Healthier snacking is pretty much my blogging mission. Halloween is just an excuse to make healthy snacks in the shape of pumpkins or ghosts or spiders. Snacks within the orange and chocolate color scheme (yes chocolate is a color). Snacks that aren’t worth their weight in sugar. Snacks that are fun, festive, and quite possibly fruity.
The scariest thing about Halloween is probably the amount of pure junk it is possible to consume in one night. But getting creative in the kitchen is much more fun and healthy than unwrapping and mindlessly eating way too much candy. So when Nuts.com inspired me to share some of my favorite healthy snacks for Halloween, I was bursting with ideas.
Some are easy, unwrap-and-eat type things. I am a big fan of simple snacking.
Some require a little more baking and making, nothing too fancy though. I promise it will be easier than carving a pumpkin (which is always harder than I think it’s going to be…by the time I get all the seeds and innards out I’m ready for a break!)
And keep reading to get the recipe for these little Dark Chocolate Coconut Ghosts too…
There are a million pumpkin-y delights I could’ve posted here, but instead I chose things that are candy mimics or truly Halloween themed. Things that I would have loved to receive in my trick-or-treat bag!
Instead of chewy fruit-flavored candies…
-Dried fruit! My favorites are figs, apple rings, raisins, mulberries, blueberries, and mango. Just make sure to get the ones without added sugar.
-Barnana banana chewy bites. The original and apple cinnamon are my favorites!
–Dates. I’ve only ever had Medjools, but I really want to try the Khadrawi and Barhi varieties.
–Date rolls. I just recently tried these, and they are AMAZING!
Instead of crunchy snacks…
-Freeze dried fruit. My favorites are bananas, grapes (unusual I know, but really good), and blueberries.
-Baked apple chips. Bare Snacks baked apple cinnamon fruit chips are my favorite!
-Popcorn! Pop it yourself and top with salt, spices, nutritional yeast, cacao powder, cinnamon, coconut sugar, or anything.
Instead of candy bars…
-Larabars! My favorite flavors are cookie dough, peanut butter and jelly, apple pie, and carrot cake.
-Or homemade snack bars like these peanut butter banana ones
Or spend time in the kitchen having fun with family and friends making homemade Halloween goodies…
–Candy Corn Pops with Poisonberry Sauce. Fruity snacks that mimic that iconic tricolored treat and a special spooky dipping sauce.
–Raw Caramel Apples. Caramel apples aren’t orange or black or ghost-shaped or pumpkin-faced, but they are undeniably Halloween-y. And this recipe is undeniably easy too.
–Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Squares. A little messy, but totally worth it.
–Brownie-Stuffed Pumpkin Cookies. Don’t these look festive? I told you chocolate was a color.
Now let’s talk about these ghosts that have been peering at you all post long…
Everything-free cupcakes made extra dark. Ghost-white glaze. Double stacked to get that ghost height. Dressed in coconut costumes witch cacao eyes peeking through. A little spooky, but mostly just scrumptious!
Print
Dark Chocolate Coconut Ghosts + Healthy Halloween Treat Ideas
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 12 ghosts 1x
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 6 pitted medjool dates
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
- 1/4 cup cacao or cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- COCONUT FROSTING
- 1/2 cup coconut milk powder
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp water
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar *see note (or cane sugar powdered in a blender)
Instructions
- FOR THE CUPCAKES: Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Blend the water, milk, and dates on high until smooth.
- In a large bowl, stir together the oat flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
- Add the blended ingredients, and stir until everything is well combined.
- Spoon into a mini muffin pan with paper liners or greased with coconut oil.
- Bake for 13-15 minutes until the center bounces back when lightly pressed.
- Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before removing from the pan.
- Chill overnight.
- FOR THE FROSTING: Whisk all the ingredients together until smooth. If it is too thick, you can add a little bit more water.
