Mildred's Fig Cookies

24 servings Prep: 15 m Cook: 20 m Total: 35 m Beginner
5.0/5 (2)
Mildred's Fig Cookies
Cajuns love their figs, fig preserves, fig cakes, and fig cookies! This is one of our favorite fig cookie recipes—soft, spiced drop cookies made with butter, fig preserves, and a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Ingredients

24 servings
  • 1 stick softened butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup fig preserves
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 tsp each nutmeg and cinnamon or more to taste
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cream the sugar, eggs, and butter until light and fluffy. Combine with the fig preserves.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chopped pecans if using.
  5. Drop cookies by spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, checking at 15 minutes, until cookies are slightly brown around the edges.
  7. Cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why are my cookies spreading too much?

A: Make sure your butter is softened but not melted, and don't overmix the dough. Also, let the cookie sheet cool between batches.

Q: Can I use store-bought fig preserves?

A: Absolutely! While homemade preserves are traditional, store-bought fig preserves work perfectly fine in this recipe.

Tips and Techniques

Don’t overbake these cookies—they should be slightly soft when you remove them from the oven and will firm up as they cool. The edges should be lightly golden but the centers should still look a bit underdone for the best texture.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • fig preserves: strawberry or blackberry preserves
  • pecans: walnuts or leave them out entirely

Equipment Needed

  • mixing bowl
  • electric mixer or wooden spoon
  • cookie sheet
  • wire cooling rack

Historical Context

Figs have been a staple in Louisiana cooking since the 1700s, brought by French and Spanish settlers. Nearly every Cajun family has a fig tree in the backyard, and fig preserves are a treasured pantry staple used in cakes, cookies, and as a filling for traditional desserts.