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 treats this spooky season!
Pumpkin Spice Bread
With a moist crumb and packed with fall flavors, this delicious pumpkin bread from Isa Chandra Moskowitz is perfect to slice up for trick-or-treaters or to take to a potluck. Raisins and walnuts add fruity, nutty flavor but feel free to leave them out if they’re not your jam. A commenter notes, “Turned out perfectly, and was easy to make with ingredients I usually have on hand. Will definitely be making this again.”
Incredible Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake
If you need a big, beautiful, knock-me-dead sweet treat this Halloween, then be sure to check out this top-rated chocolate cake from Dreena Burton. Sweet potato lends sweetness and moisture to the cake, leaving no trace of tater flavor, and is used again in the gooey chocolate frosting. A fan writes, “Perfection itself.” Another writes, “I made this today for Father’s Day, and oh my gosh…it is so good!! Nobody could tell it was a plant-based recipe.”
Mexican Chocolate Energy Bites
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!
Frozen Grapes with Chocolate Sauce
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.
Blooming Baked Apples with Cinnamon Nice Cream
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.
Gluten-Free Fig Bars
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.”
Chewy Apple-Raisin Oatmeal Cookies
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.
Peanut Butter Caramel Apples
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.
Pumpkin Ice Cream
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.
Frozen Banana Treat with Chocolate (Better Than Ice Cream!)
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.
Chocolate-Orange Dessert Donuts
The classic flavor pairing of orange and chocolate gives these decadent-tasting dessert donuts extra pizzaz. Drizzle with orange sauce and top with shaved chocolate. A fan writes, "Great dessert! Donuts are not too sweet but perfect with the sauce. Great presentation."
Apple Dessert Pizza
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.
Raw Choco Bites With Oats and Carrots
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.
Gingerbread Loaf with Poached Pears
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.
Pumpkin Parfait with Cashew Vanilla Cream
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.
Cranberry Orange Pumpkin Muffins
"Pumpkin perfection” is Chef AJ’s way of describing these moist muffins, and we couldn’t agree more.
Outrageously Healthy Black Bean Brownies
A favorite sweet-with-no-added-sugar treat from Chef AJ, these chocolaty brownies taste downright heavenly.
Pumpkin Pie Squares
These easier-than-pie pumpkin squares, which come courtesy of StraightUpFood.com creator Cathy Fisher, are firm enough to be eaten as finger food.
Double Chocolate Cupcakes
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.
Sweet Potato Bites
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.
Baked Apple Chips
Infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, these crispy, slow-baked apple chips are nature's candy at its best.
Pumpkin Pie Tart with Oat Crust
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.
Pumpkin Cranberry Cookies
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!
Cranberry-Orange Biscotti
With fresh orange juice and fruit-sweetened cranberries, these autumnal biscotti are perfectly crunchy and delightful with tea.
About the Author
About the Author
Lisa Esile, MS
As an author, Do Nothing meditation instructor, and wellness coach, Lisa Esile combines her love for food and nutrition with her mental health background and delights in helping people find a stress-free way to make lasting lifestyle changes. Esile has a master’s degree in human nutrition and is the co-author/illustrator of Whose Mind Is It Anyway? Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life. Learn more at lisaesile.com.
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