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    Home » Recipes » Snacks

    Sunflower Fig Balls

    Published: Oct 31, 2015 · Modified: Aug 28, 2020 by Jenn Sebestyen

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    Sunflower Fig Balls in a white bowl with dried figs scattered about.
    Sunflower Fig Balls in a white bowl with dried figs scattered about.

    Just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes is all you need for these sweet little sugar free bites! Sunflower Fig Balls are a healthy snack that won’t ruin your diet!

    Sunflower Fig Balls in a white bowl with dried figs scattered about.

    Happy Halloween! Today is a day filled with ghosts, witches, goblins, and the scariest of all – SUGAR!

    No doubt your kids (and probably you) will eat your month’s lot of sugar today alone. I am not immune to this debacle, I have been known to sneak plenty of Halloween candy when no one is looking.

    This year I purposely bought candy that I don’t like so I wouldn’t be tempted. And then, I whipped up a batch of these Sunflower Fig Balls, so when my sweet tooth strikes I have something healthy to grab. 

    With absolutely no added sugar, these little bite size balls are plenty sweet and satisfying. There’s nothing scary about these…I’m happy to report, the kiddos loved them too!

    Close up of a crushed sunflower seeds on an energy ball.

    Only 4 ingredients and about 5 minutes is all you need until you are savoring a bite of this figgy goodness. The “dough” is quick and easy to make, coming together all in a food processor.

    These energy balls are soft and practically melt in your mouth, but they still have that little pop from the fig seeds, which I love. The figs provide fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and more.

    The sunflower seeds give them a protein packed punch along with vitamin E, several B vitamins, copper, phosphorus, folate and much more!

    A pile of sunflower fig balls in a white bowl.

    Initially, my plan was just to use figs, sunflower seeds and lemon, but I felt it needed a little something more and I knew cardamom was the answer! I only added ¼ teaspoon because I just wanted a little hint of it in the background, but feel free to add a ½ teaspoon if you want a little more.

    And then, just to make sure I didn’t leave out any texture component, I rolled half of the fig balls in crushed sunflower seeds for a beautiful powdery coating.

    Overhead view of a bowl of fig energy balls.

    More vegan snack recipes

    • No Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Balls
    • Thai-Inspired Trail Mix
    • Sugar Free Apple Pie Bars
    • Cherry Chocolate Walnut Truffles
    • Dark Chocolate Tahini Granola Bars

    I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment below with your feedback.

    Be sure to sign up for my FREE Newsletter to be the first to get my NEW recipes! You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.


    For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!

    bowl of bite size protein balls

    Sunflower Fig Balls

    Just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes is all you need for these sweet little sugar free bites! Sunflower Fig Balls are a healthy snack that won't ruin your diet!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 12 balls
    Calories: 55kcal
    Author: Jenn Sebestyen

    Ingredients

    For the Energy Balls

    • ½ cup raw shelled sunflower seeds
    • 10 dried figs stems removed
    • zest and juice of 1 lemon
    • ¼ teaspoon cardamom ½ teaspoon if you want a more pronounced cardamom flavor

    For the coating

    • 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

    Instructions

    • In a food processor, pulse 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds until the consistency is almost like flour. A few little chunks are fine. Do not over process as it will become sticky. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
    • In the same food processor, place ½ cup sunflower seeds, figs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and cardamom. Processes until it forms a sticky dough.
    • Roll about 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball. I used a small cookie scoop for this to ensure they were all the same size. Repeat with the remaining dough until gone.
    • Roll each ball (or as many as you want) into the processed sunflower seed “flour.”
    • They are ready to enjoy immediately.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.

    Notes

    ~This recipe could easily be doubled or halved.
    ~These Sunflower Fig Balls will keep in the freezer as well. Lay them out on a plate or cookie sheet in one single layer and put in the freezer. Once frozen, you can place them all in a freezer bag for easy storage.
     
     

    Nutrition

    Calories: 55kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin C: 9.9mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.5mg

    Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.

    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Veggie_Inspired or tag #VeggieInspired!
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    Comments

    1. imsen says

      February 06, 2022 at 10:32 am

      Super great recipe!! Nice and quick, really good snack to keep you going throughout the day.5 stars

      Reply
      • Jenn Sebestyen says

        February 06, 2022 at 6:47 pm

        I’m so happy to hear that. Glad you enjoyed them!