- TO MAKE THE GHOSTS: Take 1 mini cupcake and use a bread/cake knife to cut off the domed top. Flip it over, and place it on a plate.
- Take a second cupcake, flip it upside down, and use the cake/bread knife to shape it into a gumdrop shape that fits on top of the first cupcake.
- Dollop the frosting on top of the ghosts and let it drip down to look adorable and ghostly. Use cacao nibs or chocolate chips for eyes.
- As quickly as possible, place them in the freezer to harden the frosting.
- Devour these spooky snacks, and keep the leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
*You can use coconut sugar here, but it will effect the color.
I know it may seem cheesy to say that fruit and healthy recipes are just as good as candy, but they really can be. Tastes can adjust and eventually your tastebuds (and the rest of your body) will thank you. Once you get all the sugar out, you can let the actual flavors come in. There are so many more fruits than there are fruity candies. There are so many more healthy halloween recipes than chocolate bars. Switching to healthy halloween snacks opens up all these new possibilities of edible goodies. And homemade halloween baking could be a whole new end of October tradition!
OMG, Natalie! These little ghosts are the cutest thing ever! I absolutely love them 😀 I love that you used your everything free cupcake recipe – versatile recipes are the best! 🙂
I know right! Using old recipes in other recipes always reminds me that I need to do more basic staples, because those versatile recipes you can use over and over are priceless! Every time I see you burger buns I’m reminded of that too! You can just go burger crazy over there and you always have those versatile buns to package it all inside of 🙂 Thanks girl!
THESE ARE SO CUTE! I would looooove to get any of the treats you mentioned! I wouldn’t turn down some dark or raw chocolate though 😉
I seriously need to try these Everything-Free cupcakes, the texture looks so perfect!
(also I found the pumpkin spice date rolls! and they were on sale! and they’re so flippin good!!)
You found pumpkin spice date rolls on sale!?!?! You are a very lucky human being! Savor every bite <3 Oh I would be all for some dark chocolate too! Raw chocolate, even better. There are some really awesome premium raw chocolate brands out there that I've wanted to splurge on for quite a while now. But I sorta eat chocolate every day, so I was going for something out of the ordinary haha!
oh my.. this is simply incredible.. simply love it
Thank you Fareeha! I’m glad you are a fan of these little ghosties 🙂
I have been DIEING to read this post all day! I saw the cute picture and was like omg… 😀 You delivered!! These little ghost babies of love are so cute!!! I love them!!!!!!
No if only I had trick-or-treaters, I would so give these out and I would be the party house on the block!!!
(P.s. coconut milk powder is so cool! I just never know what to use it for…but duh! frosting is perfect!!!!)
Aww thanks girl! A little cuteness to brighten up you bio-filled Tuesday 😉 I think the ideal trick-or-treat situation would be to have just a handful of extremely cute ones so you could make them something really awesome and special. At my parent’s house we get so many it isn’t even fun anymore. But you and I could throw a BA halloween party with all our goodies 🙂 PS I was pretty excited about finding a use for the coconut milk powder, not sure why it took me so long to think of this either haha!
I seriously can’t get over how cute these are! And I had no idea there was such a thing as coconut milk powder but now I’m getting some. Your ghostie frosting looks YUM!!
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Thanks Gin! Coconut milk powder is new to me too, my friend Audrey (UnconventrionalBaker.com) introduced me too it and I’ve been having fun experimenting with it. The frosting is super coconut-y and the perfect color for ghosts 🙂
These are the cutest ghosts I’ve ever seen Natalie! SO stinkin adorable, I want to eat them all up!! I love how you made the coconut milk part on top. These would be so cute served at a party and they aren’t full of junk like everything else on Halloween! I have never given Olivia a piece of candy and never plan on it. I will make her treats from my own kitchen that aren’t full of crap. She still has a blast and isn’t missing out on anything!
