If you’re looking for a super cute, kid-friendly Halloween treat that’s not loaded with sugar, you’ve got to make these Healthy Frankenstein Halloween Bars. They’re made using my healthy green muffin recipe, which is packed with 3 cups of fresh kale. They’re baked in granola bar molds and then decorated to look like Frankenstein. Kids love these, and you can feel good about serving them.
It’s just a few weeks until Halloween, and I’m extra excited about these adorable Healthy Frankenstein Halloween Bars! These bars are made using the recipe for my kid-friendly green muffins, which are perfect for these fun, Frankenstein-themed snacks. Kids will love them, and you can feel good about serving them.
I must admit that Halloween has never been my favorite holiday, but my kids are obsessed. My oldest wants all the Halloween-themed costumes, decorations, and treats, so I make it a point to do a few fun festive things with them this time of year. These Frankenstein Bars are super cute and easy to make, so invite the kids to help you put them together!
Why You’ll Love These Adorable Frankenstein Halloween Bars
- They’re super cute and festive – Halloween is all about making festive-looking treats, and these ones definitely hit the mark. You can get as creative as you like with the decorating!
- They’re secretly healthy – These bars are made green by adding 3 cups of fresh kale to the batter. It may sound a little scary, but my super picky 4-year-old loves these bars so much.
- They are easy to make – The bars themselves are easy to make, with just a few steps and minimal decorating so that anyone can make them. I’m not the best at decorating desserts, but these bars are super easy.
Green Muffin Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- Flour – I like to use a mixture of white and whole wheat flour for this recipe. The whole wheat flour adds extra nutrients and a heartiness that I like. You can also use just one or the other. I have made these with good-quality gluten-free AP flour, which worked well.
- Banana – The banana adds natural sweetness to these muffins and it doesn’t hurt that most kids love the flavor of bananas. For extra sweetness, make sure your banana is super ripe.
- Milk – I used plain, unsweetened almond milk, but any kind of milk can be used. I’ve also made these muffins using thick canned coconut milk, and it worked well.
- Oil – For this recipe, you should use a melted neutral-flavored oil. I’ve made it using both melted refined coconut oil and canola oil, and both work great.
- Maple Syrup – Pure maple syrup is the main added sweetener to these muffins. Be sure to get pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup. You can also substitute honey or agave syrup with good results.
- Eggs – I used two large eggs. They add protein and give the muffins a nice texture that I know my kids won’t complain about. You can use a vegan egg substitute if you like; the muffins will have a slightly different texture but still taste great.
- Flax – I added one Tablespoon of flaxseed to the batter to add a few extra nutrients for my kids. You can skip the flax if you don’t have any on hand.
- Kale – I use curly kale for this recipe. It blends up nicely and is lighter in color than Dino kale. I assume Dino kale would work just as well. Fresh spinach can be substituted for the kale if desired.
- Vanilla Extract and Cinnamon – Both these ingredients help add some sweetness
- Baking soda, baking powder, salt
- Pretzel Sticks – The pretzel sticks are broken in half and stuck into the top of the bars to mimic the look of the bolts in Frankenstein’s neck. GF pretzel sticks can also be used.
- Candy Eyes – You can find candy eyes at most grocery and craft stores. I got mine at a dollar store.
- Decorating Gel – Use a decorating gel or icing that comes in a tube so that you can use it to draw the mouth, scars, and hair onto the bars. Let me know if you have questions on what kind to use.
How To Make Frankenstein Halloween Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, place your granola bar molds onto a large sheet pan, and lightly spray them with cooking spray. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until combined. Set aside.
- To a blender, add the banana, milk, oil, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, flax seed, and kale. Turn the blender on low and slowly turn it up to full blast. Blend the mixture until it’s fully blended and doesn’t have any big visible chunks of kale in it, about 1 minute or so. Pour the blended kale mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula or large spoon to mix the batter until fully combined.
- I like to use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the granola bar molds. Fill them almost to the top. Place the baking sheet into the oven and bake until the bars are firm to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
- Remove the bars and let them cool for about 15 minutes before removing them from the pan. If desired, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once they are cool, you can start decorating the Frankenstein bars.
- I like to put some frosting on the back of each eye to make sure they stick well to the bars. Then, create your Frankenstein mouth and hair design. You can add a scar or two if you like. Lastly, break your pretzel stick in half and insert them on each side to resemble the bolts in his neck. Depending on what type of frosting or decorating gel you use, the bars may need to set for a bit before serving. Enjoy!
Frankenstein Bar Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Are these bars gluten-free? No, but they could easily be made gluten-free by using a good GF flour blend.
- Are these Halloween treats vegan? This recipe is dairy-free, but there are eggs, so it is not vegan. You can veganize this recipe by replacing the eggs with a vegan egg substitute. The texture might be different, but they should still taste great.
- Can spinach be used instead of kale? Yes, you can use fresh baby spinach leaves instead of kale if you wish.
- How long do these bars stay fresh? If they’re stored in an airtight container, they should last for about 3-4 days. I recommend decorating them right before serving. The bars themselves can be made a couple days ahead of time.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will get back to you ASAP.
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Healthy Frankenstein Halloween Bars
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
If you’re looking for a super cute, kid-friendly, Halloween treat that’s not loaded with tons of sugar, you’ve got to make these Healthy Frankenstein Halloween Bars! They are made using my healthy green muffin recipe that is packed with 3 cups of fresh kale. They get baked in a granola bar molds and then decorated to look like Frankenstein! Your kids will love these and you can feel good about serving them.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large banana
- 3/4 cup milk, plant based or regular
- 1/2 cup neutral flavored oil, such as canola or melted refined coconut oil
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 3 cups packed kale leaves
- Candy eyes
- Pretzel sticks
- Black or brown decorating gel or icing
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F, place your granola bar molds onto a large sheet pan and lightly spray them with cooking spray. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt to a large bowl. Whisk together until combined. Set aside.
- To a blender, add the banana, milk, oil, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, flax seed and kale. Turn the blender on low and slowly turn it up to full blast. Blend mixture until it’s fully blended and doesn’t have any big visible chunks of kale in it, about 1 minute or so.
- Pour the blended kale mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula or large spoon to mix batter until fully combined.
- I like to use a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the granola bar molds. You want to fill them pretty much to the top. Place baking sheet into the oven and bake until bars are firm to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
- Remove bars and let cool for about 15 minutes before removing from the pan. If desired, transfer to a wire wrack to cool completely. You can start decorating the Frankenstein bars once they are cool.
- I like to put a little bit of frosting on the back of each eye to make sure they stick well to the bars. Then, create your Frankenstein mouth and hair design. You can add a scar or two if you like. Lastly, break your pretzel stick in half and insert them on each side so they resemble the bolts in his neck. Depending on what type of frosting or decorating gel you are using, the bars may need to set for a little bit before serving to kids. Enjoy!
Notes
*For this recipe, I measure my flour by dipping the measuring cup into the flour bag and scooping it full, NOT by scooping the flour into the measuring cup with a spoon.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Category: Snack, Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
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