Whip out the cat costume, face paint, and candy (or alcohol) because Halloween is here! This year, I wanted to recreate some of my favorite childhood treats like caramel apples, puppy chow, and dirt pudding with a festive spin on them. I aimed to limit artificial flavors, dyes and chemicals found in most candy in these three recipes, making them perfect sweet Halloween treats for kids and adults.
Spooky Chow
Yields: 9 cups
Prep Time: 8 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
â 9 cups Rice Chex Gluten-free Cereal
â 1 cup Enjoy Life! Dark chocolate chips
â ½ cup organic creamy peanut butter
â ¼ cup grass-fed or pastured butter
â 1 cup Swerve confectioners sugar substitute
â 1 scoop vanilla protein powder*, optional
â â
cup Reese’s Pieces, optional
*We used 1 scoop of Primal Kitchen’s Vanilla Coconut Primal Fuel
Instructions
1. Add chocolate, peanut butter, and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in one minute intervals until melted and smooth. Stir in between.
2. Add 9 cups of Chex cereal to a large bowl. Pour chocolate-mixture over cereal. Carefully toss with a spoon to coat all pieces.
3. Let cool for about 5 minutes. Add mixture to large ziplock bag. Pour in confectioners (and protein powder if desired) sugar, seal, and shake it like a salt shaker.
4. Pour in large serving bowl, add in favorite candy like Reese’s pieces, just for decoration, and incorporate into mixture.
Health(ier) Caramel Apples
Yields: 6 apples
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Fridge Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Ingredients
â 6 organic Granny Smith apples
â 25 large pitted medjool dates
â ¾ cup canned coconut milk, full fat
â 6 tbsp. grass-fed butter, cut into cubes
â ½ tsp. vanilla extract
â 1-2 tbsp. Bourbon (if it’s an adult party)
â Pinch of Himalayan salt
â 6 popsicle sticks
Toppings, optional
â Shredded unsweetened coconut
â Melted Enjoy Life Chocolate chips
â Red Sprinkles*
â Crushed nuts (we used roasted hazelnuts, skin removed*
Instructions
1. Add the dates, butter, coconut milk, vanilla, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat once the butter, about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Add mixture to high-powered blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Transfer mixture back to saucepan.
3. Have your topping ready for dipping in separate bowls.
4. Remove the apple stem, then stick the popsicle stick on top. Using a silicone spatula or butter knife, carefully spread the caramel mixture around the apple. It will be thicker than conventional caramel sauce.
5. Dip in topping of choice. If you want to make fun chocolate spider webs, simply dip a butter knife into the melted chocolate and drip it in crazy lines over the apple.
6. Lay a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Add finished apples to the sheet, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to set the caramel and chocolate. Enjoy!
Graveyard Chocolate Bark
Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Freeze Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
â 2 cups dark chocolate of choice*
â 6 Newman’s Own chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
â 2 Newman’s Own chocolate sandwich cookies, whole
â 6 gummy worms
â 1 tbsp. bloody bone candy
â 2 tbsp. coconut oil
â Beet-based non-artificial red dye
Instructions
1. Add chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in one-minute intervals until melted, stirring in between.
2. Line a plate with slightly raised edges or a Pyrex with saran wrap. Make sure it’s stuck to the bottom of the plate or Pyrex to prevent chocolate from sneaking into the crevices. Also, lay the saran wrap as flat as possible so that the plastic doesn’t get stuck in the chocolate when it hardens.
3. Pour melted chocolate into prepared plate or Pyrex. Spread to flatten. Top with crushed cookies (dirt). Place worms and bones around and press gently into chocolate.
4. In a small bowl, add the coconut oil. Heat in the microwave until melted. Stir in the red dye.
5. With the whole sandwich cookies, separate one side of the cookie from the cream center. Spread the cream to coat the cookie. Using a knife, slice into the shape of a tombstone. Using melted chocolate, write “RIP” or something spooky like that.
6. Drizzle on red “blood” over the tombstone and around the graveyard. Place in freezer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and carefully break bark into pieces.
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