Honey Newtons

A homemade take on the fig cookie, but with two unexpected twists: cheddar cheese in the dough and honey in the filling. The cookie dough is a savory-sweet shortbread made from creamed butter and grated cheddar blended with flour, chilled until firm, then rolled thin and cut into rounds.

The filling is dried figs simmered with water, honey, and lemon juice until it breaks down into a thick, sticky paste with the consistency of marmalade. That 15-minute simmer concentrates the fig flavor and the honey adds a floral sweetness that plain sugar can’t replicate.

Two rounds of dough sandwich a teaspoon of fig filling, sealed with a fork press around the edges and pricked on top to let steam escape. The result is a tender, slightly cheesy pastry wrapped around a jammy, honey-sweet fig center.

Kitchen Tips

• Chill the dough thoroughly before rolling. The cheese and butter make it soft and sticky at room temperature.
• Roll to ⅛ inch thickness. Thicker and the pastry overwhelms the filling. Thinner and it tears.
• Press the fork firmly around the edges to seal. Loose seals pop open in the oven and the filling oozes out.
• Let the filling cool completely before assembling. Hot filling melts the dough.

Variations

• Use dried dates or apricots instead of figs for a different fruit filling.
• Swap cheddar for sharp white cheddar or Gruyere for a nuttier pastry.
• Drizzle the cooled cookies with a thin lemon glaze for extra sweetness.