When I was younger I would fill up entire pillow cases trick-or-treating and then very intensely organize them in groups when I got home….so you could say I’m well versed in the candy world. However, now that I’m a little bit more aware of how much crap is inside most candies (lol), I’m all about remaking my favorite super decadent and indulgent foods/sweets and turning them into something a little more nutrient-dense. It’s honestly one of my favorite things to do when creating new recipes because I love showing people that you don’t have to cut out your favorite things to live a healthy lifestyle! Just make some modifications and use healthier ingredients 🙂 I’ve posted about all these before, but with Halloween coming up, I thought I’d share a handful of my top sweet treats to make/consume this weekend instead of packaged/highly processed candies. I LOVED Halloween candy growing up so I get the lure, trust me! But if you’re looking for healthier recipes to whip up to celebrate this weekend, these are all my go-to’s.
This is such a fan favorite and you absolutely cannot go wrong with this recipe. From the coconut/almond flour shortbread layer to the creamy almond butter-based caramel sauce, these bars are UNREAL. Bridger and I like to cut them up in small squares and stash them in the freezer so they last longer and are the perfect sweet to grab at night.
Vegan, gluten-free, no baking and these Snickers bars could probably almost fool even the biggest candy bar lover. I made this recipe specifically because I wanted an alternative to the fun-size Snickers bars I looked so forward to every Halloween growing up. I may be biased, but mine are better 😉
I can’t get over these– you just have to try them! Packed with healthy fats from almonds, cashews and a few tablespoons of hemp seeds.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were hands down my favorite chocolate bar/candy when I was growing up. I’m just weak for anything peanut butter chocolate and I can’t relate to those who aren’t! The filling is almost impossible not to eat before making these–so good luck– but seriously, you gotta try 😉
OK, this one is a more recent fave and like everything else on this list, it’s inspired by what I used to eat growing up. Did anyone else go to the movies and get those chocolate covered cookie dough bites in the red box?! Because that’s what these taste like, but way better! It’s a spin-off of my famous cookie skillet batter and a crowd pleaser, for sure.
6. CARAMEL COOKIE SKILLET BARS
This one screams fall and is the perfect baking project for a chilly weekend afternoon!! I combined two of my favorite recipes here– my Cashew Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet and my Salted Caramel Sauce! It’s ridiculously good and gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free and refined sugar-free, per usual on my page.
Happy Halloween, friends! I hope these satisfy your sweet tooth! 🙂
