Last Updated on October 16, 2024
Halloween is quite possibly one of the sweetest holidays around. Candy, cake, cookies, and other sweet treats are staples throughout the month of October—with Halloween on the 31st serving as the penultimate night as trick-or-treaters head out in costume to celebrate.
But with some 70% of all Americans planning to celebrate Halloween in 2024, it can be a tricky time of year for kids who have special diets and who are gluten-free and want to share in all the festivities. From school to parties to trick-or-treating, there are sweets throughout the month that vegan, special-diet, and gluten-free kids may be unable to enjoy. Finding baked goods that are a great fit for spooky celebrations can seem a little daunting if you’re not sure where to look.
But kids with special diets still deserve their fair share of sweetness to celebrate Halloween! So let’s dig into some simple recipes along with some of the sweetest options from Sweet Diplomacy—a dedicated gluten-free bakery where “delicious knows no borders”—that we’ve pulled together for the spookiest time of year!
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Ghoulishly Tasty At-Home Recipes
When it comes to tackling the challenge of special diets at Halloween time, you can often look to your own pantry as a good first stop for putting together some diet-appropriate treats, especially since children who have special diets and who are gluten-free or vegan don’t just suddenly switch to this particular way of eating once October starts. You most likely already have some classic, gluten-free staple ingredients perfect for these simple recipes to get you started in the spooky spirit.
Gluten-Free Dirt Cups
Dirt cups are a tried-and-true classic treat that are so easy and fun to make together as a family. They offer a hands-on baking opportunity to really get kids involved in the Halloween spirit as you whip up this spooky, gluten-free snack.
To make gluten-free dirt cups, you’ll need:
- Your preferred gluten-free chocolate pudding mix
- Gluten-free Oreos or another gluten-free chocolate cookie option
- Gluten-free gummy worms
Start off with making the pudding together by following the instructions on the packaging—certain brands might require different types of preparation, so be sure to read carefully. Once the pudding is mixed, put it in the fridge to chill.
Next, you’ll need to crush the cookies that you’ve chosen to use. You can do this in a food processor or by putting the cookies into a plastic bag and using your hands or a utensil to crush them up.
Lastly, it’s time to combine everything to create the dirt cups. You’ll want to spoon the pudding into individual cups before putting the cookie “dirt” on top of the pudding layer. You can place gummy worms atop the cookie crumb layer for a finishing touch.
For an extra Halloween flair, you can add gluten-free pumpkin candies to the top of each dirt cup in place of (or in addition to!) gummy worms.
Gluten-Free S’mores
While not exactly the first thing you’d think of for a Halloween treat, s’mores can be a great snack to make together on Halloween night—either over a campfire, fire pit, or in the microwave. They require only three ingredients and offer your kids another fun hands-on treat-making experience.
To make gluten-free s’mores, you’ll need:
- Gluten-free graham crackers or a substitute such as gluten-free cookies
- Marshmallows (most brands are gluten-free, but double-check!)
- Your preferred chocolate
Once you have the ingredients gathered, get started by warming the marshmallows either over a fire or in the microwave. For microwave s’mores, a good rule of thumb is to put one graham cracker or cookie on a plate and then put your chocolate and marshmallow on top. Heat them all up in the microwave in 10–15 second intervals until the marshmallow and chocolate soften.
Once softened, take the plate out and put the second graham cracker or cookie on top, and press down—and then you’ve got a s’more ready to go!
Spooktacular Sweet Diplomacy Confections
As a dedicated gluten-free bakery, Sweet Diplomacy is focused on bringing people together with worldwide flavors and delicious confections throughout the year. But especially for Halloween, its variety of high-quality, special-diet-friendly baked goods offer several choices that are perfect to share with kids who require gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, sugar-free, or vegan plant-based options.
Sweet Diplomacy Cookie Frosting Kit – Halloween Cookies
In Sweet Diplomacy’s Halloween Cookie Frosting Kit, eight pre-baked cookies in appropriately spooky shapes, like a detailed skull and spider, are ready for a touch of creativity. Also included in the kit are three bright, naturally colored, and flavored icing packs for decorating. Crafted to cater to all dietary needs, these Halloween cookies and the accompanying frosting are a perfect way to enjoy a wicked fun activity with family members and friends with special diet needs while satisfying everyone’s sweet tooth this October.
Cake in a Jar
Cake in a Jar is Sweet Diplomacy’s signature gluten-free cupcake product shipped out in individual jars—making them a personalized treat to share with the whole family this spooky season. These mini-layer cakes in a variety of flavors are packed neatly into see-through jars, made with soft sponge cakes and Italian meringue buttercream. Sweet Diplomacy’s Cake in a Jar packs are always gluten-free, but additional options are available for nut-free, oat-free, soy-free, and vegan dietary preferences.
Whether you’re crafting treats in your own kitchen or getting some help from an inclusive line like Sweet Diplomacy’s, these sweet treat options are a surefire way to keep your special-diet family members feeling included during the ghostly celebrations in the lead-up to Halloween all month long.