By Lisa Esile, MS Last Updated:
It’s Halloween time! Grab that spooky costume, carve some pumpkins, and have fun in the kitchen making homemade baked goodies. These 24 impressive yet easy-to-make recipes offer a healthful alternative to traditional Halloween treats—though you’d never know it by their devilishly decadent taste. Packed with whole-food, plant-based ingredients, and using natural sweeteners like banana and dates, these sweet eats are fiendishly satisfying and won’t leave you in a candy coma. Try one of these vegan Halloween recipes this spooky season!
These vegan Mexican chocolate balls boast the magical spicy-sweet pairing that Mexican candy is known for, but made with good-for-you vegan ingredients: Oats give them an earthy base while dates are used to sweeten and a coating of cocoa powder gives them a rich chocolate flavor. Pop one in your mouth; you’ll be amazed!
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Fragrant with cinnamon and vanilla, these festive baked apples warm you up down to your toes. Add a dollop of cinnamon-scented banana nice cream for a mouthwatering dessert to remember. Note: To get the “blooming” look, cut each apple into 8 segments, leaving them joined at the bottom, then top with a maple syrup-sweetened oat mix.
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These tri-layer gluten-free fig bars feature a luscious vanilla-infused fig paste on an earthy oat-almond base. Top with a partially blended oat-walnut topping for extra richness. From start to finish, these take about an hour to make. Shares one fan: “These are always a favorite! Friends always want these when we go to parties.”
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Conjuring fond memories of state fairs and fall festivals, these caramel apples from Veganomicon author Isa Chandra Moskowitz will indulge your nostalgia and your sweet tooth all at once.
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This stunning orange-hued ice cream is the ultimate Halloween treat. Fragrant with cinnamon and sweetened with maple syrup and pumpkin puree, this devilishly creamy tofu-based vegan ice cream will be gobbled up by hungry partygoers.
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These wickedly yummy frozen treats from world-renowned plant-based warrior Ann Crile Esselstyn are a tasty mix of frozen banana, oats, cocoa, and crunchy cereal.
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Do-nut go past these moist dessert donuts from Forks Over Knives magazine contributor Shelli McConnell. Topped with a zesty orange sauce and chocolate shavings, they’re a whole lot of delicious.
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Have a plate of these supremely munchable cookies on hand to keep you (and everyone else) powered up through the night. Grated apples and a generous serving of raisins add a delicious, moist fruitiness, but don’t be afraid to create your own signature cookies by tweaking to suit your own tastes. For instance, they’d also taste great with vegan chocolate chips and/or dried apricots.
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Serve these decadent peanut butter chocolate brownies with banana slices; the creamy banana has a similar effect to serving them with cream.
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These hand-held apple-centric pizzas positively burst with autumnal cheer. Whole wheat pizza dough (which only takes 20 minutes to make) is formed into 6-inch disks then topped with a finger-licking good mixture of apple slices, maple syrup, cinnamon, and granola.
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Sweet and cool, frozen grapes are a fabulous frosty treat for young and old alike. The five-minute chocolate sauce is made with pantry staples such as cocoa powder, maple syrup, almond flour, and vanilla extract. This is a fun recipe to have children help with, as they love threading the grapes onto the skewers.
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Chef AJ is a master at getting sweet results without any added sugar. This creamy confection takes only a few minutes to whip up.
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Want an energizing boost without the post-candy crash? You’ll find it in these Choco Bites, with cacao, figs, and dates. The three-step recipe comes courtesy of Naked Food Cookbook author Margarita Restrepo and Italian chef Michele Lastella.
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This restaurant-quality vegan gingerbread loaf features the mouthwatering combination of whole pears poached in spice-infused apple cider and red wine (optional) and the woody spiciness of gingerbread cake. For all its stunning plate appeal, it’s remarkably easy to make: Once poached, place the pears stem ends up in a loaf pan, spoon some batter on either side, and when it comes to cutting, be sure to slice it so that each serving has a slice of pear.
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These pretty, crowd-pleasing parfaits by Forks Over Knives head chef Darshana Thacker can be made a day in advance, freeing you up to put on your costume and cue the spooky soundtracks.
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“Pumpkin perfection” is Chef AJ’s way of describing these moist muffins, and we couldn’t agree more.
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Another sweet-with-no-added-sugar treat from Chef AJ, these chocolaty brownies taste downright heavenly.
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These easier-than-pie pumpkin squares, which come courtesy of StraightUpFood.com creator Cathy Fisher, are firm enough to be eaten as finger food.
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A date-based fudgy frosting tops these rich, chocolaty cupcakes from vegan-cupcake connoisseur Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Garnish with orange zest for a seasonal color combo.
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These scrumptiously simple sweet potato bites were inspired by the Okinawan diet, rich in sweet potato. This recipe is courtesy of The Blue Zones Kitchen, by New York Times best-selling author Dan Buettner.
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Infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, these crispy, slow-baked apple chips are nature’s candy at its best.
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In this show-stopping dessert from veteran recipe developer Nancy Macklin, an earthy oat flour and almond butter crust pairs perfectly with silky-sweet pumpkin filling.
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These chewy orange cookies, studded with dried cranberries, take about 10 minutes to throw together. This is an ideal recipe for young ones to help with; it’s so simple!
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With fresh orange juice and fruit-sweetened cranberries, these autumnal biscotti are perfectly crunchy and delightful with tea.
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Lisa Esile is an author, illustrator, blogger, vegetable gardener, and whole-food enthusiast with a special fondness for potatoes. She has a master’s degree in human nutrition and is passionate about showing people how to live happier, healthier lives. She is the author of Reach Your Big Calm and the co-author of Whose Mind Is It Anyway? Find her on Facebook.
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Comments (1)
So grateful for these creative and delicious recipes!!!!!!