Thanks Brandi, I was pretty smitten with their adorableness too 🙂 I’ve decided ghosts are the easiest halloween creature to make because they just have eyes! So much simpler than pumpkins or spiders haha! I just realized that we are both on the coconut frosting train this week aren’t we! I think that is absolutely amazing that Olivia has never had candy, especially if she goes to school! Based on the gorgeous cakes you make for her and all the other fun snacks she is a lucky girl with wonderful tastes that have never been marred by sugar. What a feat for you as a mama! I have a feeling candy-less holidays are very delicious and fun at your house 🙂
These are sooooo beautiful Natalie!!! When I first saw them on Facebook I was amazed! What a great Halloween treat, and I love that they are healthy too. They are just so cute!!! I love the use of cacao nibs for their eyes! The coconut milk powder sounds really great too – I’ve been looking for vegan ‘milk’ style powders for ages, as I really want to make vegan white chocolate!! I’m definitely going to check it out 🙂 thank you for sharing! <3
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Thank you! Oh vegan white chocolate would be amazing! I would love to see how you do it because I have tried and failed multiple times now. Coconut milk is a really good idea for that, plus I think the flavor would be pretty delicious. Cacao butter + coconut…mmmmm <3
These are the most adorable Halloween treat ever Natalie!!! So cute <3 I used to love ghosts made out of meringues when I was little but these are so much healthier and just as pretty 🙂
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Oh I had forgotten about meringue ghosts! Some little aquafaba meringue ghosts would be such a great vegan halloween treat too 🙂
Natalie, these look so incredibly cute!!! <3 What a great idea! 🙂 And I'm sure they taste amazing as well!
Thank you Sina! Chocolate and coconut are so tasty together, the cute packaging doesn’t change that 🙂
Oh my goodness, these guys are too cute! Such a creative and delicious idea!
Thank you Bethany 🙂 Happy Halloween to you!
I hope this comment actually posts!! Natalie! All of these treats look amazing and so creative. Those candy corn pops are genius! Last week, while grocery shopping, I saw coconut milk powder and almost bought it! I love your cupcakes so I know I would love these adorable little ghosts. Those little cacao nib eyes are perfect!
Yep your comment posted just fine, sorry for the difficulties! Thank you for trying again, I love your sweet comments 🙂 Coconut milk powder is a little pricey, but it’s such a fun ingredient. I would love to try coating some of your donuts in it like a powdered sugar donut!!
Finally making my lazy butt over here to admire these finger-huggable cuties <3 Love these. But also loved reading about your favorite snacks — mine are pretty much the same 🙂 And gosh so many dates to try, so little time! I wish I could say I've tasted them all, but sadly I'm mostly a medjool kind of girl (or occasionally whatever dates I can find at the store at a pinch 😉 ), but you just inspired me to get more adventurous. I also absolutely adore your coconut milk coating — I love using it for that too, only I wish I could work with powdered sugar — would make everything soooo much easier hehe. Anyhow, I love your super creative ghosties. Beautiful recipe!
Your butt’s not lazy, just tired from firewood unloading and stacking 😉 After putting so much time into your gorgeous cakes, gotta keep the snacking pretty simple! I’ve only ever had medjools too because that’s all my stores carry, but I’ve know 7hotdates.com has a sampler with 7 different varieties that sounds pretty intriguing. Honestly I bake/blend with dates more than eat them straight, so I’m okay with just medjools 😉 For the powdered coating I did try a version without the powdered sugar and maple syrup instead of the water, but it tasted a little weird. Not sure maple and coconut are the best combo when there are no other flavors involved. Powdered sugar is such a tough one to avoid :/
Yeah, I wouldn’t sweat it over 1 tbsp powdered sugar and would totally do that too if it made sense in a recipe, but it actually makes me sick even in those small quantities for some reason, so it’s 100% off the menu : /
wow its really very great …..i like this
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I’m so happy to hear it, thanks for reading 🙂 Happy friday!
same to you
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