Halloween shouldn’t be all about thrills and chills, so I’m going to show you how to cast a spell on your party guests with a couple of spellbindingly gorgeous and easy Halloween treats!
I have teamed up with Forest Feast, a leading and local healthy snack brand based in Co. Armagh, to sample their extensive range of dried fruit and nut products. I have personally been trying to add more nuts into my diet because research has shown that eating nuts during pregnancy gives a reduced child allergy risk.
Forest Feast Halloween Family Fun Range
Forest Feast have introduced their “Halloween Family Fun” range - you can’t miss the brightly coloured packaging on supermarket shelves! The range includes everything from traditional peanuts, roasted peanuts and mixed nuts to (my favourite) chocolate covered peanuts, chocolate and yoghurt raisins, Supernatural mixed nuts and frightfully good fruit and nut mixes! All perfect for making little party treats for a ‘spooktacular’ house party, or for stocking up for trick or treaters!
My favourite of the Halloween mixes is the new ‘Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix’, which as well as being perfectly seasonal, is absolutely delicious! For the first of my Halloween treats, I made “Pumpkin Spice Mummy Bars”.
How to Make: Pumpkin Spice Mummy Bars
These mummy bars have the perfect balance of sweet, crunch and a spice of cinnamon. Pile them high on a plate and serve them up at your party and make sure to keep one aside for a late night treat with a cup of tea!
Pumpkin Spice Mummy Bars
Ingredients:
¾ of a Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix bag
230g gluten free oats
115g runny honey
50g butter, cut into pieces
50g light brown sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
Small handful of chocolate chips
White chocolate, to decorate
Step-by Step Instructions:
Step 1:
Heat oven to 180C, add oats to a lightly oiled 9inch square pan. Bake the oats for 5 minutes, stir, then bake again for another 5 minutes until lightly toasted.
Step 2:
To a saucepan, add the butter, honey, sugar and vanilla extract. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the butter melts and the sugar is completely dissolved.
Step 3:
Take a rolling pin and give the bag of Pumpkin Spice Trail Mix a bit of a bashing to break up some of the larger nuts. Pour the toasted oats into a large bowl, add the butter and sugar mixture.and then add 3/4 of the packet of trail mix. Stir to combine.
Step 4:
Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes and then add in the chocolate chips (they may melt a little, but this is fine - they help to hold the bars together!).
Step 5:
Line the square pan with foil and transfer in the oat mixture. Use damp finger tips or a rubber spatula to firmly press the mixture into the pan until well compacted. Pressing hard here is key - this is the only way to ensure that the bars will stay together once cooled and cut.
Step 6 (final step):
Cover the granola and pop into the fridge for about two hours. Remove the block from the fridge, uncover and then cut into rectangular bars. Decorate with melted white chocolate and allow to cool. These should keep in an airtight container for up to one week.
Next up, since chocolate peanuts are one of my fav treats, I wanted to make them even better by putting them into cookies!
How to Make: Chocolate Peanut Spider Cookies
These cookies are GORGEOUS and you’ll be a huge fan if you’re as big a peanut butter fan as I am. What’s even better is that you can have them made from start to finish in 15 minutes! Ooey gooey and perfectly chewy, these are the perfect party treat to wow your ghouls and guests!
Ingredients
1/4 bag Chocolate Peanuts
125g smooth peanut butter
125g light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp gluten fee baking powder
Step-by Step Instructions:
Step 1:
To a large bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugar, egg, vanilla extract and beat well (or with a mixer if you have one). Keep mixing until all of the sugar is fully incorporated. Once mixed, add the baking powder and mix again.
Step 2:
Add the chocolate peanuts and mix in. Then roll into small little balls (just a little smaller than a golf ball), cover and pop into the fridge for a couple of hours.
Step 3:
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven to 180C. Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and squash down (until about an inch thick) and shape. Pop into the oven and bake for 7-10mins (keeping a close eye on the cookies after 7 mins). The longer you cook the cookies the crispier they will be, so if you prefer them chewier, take them out after 7-8mins.
Step 4 (final step):
Once out of the oven, pop onto a cooling tray (wire rack) and allow to cool. Once cool, it’s time to decorate! I used a chocolate button and melted dark chocolate to make a really simple spider decoration.
If you would like to make one or both of the recipes, you can find Forest Feast products in stores across the UK, Ireland and further afield!
Although this is a paid collaboration, I only work with brands that I love and know you will too! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
Your Hallow-queen, Fiona x