Sugar Free Halloween Witches' Finger Cookies made without sugar or gluten or nuts!
You might be surprised, but this is my very first Halloween type recipe for the blog. I may be a sugar-free mom, but I'm not a fanatic when it comes to my kids. I don't make them think sugar is evil and that they shouldn't ever eat it nor do I withhold Halloween candy from them, which comes only once a year.
The choice to be sugar-free is completely my own. My children understand why I can't have sugar in my own life and why I want them to enjoy all things in moderation. They love what I make and eat everything I make them. Do they still like candy on occasion? Of course they do.
Telling my children they can't have candy on Halloween that they see others having, is ridiculous in my opinion. I will never do that. They would only want it more, don't you think?
I do believe I'm changing their taste buds to prefer my healthier treats over store bought junk. I do believe making treats look as good as sugar laden ones proves to the kids that healthy is just as tasty. I do believe that if we can as mother's help reduce the amount of sugar our kids eat on Halloween we have accomplished much, in my humble opinion.
Having a Halloween recipe without sugar or gluten is the perfect allergy friendly treat for kids. My 8 year old says these are hideous looking, which he loves so much, and he wants me to make them for the cubscout Halloween pack party!
My goal is always to show my kids that you can really make anything healthier and without sugar and that still tastes great. Did they see me struggle with this recipe and make it three times before I liked the final result? You bet they did! And what does that show them? Persistence! They love how these fingers turned out, green color and all, all natural too!
The first attempt at these green finger cookies, I used an all natural food coloring I found at Whole Foods made with ingredients like tumeric and beet juice, etc. Once I mixed the yellow and blue to get green and added it to the dough, it looked awesome! Once baked though they lightened and looked more yellow. Also a strong tumeric flavor was present and my kids weren't fond of it in the cookies.
The second time I used liquid chlorophyll at Whole Foods which is naturally green. It was a big bottle for such a little used in the recipe but since chlorophyll is what gives plants its green color and we should eat many green leafy vegetables to obtain it, no harm in adding some chlorophyll to a green smoothie every day. It's an anti oxidant, it's a germ fighter, anti carcinogenic, helps with bad breath and many more benefits. Long story short, the bottle will be used in my house or I will just make more green desserts, lol!
The third time I remade these was because I wanted a softer, not so crumbly, shortbread type cookie texture and 3rd time is always a charm as they say!
Brenda's Notes:
- When purchasing liquid chlorophyll, be cautious that some contain mint flavoring and some don't. I went with the no mint flavor for my kids. My bottle cost $7.99 at Whole Foods.
- Obviously you can just use green food coloring if your family has no allergies to dyes.
Halloween Witches' Finger Cookies {Gluten & Sugar-Free}
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup Swerve granulated sweetener
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla liquid stevia
- 1 teaspoon liquid chlorophyll or green food coloring
- 1.25 cup gluten free flour I used King Arthurs
- 48 pumpkin seeds salted, shells on
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
- In a stand mixer add butter, erythritol and blend until smooth.
- Pour in cream, vanilla extract, stevia and chlorophyll and blend until combined well.
- Slowly add in flour until incorporated.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll dough into one inch balls or about 1 teaspoon of batter each.
- Roll each ball between your fingers where your knuckles join, about 2 ½ inches in length for each finger.
- Use a toothpick to makes lines at each knuckle indent on finger cookie.
- Press a pumpkin seed on the tip for the nail.
- Bake cookies for 30 minutes.
- Let cool 15 minutes and keep in an airtight container to store.
- Approximately 4 dozen cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Courtney
can you replace the flour with coconut flour?
Brenda
I'm sorry this recipe was written quite a while ago and I've not tested with coconut flour.
Aimee
I am really bummed! Everyone was so excited. I made them for my daughter's girl scout Halloween party. My three children spit them out and my husband said they were edible, but that I shouldn't send them to the party. They tasted like bitter chlorophyll and excess stevia to mask the bitterness. I am going to try another batch with less chlorophyll and stevia. I think it's worth losing a little green if it will make them taste better.
Brenda
I'm really surprised by that. My kids loved them. What did you use for the erythritol? I used Swerve brand. Is the chlorophyll you purchased with mint in it by any chance? Which brand of stevia did you use and how much?
Nutmeg+Nanny
These cookies are adorable! I have never made a Halloween recipe for my blog either...haha.
Karissa+|+Sweet+as+a+Cookie
Ack! These are so cute! I need to make these for my niece!
Angie+|+Big+Bear's+Wife
I love that you colored these with something that was natural! Also, what a great idea to use pumpkin seeds for the nails!
Kim+Beaulieu
Oh my gosh, these are so cool. I am in love with these.
Ginny+McMeans
You are a great example for your kids. I bet you are helping them develop their taste buds. These fingers are amazing and I had to pin therm!
Stephanie+@+Back+For+Seconds
These came out perfect, Brenda! Such an awesome halloween treat!
Elese Eagle
Brenda I agree wholeheartedly that if you deny your kids all sugar it will certainly backfire. Your common sense approach to simply changing their tastes with the healthy food you make day in and day out, and not freaking out about one day when they eat some candy with sugar in it is just the perfect balance. Likely it's more about the fun of collecting the candy anyway and they will be happy with just a piece or two, and willing to have the rest stashed away in the freezer "for later"...for me that means secretly throwing it away a bit at a time when no one is looking haha! 😉 I'll never forget a kids party I went to one time many years ago--one child who wasn't allowed sugar treats began gorging on cupcakes and candy like there was no tomorrow while the mom was not there. That memory has always been a great reminder to me to try not to make anything totally forbidden, but rather teach good choices and common sense. I'm certainly not perfect, but that's the goal anyway. Cute cookies, what a fun mom you are! I'm sure they will go over big at the cub scout party! 😉
Brenda
Thank you so much Elese!
Amanda @The Kitcheneer
How awesome are these? Perfect Halloween treat!
Lauren+Kelly+Nutrition
I love these so much and I know my kids would too!!
Ashley+@+Wishes+&+Dishes
These are too cool! They came out perfect!!
Kim+(Feed+Me,+Seymour)
I love little witch finger cookies for Halloween, they are so cute! but yours managed to achieve the exact color of a witch finger! It's amazing!
Cass at That Old House
These are fantastic! Creepy and EEEK-inspiring. Love them, and I also love your practical attitude toward sugar and your kids. You are so right in how you handle this. Good going! -- Cass
Heather+//+girlichef
Oh my gosh, these are so much fun. I love the green and the pumpkin seed fingernails (so much more gnarly than almonds)! Liquid chlorophyll I never would have thought to use, such an awesome idea for those who don't want to use food coloring. I bet even kids who are used to sugar wouldn't miss it when they saw these in front of them.
Brenda
It was the hubby who suggested them since our youngest is allergic to nuts I can't use almonds.
Liz
These are definitely creepy!! Perfect for Halloween!