Cream the butter in an electric mixer. Meanwhile sift the flour and combine with the salt and the baking soda. Set aside. Add to the cream butter the sugar and the honey. While the mixer is turning at a low speed slowly add the flour. The dough will be slightly sticky. That's o.k. Using either plastic wrap or parchment paper place the dough on the plastic or parchment making a disk. Wrap and refrigerate at least four hours.
Prepare the filling:
In a food processor combine the dried figs, honey, and applesauce. Pulse until completely smooth with a paste-line consistency. Place in a pastry bag or ziplock bag. You'll "pipe" the paste onto the dough.
Remove the cookie dough from the fridge. Prepare the surface to roll out the dough by liberally spreading flour. You may even top the dough before rolling with additional flour. Roll out your dough 1/4 inches thick into a rectangle. Cut the dough into 3 1/2 inch strips. Pipe an inch stream of fig paste along the center of the cookie dough. Take each side and wrap over the fig paste sealing the two sides together. Place the whole fig filled cookie log onto a prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for 12 - 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Remove from the baking sheet and slice your cookies. Store in a tightly closed plastic container.
Recipe Notes
After the cookies are cooked place them warm in a plastic container. They will retain a more tender cookie and not dry out.