Can you feel it in the air?

Though treats and decor have lined store shelves for months already, Halloween finally draws near. Amidst the costumes and pumpkin carving, haunted houses and hay rides, the call for candy remains irrepressible. Fear not: a little bit of creativity, patience, and kitchen witchcraft can yield a trove of homemade Halloween sweets.

The Allure of Crafting from Scratch

Creating your own vegan Halloween candies grants you complete control over the ingredients you use. This means you can bid farewell to mysterious chemicals and questionable additives, opting instead for wholesome components that align with your ethics. Whether it’s crafting gooey caramel, crafting rich chocolate truffles, or concocting chewy fruit-flavored treats, you hold the power to select organic, sustainable, and cruelty-free ingredients that cater to your palate and principles.

Moreover, the process of making candies from scratch can be far more gratifying than simply grabbing something pre-made. Make a whole event out of it by enlisting friends, family, and especially the kids! Together, you can mold spooky (or spoopy) shapes and embellish your candies with personal flair, making each one unique.

Summoning Sweet Splendor: Tips for Crafting Homemade Vegan Halloween Candies

As you embark on your candy-making adventure, consider these tips to ensure your creations are both tantalizing and vegan-friendly:

1. Choose Plant-Based Alternatives: Swap out dairy for coconut milk, almond milk, or other plant-based alternatives in your recipes. There’s a wide array of vegan chocolates, caramels, and gummy ingredients available to bring your candy visions to life.
2. Natural Food Coloring: Create captivating hues using natural food coloring derived from fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Beet juice, spirulina, and turmeric are just a few options to infuse your candies with enchanting colors.
3. Mind the Gelatin: Gelatin is a common non-vegan ingredient found in many gummy candies. Opt for agar, a seaweed-based alternative, to achieve that chewy texture without compromising your values.
4. Experiment with Extracts: Embrace the spirit of Halloween by experimenting with eerie and unexpected flavors. From pumpkin-spiced toffee to ghostly mint chocolates, let your imagination run wild.
5. Engage the Senses: Elevate your candy-making experience by involving multiple senses. Consider incorporating aromatic spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, to evoke the essence of autumn and heighten the festive ambiance.

This Halloween season, embark on a journey that merges creativity, ethics, and indulgence by conjuring your very own treats, without any tricks involved. Don your apron, gather your cauldron of ingredients, and let the magic of homemade vegan candies cast a spell on your taste buds. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:

Top 10 Homemade Vegan Halloween Candy Recipes

Get into the Halloween spirit and make your own vegan candy from scratch! Whether you're craving a nostalgic copycat recipe or want something completely unique, these are the very best ways to quell your cravings.

Pumpkin Pate de Fruits

Soft yet toothsome, the crunch of sugar coating the outside gives way to smooth pumpkin jelly, tinged with cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. A hint of molasses adds depth, contrasted by a bright splash of cider vinegar.

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Cashew (Coconut) Joy

Inspired by Almond Joy candy bars, this vegan copy cat version uses cashews instead.

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Boo-Berry Bats

These treats have a crunchy sugared exterior that gives way to a soft, jam-like center, each bite a balance of bold, fruity sweetness. Mysterious and dark, black cocoa contributes to the fetching dark hue while adding a rich, smoky, earthy sort of flavor.

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Vanilla Fudge

Highlighting the delicate, ambrosial flavor of full-bodied vanilla bean in stark contrast to conventional chocolate fudge, this creamy confection is sure to be a hit with kids or anyone with an assertive sweet tooth.

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Peanut Butter Fingers

Satisfyingly crunchy, chocolaty, and intensely peanut buttery, these deceptive little bars pack in a serious punch of flavor!  One of my old favorites before going vegan, this new and improved version is sure to satisfy diehard candy lovers all around. 

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Peanut Butter Cups and Peppermint Patties

This recipe will make one dozen peppermint patties and one dozen peanut butter cups, so if you only want one of the two for your party, go ahead and double the recipe for that filling.

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Pumpkin Patties

Coated in a crisp cocoa butter shell, these festive treats do indeed have real pumpkin in them! The sweet candy center is infused with pie-inspired spices for that perfect autumnal taste.

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Pumpkin Spice Gummies

Sweet and chewy, light spiced, and full of pumpkin goodness, these little morsels are truly a mouthful!

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White Hot Sweet Potato Truffles

Fiery sweet potato filling lies within a creamy white chocolate shell, balancing sweet and spicy tastes in this unique candy cup. These unconventional candies are spiked with sriracha for a brilliant warmth and bold flavor.

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Avocado Fudge

Creamy and custard-like, this avocado fudge will melt in your mouth, leaving behind only a lingering, subtle sweetness. Hints of vanilla and lime that accentuate the complex nuances for a delicate but well-balanced flavor.

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