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Dried figs make for a wonderful, healthy snack for your whole family. But the ones that you find at the store are usually packed with lots of sugar and other unnecessary ingredients! I also find that homemade dried figs have a better texture and flavor than any I’ve gotten at the store. So when fig season arrives, I look forward to making my own with this simple dried figs recipe.
If you’re wondering how to make dried figs, you’ve come to the right place. Making dried figs really couldn’t be easier and I’ll walk you through everything you need to know in this post. All you need is a good dehydrator and in just a few hours, you’ll have a stash of dried figs to snack on for months to come.
Of course, you know dried figs are tasty, but did you also know that they’re super good for you too? Dried Figs nutrients include dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, and in some cases, even more nutrients than fresh figs. This is because as the figs are dried, certain nutrients get concentrated as the water evaporates. Dried figs contain more calcium, potassium and dietary fiber than their fresh counterparts.
With all these nutrients, it’s no surprise that dried figs have lots of health benefits including improved digestion and a lower risk of heart disease and obesity. Dried figs can even help manage your blood sugar levels. (source)
Drying figs couldn’t be easier! The only equipment you need is a dehydrator.
The first step is to find a source for figs at the peak of ripeness. Start with the best quality figs you can find to make sure that your figs are as sweet and delicious as possible.
Next, you’ll wash and dry the figs. Using a paring knife, remove the stem. At this point, you can decide if you want to dehydrate the figs whole, halved or in quarters. Smaller pieces of fruit will take less time to dehydrate. In this recipe, the figs are cut into quarters.
Lay your figs out on the trays of your dehydrator leaving a bit of space in between them all. Then place them in a dehydrator at 135° for at least 8 hours.
After 8 hours, start to check on your figs. If they are sticky at all, keep dehydrating them until they are no longer sticky. They may take up to 24 hours to dehydrate properly. You’ll know they’re done when they’re no longer sticking, but are still chewy when you taste them.
Check out this video to see the whole process.
Next, let’s talk about what to do with dried figs once you have them in the pantry!
So now you might be asking yourself ‘what can I do with dried figs?’ Of course, they’re delicious on their own. I usually keep a jar of dried figs on the counter for the family to snack on throughout the day.
Using dried figs in recipes is also very easy and can add more nutrients to your dish.Try adding dried figs into trail mix with your favorite nuts and seeds or place them atop fresh green salads with a zingy vinaigrette. There are also many baking-related dried figs recipe ideas such as adding them into quick breads, cakes or cookies.
Turning your dried figs into jam is another awesome way to use them. Fig jam is very versatile, as it can be spread on toast, paired with cheese on a charcuterie board or even simply drizzled on your morning yogurt. Try this dried figs jam recipe or even take it a step further and try these Homemade Fig Newtons, which are my all-time favorite recipe with dried figs.
Dried figs should be stored in an airtight container. Quartered or halved figs can be stored for 1-2 years, but whole figs should be eaten within 2 months.
I hope you’ll give this dried figs recipe a try! It requires very little effort and will allow you to store fresh figs when they’re in season so they don’t go to waste. With a good dehydrator and a little time, you’ll be able to have dried figs to snack on and use in recipes for months to come.
Thoroughly wash and remove stems from all figs
Cut the figs into halves or quarters. If you prefer, you can leave them whole.
Spread them out on the trays of your dehydrator, making sure to leave some room between all the figs.
Dehydrate at 135° for 8 hours, then check them. They should taste chewy and sweet, but shouldn’t be sticky to the touch. If they need more time, continue running the dehydrator and check them every couple hours until they are done. You’ll know figs are fully dehydrated when they are no longer sticky at all.
Once all the figs are fully dehydrated, remove them from the dehydrator and allow them to cool fully.
Store in an airtight container for up to 2 years, in a cool dry location.