Dark chocolate dipped figs: the easiest seasonal dessert you hadn't thought of (until now!). Finished with a generous sprinkle of flaky salt, these are a crowd-pleasing, healthy(ish) dessert option, especially perfect for a crowd. They're also naturally gluten free, vegan and nut free!
Along with cilantro, black licorice and blue cheese, I think it's safe to say that figs are a food that people either love or hate. I, personally, have grown to love them over the years. But I wouldn't have been caught dead with one as a child, and I wasn't even a very picky eater.
Even the most resolute fig-haters may enjoy these dark chocolate dipped figs with sea salt. Ripe figs are the perfect instrument for chocolate dipping.
Unlike strawberries, they're very soft, so the chocolate shell doesn't break and fall everywhere when you take a bite. Honestly, that's exactly the reason I never make chocolate-dipped strawberries. They taste great, but they make such a mess!
The subtle sweetness of figs pairs well with slightly bitter dark chocolate and a touch of flaky salt (which, yes, is absolutely necessary!). Salt helps to bring together all of the flavors and particularly enhances the dark chocolate.
Speaking of chocolate...
What kind of dark chocolate should I use?
I'll leave this up to your judgement, but if you're curious what we used, we tend to opt for dark chocolate over the 70% mark. There are plenty of dairy free/vegan options on the market.
Our favorite: FlavaNaturals dark chocolate! Each bar contains 5x the cocoa flavanol antioxidants of regular dark chocolate, so you're getting the same classic chocolate taste with far more benefits.
Since chocolate bars tend to cost a bit more, we also often use dark chocolate chips. There are a number of brands that don't contain dairy, as well as some brands that are specifically produced in facilities without any top allergens.
If you're dealing with any severe food allergies, we suggest EnjoyLife products - all of which are free from 14 common allergens, including dairy, soy, gluten, nuts & more.
To melt the chocolate, a microwave will do just fine, however you can also use a double boiler if you wish. To microwave the chocolate without any burning, heat in 15-20 second intervals.
Stir well between each interval to evenly distribute heat. The process should take about 1 minute and 20 seconds for the amount of chocolate used in this recipe.
Once you dip the figs in the chocolate and sprinkle with salt, you'll have to let them cool and harden. To speed up this process, you can cool the figs in a refrigerator or freezer.
We let them sit at room temp for about 45 minutes, which was enough time for them to harden completely.
What kind of figs are best?
We have used both Black Mission and Brown Turkey figs for this recipe. Black Mission are most commonly available at stores in our area.
(The figs pictured here are Brown Turkey - distinguished by their variegated red/purple shade with light green around the edges.
I personally prefer Black Mission figs when I can find them. They're so juicy and sweet - perfect for dipping in chocolate!
Another common fig variety is Calimyrna figs, which have a vibrant green/yellow exterior and pink interior. They're often found dried, but we've seen them fresh occasionally in local speciality stores. Any variety you can find should do for this recipe!
In the US, fresh figs are typically available for a short season in June, followed by a longer season from August-October.
Once you purchase fresh figs, be sure to keep them cold. Transfer them to the fridge immediately and use as quickly as possible, preferably within a day or two. Figs can also be sliced and frozen, where they can last for much longer!
Toppings
While we love a simple chocolate dipped fig with flaky salt, there are plenty of other options for topping for chocolate dipped figs.
A few options include crushed nuts (pistachios would be particularly good!), shredded coconut, crunchy cacao nibs, or if you're feeling festive, sprinkles.
Whichever toppings you use, be sure to top them before the chocolate hardens. Otherwise, nothing will stick and it won't be worth the mess!
These dark chocolate dipped figs are truly a foolproof recipe. We'll still include ingredient quantities below, but it's pretty much impossible to mess these up.
Bring a tray for the host/hostess at your next dinner gathering (along with some red wine, we daresay). Or simply hoard them for yourself as a light dessert that tastes great and doesn't feel overly indulgent. Enjoy!
More easy vegan desserts to try:
If you make these chocolate dipped figs, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.
