Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
I tried a selection of cookies from a famous bakery in Bodrum, Turkey called Yunuslar Karadeniz. But more than the nut shortbread, or halva-filled phyllo parcels, I especially enjoyed the soft fig and walnut cookies, which was often served with afternoon tea.
Follow along with my own take on the recipe — cookies that are just as much an energy booster as they are delicious! And they happen to be dairy-free and gluten-free!
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• Recipe •
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Prep time: Under 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
The cookies will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container on the counter, or they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
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• Ingredients •
8 oz (240 g) dried figs, cut in half
2 tea bags
1 cup (100 g) walnut halves
3 Tbsp (27 g) sesame seeds
¼ cup (75 g) honey
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
½ tsp ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites
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• Directions •
1. Place the figs in a heatproof bowl with the tea bags and pour enough boiling water to cover them. Swish the figs around once or twice and leave in the liquid until they cool almost to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°F) and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
3. Drain the figs and remove the tea bags (save the tea for fig iced tea, if you wish). Place the figs in a food processor and add the remaining ingredients. Purée the mixture until it forms a smooth, soft paste.
4. Spoon the fig batter into a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe rosettes that are about an inch (2.5 cm) across onto the prepared baking trays. Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes until they can be lifted easily from the baking tray. Cool the cookies on the trays before packing to store.
I tried a selection of cookies from a famous bakery in Bodrum, Turkey called Yunuslar Karadeniz. But more than the nut shortbread, or halva-filled phyllo parcels, I especially enjoyed the soft fig and walnut cookies, which was often served with afternoon tea.
Follow along with my own take on the recipe — cookies that are just as much an energy booster as they are delicious! And they happen to be dairy-free and gluten-free!
--------
• Recipe •
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
Prep time: Under 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
The cookies will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container on the counter, or they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
--------
• Ingredients •
8 oz (240 g) dried figs, cut in half
2 tea bags
1 cup (100 g) walnut halves
3 Tbsp (27 g) sesame seeds
¼ cup (75 g) honey
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
½ tsp ground cinnamon
3 large egg whites
--------
• Directions •
1. Place the figs in a heatproof bowl with the tea bags and pour enough boiling water to cover them. Swish the figs around once or twice and leave in the liquid until they cool almost to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°F) and line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
3. Drain the figs and remove the tea bags (save the tea for fig iced tea, if you wish). Place the figs in a food processor and add the remaining ingredients. Purée the mixture until it forms a smooth, soft paste.
4. Spoon the fig batter into a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe rosettes that are about an inch (2.5 cm) across onto the prepared baking trays. Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes until they can be lifted easily from the baking tray. Cool the cookies on the trays before packing to store.
