Homemade Halloween treats to make with your kiddos!

Halloween Treats – Crispy Chocolate Coconut Ghosts

Crispy Chocolate Coconut Ghosts

Ingredients

• 1 box Athens Mini Fillo Shells
• 3 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1/3 cup chopped dried cherries
• 2 egg whites room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Small candies or sprinkles for eyes

Instructions

1. Place the chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a medium bowl. Microwave on high for 30-60 seconds until the chocolate is melted enough to stir into the milk. Add the coconut and dried cherries. Mix to coat.
2. Place the Athens Mini Fillo Shells on a baking sheet. Scoop a 2-teaspoon portion of the mixture into each shell. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
3. Then add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a clean mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the egg whites until frothy. Once frothy, beat while slowly adding the sugar and vanilla. Beat until the sugar is dissolved and the eggs have turned into a firm white meringue. The meringue should be stiff enough to stand up on its own.
4. Place the meringue in a piping bag with a medium tip (or a plastic bag with the corner cut off.) Pipe a pile of meringue on top of each filled cup to form the ghost. Then place two small candies or sprinkles on each pile for eyes. Bake for 60-90 minutes until hard and crispy. Cool completely before serving.

Chocolate Pretzel Spider Webs

Two Cute and Creepy Halloween Treats

Ingredients

• 8oz bag gluten-free pretzel sticks (I like Snyders)
• 12oz bag chocolate chips (white and/or dark chocolate – see note)
• Surf Sweets Spooky Spiders and Fruity Bears

Instructions

1. Arrange pretzel sticks in a circle (9 pretzel sticks for a large spider web, 4 pretzel sticks broken in half for a mini spider web,) on a Silpat, wax paper, or parchment paper-lined half baking sheet (make sure it will fit inside your refrigerator first!)
2. Add half the chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl then microwave on full power in 30-second increments, stirring between increments, until fully melted. Transfer chocolate to a piping bag or small ziplock bag then snip off a corner. Fill the center of the pretzels circles with chocolate then carefully move in ever-growing circles to create webs. Gently place a spooky spider in the centers of the large webs and Fruity Bears in the centers of the small webs. Melt remaining chocolate if needed to create more chocolate pretzel spider webs.
3. Refrigerate until chocolate is set then carefully peel back the Silpat, wax or parchment paper and serve.

Notes

1. Nestle white chocolate chips was the only brand I found at the grocery store to be gluten-free. Enjoy Life has delicious, top 8 allergen-free dark chocolate chips.

Healthy Halloween Treats – Mummy Apple Crypts

Healthy Halloween Treats – Mummy Apple Crypts

Ingredients

• 1 package of puff pastry
• 2 cups apple, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 egg
• Equal parts cinnamon and sugar
• Candy eyeballs

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel and dice the apples. Sprinkle it with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Follow the directions on the box of puff pastry to thaw. Unfold the two sheets of puff pastry and cut each sheet into four squares. Place the squares on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
3. Score three dividing lines as shown in the picture per square. Next, create 6-8 strips on each side of the square being careful not to cut into the middle.
4. Place a spoonful of your sugar-cinnamon diced apples in the middle of the square. Next, fold the top strip and bottom strip down each side of the middle to keep the apples in place. Fold the remaining strips diagonally to create the body of the mummy. Be sure to leave enough space around the head of the mummy to fit candy eyeballs once the pastries come out of the oven.
5. Beat the egg in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to spread the egg wash over the top of the mummy. Sprinkle each mummy with equal parts cinnamon and sugar.
6. Bake according to the package directions, about 15 to 20 minutes until the mummies are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the pastries to cool before fitting in the candy eyeballs.