Print
Chocolate Dipped Figs
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These dark chocolate dipped figs are simple, yet sophisticated and in my opinion, way better than chocolate dipped strawberries!
Ingredients
- 12 Black Mission or Brown Turkey Figs, washed and sliced in half lengthwise
- 4 oz melted dark chocolate, melted
- Flaky salt
Instructions
- Wash figs and slice in half lengthwise.
- Melt dark chocolate in microwave in 15-20 second increments, stirring well each time.
- Dip each fig half in chocolate and place on a tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sea salt and put tray in refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let chocolate harden. Enjoy immediately or store in airtight container in fridge for 3-4 days.
Notes
We suggest using a dark chocolate over 70%.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Fig
- Calories: 66
- Sugar: 6.4 g
- Sodium: 1.8 mg
- Fat: 3.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.9 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 0.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0.6 mg
Keywords: chocolate dipped figs
Tricia
If I don’t have fresh figs, do I need to do anything (like, soak) the figs from the package before I use them?
Also, have you tried dipping the entire fig? If so, would you cut off the end of the fig first? Any insights would be great!!!
Thank you!
Lexi
Hi Tricia! Nope, if you're using dried figs, I would just use them as is without soaking. I haven't tried dipping the entire fig but there's certainly no reason not to! Definitely cut off the stem so you don't accidentally eat it (it can be super tough and hard to chew). I like using two forks to dip into chocolate - let the excess chocolate drip off and then let it set on parchment paper. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Hannah
These are beautiful and healthy and I will have go try them the next time fresh figs are in season 👏
Julie
Oh my gosh these sound amazing!! Our neighbors have two huge fig trees so we basically can get all the fresh figs we want during fig season. I can't wait to make these!
Lexi
So jealous that your neighbor has a fig tree!! Hope you enjoy these!
Neha
Such tempting clicks and that pool of melted chocolate! I wish I was a fig. 😉 Loving this superb snack idea.
★★★★★
Lexi
Hah! I agree. Thank you so much!
Jenni LeBaron
I love fig season and look forward to it every year because they work so well for both sweet and savory dishes! We love dipping them in chocolate and sprinkling a good, flaky sea salt on them too! Can't wait to devour a batch of these this summer!
★★★★★
Lexi
Fig season is the best, right?! And chocolate + flaky salt is good on just about anything!
Elena
Wow! These figs would make such a great appetizer for late summer parties! An absolute show stopper made with just a few ingredients! I'm saving this for later.
★★★★★
Lexi
Thank you, Elena! Yes - so much fun for summer dinner parties!
lauren
I love your photos for this recipe! So moody and beautiful. This recipe is right up my alley. Fresh figs are always calling my name when I see them at the grocery store. A lighter spin on fig sweets!
★★★★★
Lexi
Thank you so much, Lauren! Same here- I can never resist the temptation to pick up figs when I see them at the store!
Aleta
Wow, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen figs so dressed up and beautiful. My friend has a fig tree and so is always looking for ways to use them up - I’ll be sharing this recipe with her for sure!
★★★★★
Lexi
Aw thank you, Aleta! I'm jealous of your friend's fig tree!!
Deseree
This might be my favorite way to start enjoying figs more often. I love that you have added a bit of saltiness to the mix.
★★★★★
Lexi
Thank you, Deseree! The salt makes all the difference!
Mama Maggie's Kitchen
Yum! This looks really delicious! I should try making this at home. My husband and my son will love this.
★★★★★
Lexi
Thank you! Hope you enjoy!
Liz Shaw
Love chocolate covered strawberries, but have to agree with you, hate the mess when you take a bite. Never thought of making chocolate covered figs. These look delicious! Love the idea of being able to take a bite and not having the chocolate fall all over. Will definitely try.
Lexi
Right?! I never make chocolate covered strawberries for that reason!
Jess
What an easy and delicious snack! I'm definitely going to have to try it out! YUM!
★★★★★
Lexi
Thanks, Jess! Hope you enjoy!
Veena Azmanov
Love the Figs option to this recipe. Looks cute and surely yum too. Drooling with the flaky salt option.
Lexi
Thank you, Veena! Hope you give it a try!