This Is How to Make Your Own Healthy Halloween Candy

by Samantha Rees
Updated

By Samantha Rees. Photos: Courtesy.

Fun-sized, foiled-wrapped, sugar-sweet candies will be available everywhere you turn from now until Halloween. Rather than picking up a Twix every time, make healthy alternatives readily available to satisfy your sweet cravings without the guilt (and cavities). From a chocolatey, crispy quinoa treat to beet gummies, some of our favorite chefs shared their healthy candy recipes. Dare we say they’re so good, you won’t miss their super sugary counterparts. While these may be a bit more involved than picking up the jumbo-sized bag of candies, their benefits are well worth it—and can be enjoyed year-round. Here, four healthy candy swaps to make ASAP.

Coconut Oil Chocolate Bark with Sea Salt, Pistachios, & Apricots

“I love this chocolate bark because it’s packed with heart healthy antioxidants, contains no refined sugar, and comes together in a flash. Not only is it a delicious healthier alternative to traditional Halloween sweets, but it’s a great recipe to have in your arsenal during the holidays—it makes a lovely hostess gift, and is an easy dessert to put out with coffee and tea.”

– Lauren Kretzer Contributing Chef, By Chloe

Serves 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup maple syrup

A pinch sea salt

1/2 cup raw shelled pistachios

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place pistachios on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 6 to 7 minutes, or until lightly golden and fragrant. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, roughly chop and set aside.

  2. In a small saucepan, heat coconut oil on low until completely melted.

  3. Take off heat and whisk in cocoa powder until smooth. Add in vanilla extract, maple syrup, and sea salt and stir to combine. Fold in approximately half of the chopped pistachios and half of the chopped apricots.

  4. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper. Pour chocolate mixture over the paper and spread into approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle the top evenly with the remaining chopped pistachios and apricots. If desired, sprinkle a very small amount of sea salt over the top.

  5. Place the baking sheet on a flat surface in the freezer and let chocolate bark set for 15 to 20 minutes, or until totally firm. Break apart into pieces and serve.

  6. This chocolate bark will start to melt at room temperature after a short while, so it is best kept refrigerated. You can customize the bark with your favorite nuts and dried fruits to fit the season and/or holiday.

More from Vogue: ’90s and Noughties Costumes to Break Out for Halloween

Beet Gummies

“It’s almost like a sweet vegetable gummy candy, and you don’t feel guilty eating it!”

– Chef Marcel Vigneron, Chef/Owner, Wolf and Beefsteak

Ingredients:

Baby beets (however many you’d like)

Plums

Figs

Instructions:

  1. Steam or boil baby beets until fork tender, about 15 minutes.

  2. Place baby beets in dehydrator at 150 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 hours or in the oven overnight.

  3. Remove from oven and let beets cool. Cut fresh plums and figs to serve alongside beets as if you were plating as a dish.

Quinoa Crispy Brownies

“Halloween won’t feel like Halloween if there isn’t any chocolate, so what I love about this recipe is that the dark chocolate and the gluten-free flour give this brownie a nice decadent flavor without all of the guilt. The quinoa crisps also give these treats a nice crunch and a few nutrients that you won’t find in a candy bar.”

-Leona Sager, the Wayfarer

Ingredients:2 sticks butter

1 cup dark chocolate

1/2 cup sugar

2 T vanilla extract

5 eggs

2 T salt

1 1/4 cup gluten-free flour

1 quinoa crispies (your favorite brand)

Instructions:1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

  1. Melt one stick of butter in medium pan and add chocolate. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

  2. Remove from heat and set aside. In a standing mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the remaining butter until white and fluffy.

  3. Add sugar and mix for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until incorporated.

  4. Add flour and mix until it’s incorporated. Add melted butter and chocolate mixture.

  5. Detach the bowl from mixer and hand mix to make sure all ingredients are incorporated. Fold in quinoa crispies.

  6. Pour into a half sheet baking pan or large casserole dish and spread evenly.

  7. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, remove from oven and cool completely.

Candy Crunchin’ (Toffee Popcorn)

“This particular flavor is a favorite of mine because of the sweet and salty mix. I’m also a super huge fan of ginger and with all of these flavors together it has a very warming fall taste. Not to mention it’s light and crunchy!”

– Dakota Weiss, Executive Chef/Partner, Sweetfin Poké and Estrella

Ingredients:4 quarts popped organic non-GMO popcorn

1/2 cup unsalted butter

7/8 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 T chopped candied orange rind

1 T chopped candied ginger

1 T kosher salt

1 T baking soda

2 cups toasted pecans

1 T crushed pink peppercorns

Instructions:1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

  1. Combine butter, light brown sugar, and honey in saucepan and whisk them to a slow boil to make the toffee drizzle.

  2. Add in chopped candied orange rind, candied ginger, and salt. Take off the heat and whisk in baking soda. When you add in the baking soda, the toffee is going to volcano upward, whisk quickly to keep it under control, it should settled in about 15 seconds.

  3. Gently fold that into the popcorn, making sure all pieces are evenly coated.

  4. Add 2 cups toasted pecans and crushed peppercorns.

  5. Lay out onto a sheet pan with sprayed parchment paper. Put in oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 1 hour. Every 10 minutes stir the popcorn fully on the tray.

  6. Once taken out of the oven, break popcorn up with your hands (use gloves as it will still be hot). Place onto a cool sheet tray lined with parchment paper and let it cool fully. Store in an airtight container.

This story originally appeared on Vogue.

More from Vogue:

The Best Celebrity Engagement Rings

25 Secret Celebrity Weddings We Still Know Little About

See All The Stunning Looks From The 2016 Emmy Awards

The 27 Best Celebrity Beach Bodies of All Time

Check Out The Best Dressed Celebrities From The 2016 MTV VMAs