If you grew up in the ‘80s or ‘90s, chances are you occasionally had a Fig Newton or two in your school lunchbox. I know I sure did. But what exactly are Fig Newtons? Are Fig Newtons cookies? Let’s bite into this and find out the answers.
What is a Fig Newton?
Fig Newtons are a soft, doughy, chewy treat filled with a sticky and sweet fig paste. Back in the 1800s, a pastry called a fig roll was a popular snack. It was commonly believed that fruit, particularly figs, and biscuits were a great digestion aid and could improve overall health. In the 1890s, Kennedy Biscuit Works in Boston invented a cookie extrusion press that could squeeze out two mixes at once, such as fig jam inside of dough. Soon they were making an industrialized fig roll. Kennedy Biscuit Company named their products after local Boston area communities, and they named the Fig Newton after a nearby town called Newton.
What is in Fig Newtons?
Basically, Fig Newtons are made of dough and fig paste. Of course, being a mass produced, shelf-stable product, they include a whole host of ingredients. The label lists flour, figs, sugar, corn syrup, vegetable oil, salt, corn fiber, oat fiber, baking soda, calcium lactate, malic acid, soy lecithin, sodium Benzoate, and sulfur dioxide. There is no dairy in there or any animal based products, so, yes, Fig Newtons are vegan. However, Fig Newtons are not gluten-free. The dough is made of flour and starch, which contain gluten.
Is a Fig Newton a cookie?
Fig Newtons are found in the cookie aisle, but from the day they were invented, they were called cakes. Fig Newton packaging called them cake from the 1890s all the way until the 1980s, when Nabisco began referring to them as a doughy cookie. Around the same time, advertising popped up declaring that a cookie is just a cookie, but a Fig Newton is fruit and cake. The marketing worked and in the 1990s Fig Newtons were Nabisco’s third highest selling cookie brand, right behind Oreo and Chips Ahoy. In 2012, the former cake-now-doughy-cookie underwent another change. Fig Newtons were no longer Fig Newtons. That’s right, we’ve been calling them the wrong name! Fig Newtons dropped the Fig and rebranded as Newtons. I guess having a fig-based cookie that had fig in the name was just too much of a barrier for modern kids.
FAQs
Is a Fig Newton a cookie? Fig Newtons are found in the cookie aisle, but from the day they were invented, they were called cakes. Fig Newton packaging called them cake from the 1890s all the way until the 1980s, when Nabisco began referring to them as a doughy cookie.
Are fig newtons considered a cookie? ›
Newtons are a Nabisco-trademarked version of a cookie filled with sweet fruit paste.
Are fig newtons actually healthy? ›
Fig Newton Cookies
They are also fairly healthy. Figs are well known for having fiber, which helps with digestion, as well as protein and several vitamins and minerals. This means there are quite a few health benefits of fig bars like fig Newtons.
Can a diabetic eat fig newtons? ›
It's worth noting that you'll often see figs listed as a “top pick” or “best fruit” for people with diabetes because of their low to moderate glycemic index. This means that they should not raise blood sugars as rapidly as high glycemic index foods.
Who made the original Fig Newtons? ›
In 1891, Philadelphia baker and fig-lover Charles Roser invented and patented the machine, which inserted fig paste into a thick pastry dough. The Cambridgeport, MA-based Kennedy Biscuit Company then purchased Roser's recipe. They began mass production after purchasing the recipe.
Why did Fig Newtons change their name? ›
Modern Changes to the Fig Newton
In 2012, they once again dropped the "Fig" from the name because, as the Kraft specialist Gary Osifchin told The New York Times, they wanted to change the core of the brand to fruit. "It was going to be hard for us to advance the Newtons brand with the baggage of the fig."
Are there real figs in fig newtons? ›
The label lists flour, figs, sugar, corn syrup, vegetable oil, salt, corn fiber, oat fiber, baking soda, calcium lactate, malic acid, soy lecithin, sodium Benzoate, and sulfur dioxide. There is no dairy in there or any animal based products, so, yes, Fig Newtons are vegan. However, Fig Newtons are not gluten-free.
Why do fig Newtons have so much sugar? ›
The dehydration process of drying this fruit results in a higher concentration of sugar relative to weight, so dried figs have a higher concentration of carbohydrates—mostly in the form of sugar—than fresh figs.
Can too many fig newtons cause diarrhea? ›
Since figs have a high fiber content, eating too many figs — especially dried figs — can cause diarrhea.
Do Fig Newtons act as a laxative? ›
Figs made their way into the commercial market in 1892 with the introduction of Fig Newtons. Ounce for ounce, figs have more fiber than prunes and more potassium than bananas. At 20% of the RDA for dietary fiber, figs can act as a natural laxative.
Dry figs also contain chlorogenic acid, a compound which has been studied to show an improvement in glucose metabolism in type II diabetics. If eaten as part of a well balanced diet, a serving of dry figs can be enjoyed without causing a rapid increase in your blood sugar.
Can dogs eat Fig Newtons? ›
Do not feed your dog Fig Newtons. These sugary cookies contain additional ingredients (especially sugar and spices) that are not healthy for dogs and, in large amounts, could be toxic. The figs used in these cookies also aren't fresh—so when it comes to sharing your treats, just say no to your dog's begging eyes.
What is a fun fact about Fig Newtons? ›
Fig Newtons were almost Massachusetts' state cookie
Knowing that Newtons got the name from a Massachusetts town makes it unsurprising that the famed cookies were almost named the official state cookie after where they were first made as well.
What fruit is in fig newtons? ›
INGREDIENTS: FIGS, WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR, SUGAR, UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), CORN SYRUP, INVERT SUGAR, SOYBEAN AND/OR CANOLA OIL, PALM OIL, SALT, BAKING SODA, CALCIUM LACTATE, MALIC ACID, SOY LECITHIN, SODIUM ...
How long do fig newtons last? ›
Best Way to Store Fig Newtons
These homemade fig newtons never last long in our house, so usually I store them in an airtight container on the countertop for up to a week. If you want them to last longer, place them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
What type of food is a fig Newton? ›
Made with whole grains and real fruit, NEWTONS are the classic, fig-flavored, chewy-center cookies that have been enjoyed by millions for over a century.
Is a Newton a type of cookie? ›
Enjoy delicious with Newtons cookies made with whole grains and real fruit. These classic cookies with the chewy center have been enjoyed by millions for over a century. Newton's are a kosher certified, low-fat treat, made with real fruit and contain no high-fructose corn syrup.
What counts as a cookie? ›
A cookie (American English) or biscuit (British English) is a baked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat, and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chips, or nuts.
Is a fig roll a biscuit or cake? ›
The fig roll or fig bar is a biscuit or cookie consisting of a rolled cake or pastry filled with fig paste.
