These no-bake fig newton snowballs are bite-sized balls of energy. With no-sugar added, they’re a healthy dose of fig deliciousness!
I am kind of proud of these little snowballs. They are the result of almost an entire Costco-sized bag of dried fig failures, but sometimes you have to keep at it until you get it right. I think I got these little snowy balls of fig newton-y goodness right! I actually have a bit of a history with Fig Newtons.
Growing up in the 70’s, my mother was a little ahead of her time in the nutrition department. Breakfast at my house was of the Raisin Bran variety and by that I don’t mean Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, I mean Post Raisin Bran. Oh, yes, there’s a difference. Kelloggs’s Raisin Bran contained plump extra sweet raisins that were coated with sugar. Post Raisin Bran definitely did not. To a grade-schooler this was kind of a big deal. And lunch…well our sandwiches were made with “real” whole wheat bread, not the white-wheat bread of today, but real 100% whole wheat, which back then was pretty much like eating cardboard.
There were no chips or processed snack foods in the house, either. Cheez-its? Never going to happen. We ate real food if we were hungry. And dessert? Grab yourself an apple or a peach. So cookies in our house were a real treat. Why my mom gave Fig Newtons the green light is still a mystery, it’s not like they’re low in sugar. We usually had two choices, Hydrox Sandwich Cookies or Fig Newtons. So yes, Fig Newtons in the pantry felt like a little bit of heaven. If anyone has ever tasted a Hydrox cookie, I know you feel my pain. 
Being that Fig Newtons take me back to my childhood, when a client who is currently in my detox program asked me to create a detox-friendly newton, I will admit that I went on a mission. I wanted these bites to taste like the Newton I know and love….and I think I can say that I did them justice. Although probably not at all what you would expect, these n0-bake fig newton snowballs really taste like a bite of a real Newton. I might say they’re even better than the real thing! The fig taste really comes through and the best part is the crust. Instead of making a real crust, I made a powder crust and rolled these little fig balls into it. After a few crust fails, I thought this was a genius idea. 
So without further ado, I bring you my fig newton snowballs! I hope you make them and share them with a newton-lover in your life. 
Here’s how I made them:
No-Bake Fig Newton Snowballs
Ingredients
For the Figs:
- 1 1/2 cups dried figs soaked in water for about 20 minutes
- 1/4 tsp vanilla powder or extract
For the Powder Crust:
- 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 1/4 tsp vanilla powder or extract
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 3 Tbsp almond flour
- 1/4 cup raw almonds
- dash stevia optional
Instructions
- In a food processor, add the ingredients for the crust and process into a flour-like consistency. Set aside in a bowl.
- Rinse out the food processor and add the soaked figs and the vanilla powder. Process until the figs are broken down. Add 1 Tbsp of water, if needed. Then add 1/2 cup of the powder crust into the processor with the figs and pulse until well-combined. The texture should be soft, but don't over-process. Adjust the texture as needed with the powder crust and water.
- Roll the fig mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place balls into freezer while you clean the kitchen (about 10 minutes). Remove from the freezer and one by one roll the balls into the powder crust. Store in the fridge or freezer! Makes about 8-16 balls, depending on the size.
