Between all the pumpkin spice offerings and the Halloween candy, October is replete with sweet temptations. That said, not all the goodies are fair game for those who can't eat gluten, due to gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. Fortunately, we found a whole host of decadent gluten-free Halloween treats, so everyone can get in on the action without straying from their dietary needs. Read on for recipe ideas, plus tips from an expert on gluten-free eating in October and beyond.
25 Gluten-Free Halloween Treats That Are So Good, It’s Scary
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Meet the Expert
Dr. Felicia Stoler, DCN, is a registered dietitian, nutritionist and exercise physiologist. She's the author of Living Skinny in Fat Genes: The Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Feel Great and the former host of TLC's Honey, We're Killing the Kids.
Tips for a Gluten-Free Halloween
- Only those with celiac disease and gluten intolerances and sensitivities should go totally gluten-free. "It is not a weight loss diet," says Stoler. "There are nutrient deficiencies that may occur as a result of eating gluten-free: fiber, iron, folate, thiamine, niacin and riboflavin...Fiber is a big concern, because most people do not consume enough each day."
- If you are avoiding gluten, don't have candies with pretzels, cookies or cakes in them. "Candy corn, [plain] chocolate bars and most candies do not contain gluten," says Stoler.
- Read the ingredients before you buy. Some unexpected candies contain wheat, like Twizzlers, Milky Ways and Mr. Goodbars.
- If you have young kids with gluten allergies or sensitivities, go through their candy with them before letting them dig in. This way, you can pick out any that they can't eat (and avoid a tummyache).
- Buy gluten-free candies to hand out to trick-or-treaters so everyone can be included. Think Smarties, Swedish Fish, mini plain chocolates or even something that isn't candy. "You can always give out dried fruit!" urges Stoler.
Our Favorite Store-Bought, Gluten-Free Halloween Treats
In case you don't have time to bake wheat-free goodies for your kiddos this year, there are plenty of gluten-free Halloween treats on the market to buy instead. Here are some of our top choices:
- YumEarth Organic Halloween Candies
- Blake's Seed Based Crispy Treats, Birthday Cake
- Quinn Peanut Butter & Chocolate Filled Nuggets
- Thrive Market Organic Veggie Sticks
- GoGo squeeZ Almond Blend Chocolate Pudding Pouches
- Ka-Pop! Snacks Super Grains Puffs, Cinnamon Churro
- This Saves Lives Dragon's Dream Cookies n' Cream Krispy Treats
- UNREAL Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- RIND Straw-Peary Sun-Dried Superfruit Blend
- Partake Foods Crunchy Birthday Cake Cookies
- Taza Toffee Almond & Sea Salt Amaze Chocolate Bar
- YumEarth Organic Chewys Fruit Chews
- Alter Eco Salted Caramel Truffles
- Tootsie Roll Pops
- Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars
Read on for our 25 favorite gluten-free Halloween treats to make at home.
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, keto-friendly, beginner-friendly
These almond flour cupcakes boast rich chocolate flavor and a decadent vanilla buttercream frosting that’s basically a blank canvas begging for festive decorations. (Hint: Start with some orange sprinkles and take it from there.)
2. Honey-Pumpkin Caramels with Toasted Pepitas
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus setting time)
- Why I Love It: make ahead, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Make use of the seeds you saved from pumpkin carving to whip up a batch of these chewy caramels. The store-bought kind doesn’t hold a candle to 'em.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
This toffee bark is basically just sugar and butter topped with chocolate...so obviously it’s very sweet and scary delicious.
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
Trick or treat? It’s hard to say, since this too-cute edible craft is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth and (gasp) it’s healthy, too. Make these with your kid and you'll win Halloween.
5. Gluten-Free Frosted Pumpkin Cookies
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: dairy free, keto-friendly, <30 minutes, low sugar
Pumpkin spice season only comes once a year, friends—and these cookies are one tasty way to celebrate. (BTW, these are delicious as is, but if gluten is your only concern, feel free to swap the sugar substitutes out for the real thing.)
- Time Commitment: 2 hours
- Why I Love It: make ahead, no cook, beginner-friendly
Sip on this Halloween sangria when you’re handing out mini Snickers bars to the kids (and serve some to the parents if you want to be everybody’s favorite neighbor).
