{things i made} fig moon cookies

These cookies are so addictive and hearty in a grab-and-go kind of way that they should be allowed to count for breakfast (sure they're full of sugar, but there's fruit packed in there too). All kidding aside, they're an amazing little treat. I love that they're sweet and savory, which comes from an interesting combination of ground nuts, figs, orange, and raisins. The cookies are texturally interesting as well: sticky and chewy on the inside, crunchy and dry on the outside. Make sure you get some kind of course sugar to sprinkle on top (I use organic cane sugar)–it adds a finishing touch that's both pretty and tasty.

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5 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1.5 cups olive oil
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

1 large orange
10 ounce(s) dried Mission figs, stems removed (about 2 cups)
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup honey
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Coarse sugar crystals

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make dough, sift together dry ingredients. Combine sugar and oil; add eggs and vanilla, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture all at once and beat well. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, from orange, grate 1/2 teaspoon peel and squeeze 3 tablespoons juice. In food processor, combine zest and juice, figs, walnuts, raisins, honey, and cinnamon. Pulse until fig mixture is coarsely blended. Set aside.

3. Between two sheets of waxed paper, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Remove top sheet. With 2 1/2-inch scalloped round cookie cutter, cut out as many cookies as possible. Wrap and refrigerate trimmings to reroll later.

4. With spatula if needed, carefully place cookies, 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Spoon a teaspoon of fig filling onto center of each cookie. Fold each cookie in half over filling. Brush top with egg. Sprinkle with sugar crystals. Repeat with remaining dough, fig filling, and egg. Bake cookies 12 to 15 minutes or until tops are golden-brown. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.