        Reply
    2. Manal's Bites says

      November 15, 2015 at 1:49 am

      These look divine…love them all the way through…need to give them a try as all ingredients are available here in Jordan 🙂 thanks for sharing

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 15, 2015 at 7:09 pm

        Thanks, Manal!! I hope you enjoy!!

        Reply
    3. Jenn S. says

      November 15, 2015 at 12:54 am

      Thanks, Gin! Cardamom is delicious!

      Reply
    4. Rebekah | The Kitchen Gidget says

      November 13, 2015 at 3:01 am

      I really love sunflower seeds – these are going on my “to make” list!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 13, 2015 at 7:30 am

        Great! Thanks, Rebekah! Please let me know how they turn out!

        Reply
    5. Christine | Vermilion Roots says

      November 07, 2015 at 11:26 am

      These balls are made with all my favorite ingredients. I should make them soon!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 07, 2015 at 5:06 pm

        Awesome! Glad to see there are other fig lovers out there! Thanks, Christine!

        Reply
    6. Germaine says

      November 07, 2015 at 4:04 am

      Perfect! simple, wholesome and honest ingredients. I think your photos are beautiful too…

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 07, 2015 at 6:54 am

        Thank you so much, Germaine! I was very proud of these photos too. The stars aligned for me that day!! And, yes, these could not be simpler! I hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    7. Kathy Hester says

      November 06, 2015 at 6:23 pm

      I love cardamom and these sound so easy to make. They are added to my to-do list!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 06, 2015 at 6:34 pm

        Thanks, Kathy! They are definitely easy…we’ve been through several batches already!

        Reply
    8. Everyday Sarah Jane says

      November 06, 2015 at 6:15 pm

      These look awesome! I’ll have to try them ASAP!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 06, 2015 at 6:33 pm

        Thank you, Sarah! Let me know how you like them!

        Reply
    9. Fareeha says

      November 04, 2015 at 11:50 pm

      Wow, this is just so incredible.. love it.. the pictures are just so amazing.. i am totally drooling over it

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 05, 2015 at 7:28 am

        Thank you so much, Fareeha! I was pretty proud of how the pictures turned out too!

        Reply
    10. Linda @ Veganosity says

      November 03, 2015 at 4:45 pm

      These sound amazing! I love cardamom, and the sunflower seeds sound perfect in this. I could never get away with buying candy that I don’t like because my kids didn’t like it either. I think I gained five pounds every October when they lived at home-haha!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 03, 2015 at 6:44 pm

        LOL! That’s usually how my Halloween goes too! And I just found out they sell dairy free M&Ms at Target….they aren’t really M&Ms, but very similar. I’m in trouble! Thanks, Linda!

        Reply
    11. veggiesdontbite says

      November 01, 2015 at 9:06 am

      Looks great Jen! I love figs!! What a great snack, I bet the kids love them.

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 01, 2015 at 11:31 am

        They do! They didn’t last long! Need to make more. Thanks, Sophia!

        Reply
    12. The Vegan 8 says

      October 31, 2015 at 1:49 pm

      These look so good! I love sunflower balls and I always add, wait for it, cinnamon to them, haha! These I bet are so delicious with the caradmom!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        November 01, 2015 at 8:37 am

        Thanks, Brandi! I did think about adding cinnamon since that is usually my go-to as well, but I didn’t want to overpower the flavor of the figs and lemon. Cardamom seemed like a lighter, more subtle, choice, but still with definite flavor. I hope you try them!

        Reply
    13. Natalie says

      October 31, 2015 at 8:46 am

      I think I want to be a Sunflower Fig Ball monster for Halloween now, and eat them all!!! So yummy Jenn, and I am amazed the coating is sunflower seeds I thought it was coconut at first…so creative 🙂

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        October 31, 2015 at 9:25 am

        I like that idea for a costume! No cookie monster. Sunflower Fig Ball Monster! Love it! I actually thought about adding coconut, but I really didn’t want to alter the pure flavor of the figs. Thanks!

        Reply
    14. Strength and Sunshine says

      October 31, 2015 at 6:00 am

      Yay figs! People a;ways neglect them when making bites and cookies and only use dates! I love figs way more!

      Reply
      • Jenn S. says

        October 31, 2015 at 9:24 am

        No neglect here! I love them so much! I used to eat almost a whole sleeve of Fig Newtons in one sitting….ha! Thanks, Rebecca!

        Reply

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    Jenn Sebestyen of Veggie Inspired

    Hi, I'm Jenn! This is where I share delicious plant based recipes for the whole family. I love to cook; I can read cookbooks like novels; and I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen by making standard American favorites healthier.

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