
- Whole Wheat Cranberry Zucchini Bread
- Snickerdoodle Banana Bread
- Zucchini Oat Bran Chocolate Chip Muffins
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
Fig Muffins {Vegan}
Full of wholesome goodness with dried figs, whole wheat flour, and unsweetened applesauce. This quick and healthy muffin recipe is also vegan friendly and is like a fig newton in muffin form!
Ingredients
Fig Jam
- ½ cup dried figs, stemmed and quartered (80g)
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce (56g)
- ¼ cup water (60mL)
Muffins
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted and cooled (30mL)
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (120g)
- ½ cup pure maple syrup (120mL)
- ⅓ cup almond milk (80mL)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (120g)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
Instructions
- Stem figs and cut into quarters, then place figs, applesauce and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat and then drop to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the mixture has thickened and the figs are soft. Use a food processor or blender to puree the fig mixture to a jam-like consistency. Or for less dishes, use a fork to mash the figs until smooth in the saucepan. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F and line your muffin pan with paper liners or coat with non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, add the coconut oil, applesauce, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt and whisk to combine. Then add both flours and give them a light toss together on top of the wet ingredients, then gently combine it all together. The batter will be very thick.
- Spoon 2 tablespoons of batter into each muffin well (I like to use a cookie scoop), then divide the fig jam evenly over the top of the batter, it’s about 2 teaspoons per muffin. Then top with remaining batter, about 1 tablespoon per muffin.*
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then turn the oven down to 350°F (keeping muffins in the oven the whole time) and bake another 10-13 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean.
- Allow muffins to cool about 5 minutes in the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool further.
Notes
*If you would prefer the fig jam to be swirled through the muffins, you can run a knife through the batter to swirl it prior to baking.
If you don’t need the muffins to be vegan, you can use cow’s milk.
This recipe can be easily halved for a small batch of fig muffins.
Muffins will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple days or in the refrigerator for up to one week. They also freeze well for up to 2 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 153Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 169mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 2gSugar: 13gProtein: 3g
The nutrition information is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate.
Jan McKinney
Yum! Figs should be used more! Great recipe!
Tasia
Thank you Jan! I agree!
Jen
I would add a disclosure about Figs. Not all vegans will eat them due to the relationship they have with wasps (iykyk and if not I suggest a quick Google on it)
Tasia
Thank you for your comment Jen. Here are two articles I had reviewed when writing this post ~ https://www.veganfriendly.org.uk/is-it-vegan/figs/ and https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-figs-vegan . I had also consulted with multiple vegan blogging friends on this topic. Their consensus was that since the relationship between wasps and figs is symbiotic that figs are vegan.
2pots2cook
Is there anything better than figs dessert ? I don't think so ! I wish you have healthy and happy 2022. !
Tasia
Yay! Thank you Davorka. Wishing you and your family a wonderful 2022 as well!
Michelle
I love figs -- my parents have a fig tree, so I'll have to make these when I get my hands on their figs. The muffins look so moist and delish!
Tasia
What a treat to have access to a fig tree! These fig muffins have definitely become an obsession at my house.
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Aren't figs the best!? I always forget how much I like them until I have them again. I love the ingredients you used in this recipe!
Tasia
Thank you Katherine! I think the ingredients in these fig muffins fit in perfectly with your healthier recipes.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
Huge fan of figs here, so these muffins are calling my name! Loving the idea of dried figs and applesauce jam, too - might steal it for some other recipe ideas 🙂
Tasia
Thanks Ben, figs are so easy to love! And I can't wait to see what kind of recipes you come up with including figs!