Spooky Flavors for Homemade Halloween Treats
One of the best things about Halloween has to be the festive treats! It’s the one day of the year where kids and parents alike can indulge in spooky candies and chocolates and completely embrace a sugar rush. However, many are looking to enjoy the treats without all of the additives like emulsifiers and artificial flavors and colors. Creating homemade Halloween treats is a great way to enjoy the season without all of the chemicals. Join us at Advanced Biotech as we explore some of our favorite flavors to create spookily delicious Halloween treats the entire family will love.
Fruit
Always a crowd-pleaser, fruit provides a subtle sweetness without all of the artificial ingredients. Pomegranates are a seasonal fruit with a tangy, exotic tropical flavor and a fittingly vibrant, red color. Packed with antioxidants, pomegranate pairs famously well with dark chocolate, ideal for creating simple yet flavorful treats like chocolate covered pomegranate seeds topped with flaky sea salt. Apples are also in season, and come in many different varieties, all of which have subtly different flavors and vibrant peels. Spread apple slices with peanut butter and line with mini marshmallows to create a set of monster teeth, sandwiching two together and adding a sliced strawberry as a tongue completes a spooky yet nutritious mouth kids will love to munch on. Peel an orange or tangerine and add a small piece of celery to the hole in the top to create mini pumpkins bursting with vitamin C and sweet and sour fruit flavor.
Nuts
Filling, versatile, and packed with nutrients, nuts are a great source of vitamins and pair well with many different ingredients. Salted peanuts pair well with sweet ingredients like caramel and milk chocolate to create a homemade version of everyone’s favorite candy bar. Peanut butter is also a popular ingredient in many homemade treats, pairing well with everything from salty pretzels to fresh fruits, providing a nutty flavor and creamy texture as well as healthy fats. Candied nuts are an easy and delicious way to incorporate healthy ingredients into Halloween spreads. Simply coat toasted nuts like pecans, almonds, or cashews in sugar and egg whites spices with cinnamon for a crunchy and warming treat kids and parents alike will love. Nuts can be added to a variety of baked goods from pumpkin bread to chocolate chip cookies for a boost of salty flavor and crunchy texture.
Coconut
Traditionally associated with the summer and warm weather, coconut makes a great addition to many festive treats. Rich, creamy, and naturally sweet, coconut has a unique texture and is high in fiber and healthy fats. Coconut pairs well with everything from nuts to chocolate, and holds its shape when added to baked goods. Perhaps the most useful aspect of coconut is that it can be dyed with food coloring to create creepy green eyeballs or the pitch-black hair of Frankenstein. Create festive Halloween macaroons topped with Halloween sprinkles, or roll caramel apples in shredded coconut for an added layer of flavor and texture.
Creating healthy treats at home free of preservatives and chemicals is easy with natural flavors and fun combinations. A little bit of inspiration and some fresh ingredients will help to create Halloween spreads trick-or-treaters of all ages can enjoy.