Are you spooked by all the sugar in trick-or-treat sweets? This year, why not try some alternatives to candy and hand out more nutritious goodies to the children who come to your door! Also, try these yummy recipes below to share with friends and family or to bring to a Halloween party!

Alternatives to candy
Cheese and cracker packages

Fruit roll-ups

Small boxes of raisins

Vacuum-sealed string cheese sticks

Individual packets of sugar-free cocoa mix

Sugarless gum

Individual packs of gummy treats made with real fruit juice

Juice boxes

If you feel liking baking a few treats for your family and friends, here are some great-tasting recipes! Enjoy!

Halloween Cereal Balls
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1 pkg. (10 oz.) marshmallows
2 Tablespoons orange-flavored gelatin
6 cups crisp rice cereal
1/2 cup candy corn

Directions:
Combine softened butter and marshmallows in 2-quart glass bowl and cook on high in microwave, uncovered, for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, or when marshmallows are puffy. Add the orange gelatin and mix well. Stir in cereal and add candy corn. When the mixture is cool enough to touch, butter your hands and form the mixture into balls. Set them to cool on wax paper and then wrap in plastic wrap. Instead of making them in to balls, you can also press the mixture in to a 13×9 pan and serve.

Mini Carrot Cakes with Spider Web Frosting
Ingredients for the cupcakes:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups grated carrots
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions:
Lightly grease 2 1/2-cup mini muffin tins. In a bowl, beat together the sugar, honey* and eggs. Add oil, orange juice and carrots. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and allspice and mix well. Pour mix into tins and fill about 3/4 of the way. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from tins after cupcakes have cooled. *Make sure not to give honey to children under the age of one because of the risk of infant botulism caused by the botulinum spore sometimes found in honey.

Frosting
Ingredients:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons milk
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
Plastic spiders for decoration (optional)** ** Please don't use small toys for decorating if you have children under the age of three. They are a choking hazard.

Directions:
Beat together the cream cheese, maple syrup and milk in a large bowl. Add the powdered sugar gradually until frosting is creamy and then set it aside. Chop the chocolate and melt in a double boiler on low. Frost the top of the mini carrot cakes with the cream cheese frosting and pour the chocolate into a pastry bag with the smallest opening or into a zipper sandwich bag with a small opening cut out of the bottom. Make one small circle in the center of the cupcake. Repeat several times to create the spider web design.

Apricot Cranberry Balls
Ingredients:
12 ounce package of dried apricots
1/3 cup water
1 cup dried, finely chopped cranberries

Directions:
Blend the dried apricots and the water in a blender or food processor. Form the mixture in to 1-inch balls. Spread the dried cranberries on a plate and roll the balls in them to create a coating. Serve on a platter.

Pumpkin Almond Cookies
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups almonds, finely ground
Halloween cookie cutters (optional)
Parchment paper

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