Looking for a festive way to use candy canes? These gluten-free, vegan candy cane snowballs are quick to make, kid-friendly, and delightfully seasonal.
Simple, elegant, and irresistibly bite-sized, these treats are a holiday twist on a classic raw coconut snowball. They take just minutes to prepare and work well as a table dessert, a homemade gift, or a last-minute sweet to enjoy with guests.
Think Raffaellos, but made with simple, whole ingredients.
Note: this recipe was created before the author moved to a fully refined sugar–free approach.
Candy Cane Snowballs
- Author: Audrey @ Unconventional Baker
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 11 balls
Ingredients
- 6 candy canes
- ½ cup shredded coconut for rolling
- 1 cup coconut butter (also called coconut manna)
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2–3 tbsp maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place the candy canes in a food processor and pulse until you have a fine crumble. A few slightly larger pieces are fine if you prefer some crunch. Reserve about one-third of the candy cane crumble and mix it with the ½ cup shredded coconut for rolling. Spread this mixture on a plate and set aside.
- Add the coconut butter, 1 cup shredded coconut, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the food processor (omit the shredded coconut and reserved candy cane mixture used for rolling). Process until the ingredients combine and begin to form a cohesive dough.
- Use your hands to shape the mixture into bite-sized balls. They may feel a bit moist while you roll them, which is normal. Roll each ball in the reserved shredded coconut and candy cane mixture to coat.
- Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm them up. These snowballs can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or frozen for longer storage. Enjoy!
