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These adorable Halloween Apples are fun, festive and perfect for fall! You can literally throw these treats together in a matter of minutes, and every bite is filled with delicious sweet apples, peanut butter, and pumpkin seeds.
At our house we have always been huge fans of anything apple-related. Apples are so nutritious, and they happen to taste really good too, so it's a win all around. I have found one of the easiest ways to get kids to eat healthy foods is by making it look super cute. When the food is adorable, it's irresistible for kids of all ages... including adults too!
So, if you are looking for a fun treat to take to a party or an event, these Halloween apples are just what you've been looking for! They are festive, tasty, and super simple to make. Plus, these Halloween apples actually look like they have real teeth thanks to the pumpkin seeds!
Tools and Equipment You'll Need
Recipe Ingredients & Notes
- Apples: I used red delicious apples since they are the most consistently red apple I've found. You can really use any kind of apple here, but you want the Halloween apples to look like they are mouths, so red delicious is typically the best option. Or if you want to go really wild, you could use green apples to make the mouths look like little monsters!
- Peanut Butter: We love the flavor of peanut butter with apples. But you could also substitute it for your favorite nut butter. Almond butter or cashew butter are really delicious too. Whatever you go with, it's best to make sure you get something that is all-natural with no sugar added.
- Pumpkin Seeds: It's so funny how much these pumpkin seeds look like real teeth. Everyone will get a kick out of how adorable they are.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Use a paper towel to dry off the sides of each apple slice. Place four apple slices on a flat surface with the skin facing outward.
Step 2: Spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the top of the apple slice.
Step 3: Press five pumpkin seeds into each apple slice, making sure the seeds are pushed into the apple to keep them from falling out.
Step 4: Spread peanut butter on one side of the remaining four apple slices. Rest the slice, with the peanut butter side facing down, on top of the pumpkin seeds.
What Makes These Halloween Apples Healthy?
- No Added Sugar: Apples are naturally sweet, which means you can make these little treats with no added sugar! Each serving has 6 grams of sugar, but that's all natural sugar from the apples.
- Healthy Fats: Pumpkin seeds are a major source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which help keep your heart healthy.
- Vitamins and Minerals: This is more than just a cute snack. It's filled with lots of healthy nutrients that you and your kids need. Magnesium, zinc, vitamin B6, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber are just a few of the nutrients you will get when you eat these Halloween apples.
Will Kids Enjoy These Apples?
There is no doubt that kids will enjoy everything about these Halloween apples. They're super fun and cute, which makes them hard for kids to turn down! And you'll be happy because they look like dessert but are actually super nutritious too!
Recipe FAQs
How Do You Keep These Apples From Browning?While brown apples are typically safe to eat, they don't look as nice for this recipe and kids can get picky about the discoloration. Here are three methods you can try to prevent browning of the apples.
Salt Water: Soak the apples in a combination of water and salt. You would need 1/2 teaspoon of salt for every 4 cups of cold water. After all of the apples have been cut, place them all in the saltwater mixture. Allow the apples to sit for 5 to 8 minutes and stir them around. Drain the water, and enjoy!
Plain Club Soda: If you happen to have a clear variety of soda around, you can add it to a bowl and place the apples inside of it. Let the apples sit for at least 5 minutes to prevent browning. While you can use sprite or ginger ale, I recommend plain club soda or lemon flavored sparkling water with no added sugar.
Citrus: Squeeze and sort of citrus over your apples to prevent them from browning. Lemon, orange or lime juice are all great options. Use a basting brush to paint the juice on to the apple slices. The apples will take on a slightly citrusy flavor when you use this method, but will still taste great overall.
Store the apples in an airtight container until they're ready to be served. In most cases, the apples will last up to three to four days in the refrigerator after they're prepared. That's assuming you've used a method to prevent discoloration.
What variety of apples should I use for this recipe?You can actually use any variety of apples you want to make these Halloween apples. I usually stick with red apples because they resemble a mouth and big red lips. Red delicious would be wonderful option to go with for red. But really any apple you like would work fine. As I mentioned earlier, you could also go with a bright green apple to make your Halloween apples look more like little green monster mouths.
Top Tips For Making Halloween Apples
- Be sure to soak the apples or use the citrus method to prevent the apples from browning. This will make them last longer and stay looking great until they are eaten.
- If you don't have pumpkin seeds on hand, you can swap them out for marshmallows if the extra processed sugar doesn't bother you, and if you want more of a "dessert" option.
- Feel free to switch up the peanut butter with any nut butter you like! Sunflower seed butter would also work!
