Vegan Halloween Cake Pops Recipe

🍥Vegan Halloween cake pop ingredients 

The Flour

All-purpose flour is perfect for making the cake component of these handheld treats. Air you need these to be gluten-free, you can probably just get away with rocking them out with King Arthur's Measure-for-Measure GF mix. That said, I haven't tested these pops with gluten-free flour myself, so if you give it a go, please report back and let me know how it turned out!

Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk

Oat, soy, or almond milk adds liquid lift to the batter. I always write my recipes with unsweetened milk, because the sweetened ones vary a lot, and I want to Ames are everyone to have pretty consistent results. If all you've got is sweetened milk, just dial back the sugar in the batter by a tablespoon or so, and you'll still be golden.

Vegan Cream Cheese

Cream cheese is your secret weapon for that smooth cake pop dough that isn't as absurdly sweet as when made with frosting. I usually make mine from scratch using my simple, 4-ingredient vegan cream cheese recipe, but if you're short on time (that recipe calls for a little fermentation), store-bought works just fine.

In my opinion, Tofutti really has the best flavor and texture on the market. The slightly stiffer Trader Joe's version is also good, just make sure it's totally at room temperature before you work with it, because it's otherwise harder to break up smoothly.

Pumpkin Purée

Real pumpkin purée adds color, moisture, and seasonal flair. I am NOT talking about pumpkin pie filling here, which is pre-spiced and sweetened. Got leftover purée after making this? You can use it to make my vegan pumpkin cinnamon rolls, pumpkin flan, or vegan pumpkin muffins.

The Food Coloring

Add orange food coloring (or a drop or two each of red and yellow) if you want your cake interior to scream Halloween. Both liquid and gel-based food colorings work here-use whatever you've got on hand. I prefer natural options like the ones from India Tree or the 365 brand from Whole Foods; they're plant-based, vibrant, and don't stain your fingers or countertops as badly.

Vegan White Chocolate

Vegan white chocolate disks are your best bet here-designed for melting, easy to portion, and usually the most cost-effective option. If all you can find are vegan white chocolate chips, those will work fine too. In a pinch, you can stretch what you've got with a little deodorized cocoa butter. That's the same stuff I use to make my homemade vegan parmesan cheese.

Vegan Candy Googly Eyes

The googly eyes are what take these from cake-on-a-stick to full Halloween icon status. Most grocery store candy eyes are made with confectioner's glaze, which isn't vegan (yep, it's bug-based). So either look for ones labeled vegan or DIY them using my vegan royal icing recipe. Just use a touch less liquid so the icing pipes are thick. Drop small dots onto parchment, let them dry out for 20 minutes, give them darker-colored pupils with even tinier dots in the corners, and boom-creepy-cute candy eyes that pass the vibe and ingredient check.

Vegan Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Melted semi-sweet chips top Frankenstein heads and add spooky facial details. Go for a good-tasting, not-too-bitter, or insanely dark chocolate-the kind you'd actually want to snack on or use for something like vegan hazelnut truffles.

Thin Pretzel Sticks

Break pretzel sticks into bolt-sized nubs and stick 'em into the Frankenstein pops. You can for sure use gluten-free pretzel sticks (which are pretty great, actually) if you are making these entirely GF.

Cake Pop Sticks

Sturdy sticks keep hands clean and pop upright. Use natural, biodegradable ones if you can, so we don't turn this planet into an absolute wasteland for future generations just for a cute snack.

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📖 How to make vegan Halloween cake pops

Wanna dodge 8,000 tutorial photos right now? If you're ready to roll, scroll straight to the recipe card. Otherwise, you can follow along here:

Step One

Siftoach Pandemonium:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8-inch (20-cm) baking pan.  In a mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.

Step Two

Whiskmaster:

In a separate bowl, whisk together the canola oil, plant-based milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.

Step Three

Batter off Dead:

Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

Step Four

Bake Phone:

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Step Five

For the Cake of Vicious:

Break the cooled cake into pieces and transfer to a food processor. Add the vegan cream cheese, pumpkin purée, and orange food coloring (if using). Process until a smooth dough forms.

Step Six

Carniball of Souls:

Line a sheet pan with parchment. Roll the mixture into 12 evenly sized ovals or balls.

To Decorate as Mummies:

Step One

The Incredible Melting Man:

Melt the white chocolate melting wafers in a double boiler over medium-low heat until smooth.

Step Two

Jack the Dripper:

Dip each chilled cake pop and coat evenly. Let the excess drip off. Place on a pan or hang with clips for a full-circle coat.

Step Three

The Hills Have Eyes:

While the coating is still soft, press 2 candy eyes onto each pop. Place the tray of coated cake pops back into the freezer for a few minutes to allow the coating to set.

Step Four

Bandage & Domination:

Transfer remaining white chocolate to a piping or zip-top bag with a snipped tip. Drizzle thin lines to create mummy wrappings. Refrigerate until fully set.

To Decorate as Frankenstein: 

Step One

Green Room:

Place plant milk into a stand mixer bowl and sift the powdered sugar on top of it. With a whisk attachment, mix the glaze until thick and smooth. Gradually add green food coloring while the mixer runs to reach your desired tint of green.

Step Two

I Dip Blood on Your Grave:

Dip each chilled cake pop into the thick green glaze and coat evenly. Let the excess drip off.

Step Three

Eyes Without a Face:

Press 2 candy eyes onto each pop while the coating is still soft.

Step Four

Count Chocula:

Melt the semisweet chocolate chips in a separate double boiler. Allow the chocolate to cool just enough so that it isn't thin and runny. Load it into a piping bag fitted with a small tip.

Step Five

Haireditary:

Melt the semisweet chocolate chips in a separate double boiler. Allow the chocolate to cool just enough so that it isn't thin and runny. Lead it into a piping bag fitted with a small tip. Pipe on scars or facial details.

Snap the last half-inch off each side of the pretzel sticks. Press into both sides of Frankenstein pops to mimic bolts. Refrigerate until fully set. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.