8. Halloween Boo Bark
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, make ahead
Attention chocolate lovers: This bark is so easy to make, and the decorating component is really just an invitation to go wild with Halloween candy.
9. Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, special occasion-worthy
Moist and fluffy pumpkin cake, sinfully sweet caramel frosting and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce for good measure—suffice it to say, this is one bewitching baked good.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
Why go bobbing for apples (because ew) when you could just bite into a crisp piece of seasonal fruit drenched in salted caramel instead?
11. 5-Ingredient Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, vegan
Here, a plant-based dessert that’s sure to impress. Indeed, this cup of chocolate and coconut cream gives both Reese's and Almond Joys a serious run for their money.
12. Gluten-Free Matcha Cheesecake Frankensteins
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: no bake, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, make ahead
Complete with black sesame icing. These no-bake cheesecake bars are a breeze to make, and you don’t even need any artistic skill to achieve the festive Frankenstein look. In other words, it’s a no-brainer.
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, one pot, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
A boozy hot chocolate with the flavors of cinnamon, chile peppers and Arabica coffee—who knew the dark side would feel so warm and fuzzy?
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
Tangy apple cider is the secret ingredient that prevents these rich-tasting and pleasantly soft caramels from being sickly sweet. They're prime for Halloween party goodie bags.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, kid-friendly
A reimagined classic for the books. Yes, we know you’re wondering what tahini is doing in a dessert, but trust us—it’s a fine substitute for peanut butter in this no-bake, chocolate-and-crisped-rice treat.
16. Rich and Easy Nutella Mousse
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
It’s never a bad idea to reach for the Nutella—but this time, put down your spoon. Instead, use the stuff to whip up this heavenly hazelnut-kissed mousse. (You won’t miss the graham cracker crust.)
17. Mug Brownie
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
It looks like a mug of witch’s brew, but it’s actually just a gooey, decadent brownie in a cup. Fun fact: This sinfully delicious dessert owes its velvety texture to mashed avocado.
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, vegan, kid-friendly
Don’t forget to swap scary stories around a campfire this Halloween—just be sure you have these tasty s’mores cookies on hand for when you need a little comfort. Be sure to swap in gluten-free flour and graham crackers.
19. Salted Caramel Apple Sundae
- Time Commitment: 50 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, gluten free, vegetarian, <10 ingredients
Biting into a caramel apple can be a bit, well, messy. Solve that problem with this deconstructed version of the classic autumn dessert, which boasts refreshing vanilla ice cream to boot.
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
Creamy pumpkin mousse and airy meringue cookies make magic in this festive spin on the classic English dessert. Dare we say it’s better than pumpkin pie?
21. Sea Salt Chocolate Pumpkin Cups
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, make ahead, <30 minutes
Move over, peanut butter—this pumpkin-filled Halloween candy is Paleo-friendly and every bit as swoon-worthy as a Reese’s peanut butter cup.
22. Caramel Apple Slices with Superfoods
- Time Commitment: 1 hour and 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, dairy free, crowd-pleaser
Slice your go-to apple before adding the caramel, then sprinkle on some healthy toppings (like goji berries, hemp seeds and cacao nibs) for a better-for-you, texturally pleasing treat. That way, you can save yourself the sticky mouth and fingers.
23. Gluten-Free Peanut Butter-Stuffed Brownies
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Peanut butter and chocolate are a tried-and-true combo, so it should be no surprise that these brownies passed our sweet tooth’s test with flying colors.
24. Halloween Popcorn Snack Mix
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, kid-friendly, <30 minutes
Salty-sweet kettle corn, Reese’s pieces, candy corn and a drizzle of milk chocolate. Scary movie marathon, anyone?
25. Sugar-Free Pumpkin Truffles
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Why I Love It: low sugar, keto-friendly, beginner-friendly
Equal parts fancy and festive, these dainty pumpkin truffles are sure to impress. They'd make a great cameo at Thanksgiving dinner, no?
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s associate food editor. A former bartender and barista, she’s been writing about all things delicious since 2016, developing recipes, reviewing restaurants and investigating food trends at Food52, New Jersey Family Magazine and Taste Talks. When she isn’t testing TikTok’s latest viral recipe, she’s having popcorn for dinner and posting about it on Instagram @cookingwithpire.