What fruit-filled cookie is named after a town in Massachusetts?

What fruit-filled cookie is named after a town in Massachusetts? The answer is a Fig Newton.

A Fig Newton is a soft, fruit-filled pastry traditionally made with a fig paste center surrounded by dough. Its name refers to Newton, Massachusetts, rather than to Sir Isaac Newton. The cookie’s familiar name is a classic example of a commercial food product taking its name from a place.

The product was developed in the late 19th century by the Kennedy Biscuit Company, which later became part of the National Biscuit Company, or Nabisco. The name honors Newton, a Massachusetts city near Boston. Although “Fig Newton” became the best-known name, the brand later expanded into fruit varieties such as strawberry and raspberry, commonly marketed under the broader name Newtons.

People sometimes mistake it for a turnover because both contain fruit. A turnover is generally folded pastry with an exposed or sealed filling, while a Fig Newton is a molded, extruded cookie with fruit paste running through its center. The fig filling is the defining original feature.