Welcome to October. Cheers to a month filled with pumpkin flavored everything, pumpkin picking and decorating, warm apple cider, and of course HALLOWEEN! Who doesn’t love October 31? It is a time of festivities, costume parties, and loads of tasty treats. Our sweet tooth is a little sweeter this month, so for those of you who are thinking twice about snacking on your favorite chocolate bar, do not worry. Here are five hauntingly healthy, guilt-free Halloween treats you can indulge in.
Pumpkin Fudge (dairy free, gluten free, and nut free):
Recipe and image courtesy of Petite Allergy Treats
Ingredients-
- 1 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 10 oz. bag of marshmallows
Instructions-
- Heat a pan on medium heat and melt the coconut oil. Add flour and whisk while incorporating it. Cook for at least 2-3 minutes, constantly stirring
- Add marshmallows and stir until melted
- Add pumpkin puree and spice. Remove from heat and stir until completely mixed
- Pour into an 8 x 8 pan lined with parchment paper. Place in the refrigerator or freezer until firm
Chocolate Pumpkin Cups (gluten free):
Recipe and image courtesy of The Glowing Fridge
Ingredients-
Chocolate Layer:
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
Pumpkin Layer:
- 2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 tbsp. almond butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions-
- Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners
- Combine all ingredients for the chocolate layer in a small bowl. Mix well
- Put a thin layer of the chocolate filling into the bottom of the muffin tin
- Prepare the pumpkin layer. Combine all ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix well
- Layer the pumpkin filling over the chocolate filling in the muffin tin
- Finish by layering the leftover chocolate over the pumpkin filling and freeze for an hour or until firm
Raw Caramel Apples:
Recipe and image courtesy of Fork & Beans
Ingredients-
- 2 large apples
- Date caramel sauce (recipe below)
- Dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice
- 2 craft sticks
Caramel Sauce:
- 5 dates, chopped and set in boiling water for 10 minutes
- 1 tbsp. nondairy milk
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 tbsp. nut butter of choice
- 1 tsp maple syrup
Instructions-
- Drain water from the dates. In a high speed blender, combine all ingredients for the Caramel Sauce until completely smooth
- Insert craft sticks into apples
- Cover the apples evenly with the caramel date sauce. Place in the freezer briefly so it firms up
- Roll around in chopped nuts
- Melt your dark chocolate and drizzle on the apples
- Chill in the freezer for 5-10 minutes until the apples set
Frozen “Boo”-nana Pops:
Recipe and image courtesy of Skinny Taste
Ingredients-
- 1 medium banana
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 8 mini dark chocolate chips
- 4 popsicle sticks
Instructions-
- Cut banana in half lengthwise, and then in half again to make four quarters
- Insert popsicle sticks into bananas and freeze bananas on a wax paper lined cookie sheet
- Fill a coffee cup with the white chocolate chips. Melt it in the microwave
Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops (refined sugar free, grain free, and gluten free):
Recipe and image courtesy of Tasty Yummies
Ingredients-
Cheesecake:
- 2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours
- 6 tbsp. coconut oil
- Juice from 1 lemon
- Lemon zest
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- lollipop sticks
Chocolate Coating:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup cacao powder
Instructions-
- Drain and rinse soaked cashews. Place cashews in a food processor or high powered blender with the remaining ingredients. Process until smooth and creamy
- Scrape mixture into a shallow bowl and place in the freezer for 1-1 1/2 hours, checking and stirring the mixture occasionally until it is sold enough to form into balls
- Once it is firm enough, roll mixture into balls with your hands
- Place the balls on a wax or parchment lined pan and place it back in the freezer
- Once the balls feel firm enough all the way through, insert the lollipop sitcks into the balls part way. After you put the sticks through them, stand them upright into styrofoam and place them back into the freezer while you prepare the chocolate coating
- Set a small glass bowl over a pan with water. Add in the coconut oil and stir until melted. Add in the maple syrup and vanilla. Sift the cocoa powder into the mixture and stir until it is well combined. Immediately remove the pan from the heat
- Remove the cake pops from the freezer. Start dipping each one into the chocolate, shake off excess chocolate, and stand back upright. The chocolate should harden immediately