Trick R Treat

If the holidays are an excuse for anything, it’s packing on weight by devouring delicious snacks with the ones we love. It’s not like we’re really showing our faces in public much and Zoom cameras add 10 pounds anyways…so what’s a few more? We’ve curated a list of our favorite holiday treats for you and your ghoulish gang to gorge on. Cook a few up and let us know what you think, Tacoma.

Mummy No-Bake Truffles

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 1/4cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/3cup graham cracker crumbs
• 3tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/4teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8teaspoon salt
• 3ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2cup white chocolate chips
• white chocolate chips or white dipping chocolate
• red food coloring

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large bowl combine gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin puree, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cream cheese. Mix until smooth. Melt 1/2 cup white chocolate chips and mix into truffle mixture.
• Cover and chill until dough is solid enough to roll into balls – about 1 hour in the fridge or 30 minutes in the freezer. When cold enough, roll mixture into 12-14 balls. Place a toothpick in each ball.
• Melt remaining white chocolate chips or white dipping chocolate in a small bowl. Use toothpicks to dip each truffle ball into the white chocolate, being sure to coat all sides. Gently shake off excess chocolate. Place chocolate-covered truffle balls on a baking sheet or plate lined with wax paper, parchment paper, or foil. Chill for 3-5 minutes until chocolate hardens.
• Drizzle more white chocolate over the truffles. Soak the end of a Q-tip in red food coloring. Dap 2 dots of food coloring to make the mummy eyes. Handle carefully so you don’t wipe off the eyes. Store chilled in airtight container.

Recipe from Creme de la Crumb

Monster Rice Krispies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bag(12 ounces) candy melts (in your favorite color, or use a variety of colors)
• 1 (16 pack)box pre-made/individually wrapped Rice Krispies treats, or your favorite homemade recipe
• Assorted Candy Eyeballs
• Optional: shortening or vegetable oil, colored sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS

• Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• Add the candy melts (if using one color, separate it into 3 parts and if using different colors, place about 1/3 of each color) into microwave safe bowl(s).
• Add about 1 teaspoon shortening or vegetable oil if desired (optional, it just makes for smoother/easier application of the chocolate to the krispie treats) to each bowl of chocolate. (RECOMMENDATION: use 1 teaspoon shortening to each 1/3 of chocolate candy melts)
• Microwave (one bowl at a time) of candy melts in bursts of 20 seconds, stirring vigorously in between each burst for 10 seconds.
• Meanwhile, upwrap the krispies treats.
• Once the chocolate is smooth, dip the krispie treats in the melted chocolate and then use a spoon to help spread it over the treat. You want it to be a bit ragged to look more like a monster.
• Working quickly (the melted candy melts harden fast), add candy eyeballs (however you want and whatever size you like) and if desired, colored sprinkles.
• Transfer to the prepared sheet pan and allow for the chocolate to set at room temperature. These are best enjoyed the same day they are made.

Recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron

Pumpkin Patch Brownies

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pan of brownies or package of chocolate snack cakes
• Chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (amount needed varies on how many your making – for a whole pan of brownies, you’ll probably use at least half a package)
• 1 bag of mellowcreme pumpkins
• chocolate frosting

For the pumpkin patch signs, you’ll need:

• popsicle sticks (1 per brownie/cake)
• mini popsicle sticks (4 per brownie/cake)
• glue gun
• black Sharpie marker

DIRECTIONS:

• Plug in the hot glue gun and allow it to heat up.
• Hot glue 4 mini popsicle sticks to each large popsicle stick to make your the pumpkin sign (see photo). Let set and then write the word ‘Pumpkins’ and a price on each sign.
• Repeat with all the popsicle sticks. Set aside.
• Open the snack cakes or cut the brownies.
• Generously frost each snack cake/brownie (see photo). Then, dip each frosted snack cake into the crush chocolate sandwich cookies.
• Insert a sign into each chocolate snack cake. Then, give each brownie a  ‘pumpkin patch’ with 1-3 mellowcreme pumpkins

Recipe from Mom Endeavors

Caramel Apples

INGREDIENTS:

• Store-bought caramels – I recommend using Werther’s Chewy Caramels for best results. Some of the other readily available brands don’t taste as good and don’t set up as well.
• Apples – I like to use Granny Smith so that bit of tartness balances out the sweetness of the caramel and toppings but practically any type of apple will work here.
• Heavy cream – evaporated milk will work too if that’s what you have on hand.
• Optional toppings – you can also customize these with optional toppings to take them over the top too (see below for some ideas). But if you want to keep them really simple they are also delicious without too.

DIRECTIONS:

• Prepare apples: Rinse and thoroughly dry apples with a paper towel. Insert a caramel apple stick into center of each apple. Have toppings ready if you’ll be adding some to apples.
• Prepare pan to rest apples on: Line a 13 by 9-inch baking sheet or baking dish with a sheet of parchment paper, spray parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray, set in the fridge.
• Add caramels and cream to bowl: Place caramels and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl (about 5 cup size bowl).
• Melt in microwave: Heat in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well between intervals, until melted and smooth. This will take about 2 – 3 minutes. If it’s extra runny let it cool just briefly so caramel doesn’t run right off the apples.
• Dip apples in caramel, roll in toppings: Dip apples one at a time into caramel on an angle so it covers nearly to the top center (or all the way to the top if you don’t care to have apple showing through). Rotate and turn to coat apple.
• Lift apple and let excess caramel run off, then run bottom of apple along inside edge of bowl to remove excess caramel.
• Lift apple and turn apple upside down to let caramel run up the apple a little, then immediately roll in toppings (or sprinkle with toppings) before caramel sets.
• Repeat process: Turn apples upright and place on prepared baking sheet in fridge, repeat process with remaining apples. As needed reheat caramel in microwave in 15 second increments for a runny, dip-able consistency.
• Let caramel set in fridge: Allow caramel to set completely, about 30 minutes in the fridge (you can eat them before this but if you want caramel to firm back up the wait the 30 minutes). Cut apples into slices just when ready to enjoy so they don’t brown.

Recipe from Cooking Classy

Dark Chocolate Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sticks Unsalted Butter (1 cup) room temperature
• 3/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 lg Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 3/4 cup Dark Cocoa Powder (such as Hershey’s Special Dark®)
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Instant Espresso Powder (optional)
• 1 cup Dark Chocolate Chips
• 1 1/4 cups Orange Colored M&M’s® (or other orange candy coated chocolate candies)

DIRECTIONS:

• In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.
• Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
• In a separate bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder, if using. Mix together well.
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
• add the dark chocolate chips and mix them in.
• Add the M&M’s® and mix them in gently so they don’t break. If a few break that’s fine.
• Line 2 cookie baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Use a 2 Tbsp ice cream scoop to scoop the dough onto the cookie sheets. Don’t press them down, just leave them like that. Make 3 rows of 4. You should get 24 cookies.
• If you need to, gently press extra M&M’s onto the cookies before baking so that bright orange candy shows!
• Bake in a 350° (F) oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the cookies are done/firm around the edges when pressed. They will still be soft in the middle and just a little puffed up.
• Remove from oven and cool cookies in the pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Recipe from Simply Happy Foodie