No Tricks, Just Kidney-Friendly Treats

If you're planning a night full of frights and fun, you should only worry about hanging up fake cobwebs, creating an eerie music playlist, and choosing a Halloween costume–not finding sweet treats that fit your kidney disease diet. Don't worry! We're here to take that burden off your plate with five easy-to-make desserts that will wow your taste buds and guests.

1. Pumpkin cream cheese muffins

Pumpkin-flavored muffins are always a hit but let's make these more creepy and less cute with homemade grave topper decorations. While your muffins are cooking, cut out 24 gravestones using black construction paper, and write RIP on them. Tape each headstone to the top of a toothpick. Once your muffins are cool, slide the toppers in, and enjoy!

Serving size: 1 muffin

Ingredients

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons Stevia
• 1¾ cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• 1¼ cups pumpkin puree
• ⅓ cup apple sauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375° F
2. Line muffin tins with paper cups and set aside.
3. Mix cream cheese, one egg, and Stevia (about 3 tbsp), and set aside.
4. Mix 2 eggs, pumpkin, apple sauce, and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl.
5. Sift your dry ingredients together sugar (about 1.75 cups), flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda.
6. Pour your dry ingredients into your pumpkin mixture, and don't over-mix your batter. It just needs to be moist.
7. Spoon half your batter into 24 muffin cups. Spoon a dollop of cream cheese mixture on top of the pumpkin mixture in each muffin cup, then top each with the rest of the pumpkin mixture.
8. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Get the full recipe, serving size, and nutritional information here.

2. Powdered sugar apple puffs

To give these apple puffs a Halloween twist, mix a drop or two of red food dye into the apple pie filling before following the recipe below. You'll get yummy puffs oozing "bloody" apple pie filling.

Serving size: 1 square

Ingredients

• 1 can apple pie filling (21oz)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon rum extract
• 1⅓ sheets of puff dough (8oz)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Directions

1. Thaw puff dough for 50 to 60 minutes if frozen at room temperature in the package.
2. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
3. Pour the apple pie filling into a bowl. If the apples are sliced, cut them into thirds. Mix in cinnamon and rum extract.
4. Unfold thawed dough onto one sheet and cut it into nine equal squares. You will need one-third of the dough from the other sheet and cut this section into three more equal squares.
5. Place each square into a muffin tin and spoon apple filling into each square.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Remove from muffin tins while warm and serve with sprinkled powdered sugar on top.

Get the full recipe, serving size, and nutritional information here.

3. Pumpkin maple custard

Are you searching for an elevated pumpkin dish? Look no further–These velvety pumpkin maple custards will take your dessert menu to the next level. 

Serving size: 1 soufflé cup

Ingredients

• 1½ cups soy milk
• 1 cup (7.5 oz) canned pumpkin
• 3 egg yolks
• ⅓ cup of sugar
• ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon of maple syrup

Directions

1. Heat soy milk in the microwave to a simmer, mix egg yolks and sugar and then mix all ingredients except the maple syrup.
2. Pour mixture into lightly oiled soufflé cups filling them ½ to ⅔ full.
3. Place soufflé cups in a baking dish.
4. Pour hot water into the baking pan until the water depth is ½ way up the sides of the soufflé cups.
5. Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.
6. The custard should be firm when you jiggle.
7. Cool completely.
8. Warm up the maple syrup and drizzle over the top before serving.

Get the full recipe, serving size, and nutritional information here.

4. Rice cereal treats

Skip the overly-processed rice cereal treats this year and make your own. We bet you and your guests will prefer the homemade over store-bought.

Serving size: 1 square (1/9th of the recipe)

Ingredients

• 1½ cup mini marshmallows
• ¼ cup sugar substitute
• 3 cups rice cereal
• 1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

Directions

1. Melt butter or margarine over low heat in a large saucepan.
2. Add marshmallows.
3. Continuously stir until melted.
4. Add a sugar substitute of your choice.
5. Add rice cereal.
6. Stir until combined.
7. Transfer mixture into a greased 8 x 8 pan.
8. Press down with wax paper.
9. Let cool.
10. Cut into 9 squares and enjoy!

Get the full recipe, serving size, and nutritional information here.

5. Granola bars

Get all your favorite Halloween candies in one bite with these delicious and easy-to-make granola bars. 

Serving size: 1 bar

Ingredients

• ¾ cup peanut butter, reduced sodium
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup corn syrup
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3⅓ cups rolled oats
• ¾ cup pretzels, unsalted
• ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 10 caramel candies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Stir the peanut butter, honey, butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth.
3. Add all the other ingredients: oats, pretzels, chocolate chips, and caramels. Stir well.
4. Press the mixture into a 13 x 9-inch greased pan.
5. Bake for 20–25 minutes.
6. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into bars.
7. Cut into 1 x 4 ½ inch bars. This recipe should yield 26 bars.

Get the full recipe, serving size, and nutritional information here.

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