· By The Butin Group
14 Better-for-You PB2 Halloween Treats the Whole Family Will Love
If you've got trick-or-treaters in your life—or just a candy bowl calling your name from the counter—you know Halloween and sugar go hand in hand. And while we're firm believers that treats belong in every balanced lifestyle, the numbers can get a little spooky: according to the National Retail Federation, kids consume 16 times the recommended daily sugar intake on Halloween! The American Heart Association suggests that filling up before trick-or-treating is one of the best ways to curb the candy craze—and dodge the dreaded sugar crash that follows. A protein-rich snack before the festivities means less grazing from the candy stash later, for kids and adults alike.
That's when we turn to smarter snacking. The goal isn't to cancel the candy bowl (we'd never!); it's to balance it with satisfying, protein-forward options that taste just as festive—like so many that can be made with PB2. Consider this swap: one snack-sized peanut butter cup contains 8 grams of sugar and just 1.7 grams of protein, while one serving of PB2 delivers 6 grams of protein—over three times more—with only 2 grams of sugar. Same craveable chocolate-peanut butter flavor, way better fuel for a night of door-to-door adventuring.
From party platters to pre-trick-or-treat snacks, here are three ways to work a little balance into the spookiest night of the year.
1) Serve Up Shareable Dips and Dippers
A festive dip station keeps little hands busy and bellies satisfied before the candy haul begins. PB2 Almond Butter Brownie Dip tastes decadent but plays nice with apple slices and pretzels, while creamy Peanut Butter Fruit Dip with PB2 Original and Greek yogurt makes fruit the most popular thing on the party table. And for the chocolate-peanut butter fans (so, everyone), Buckeye Dip made with PB2 Original brings that iconic candy-shop flavor in scoopable, shareable, protein-rich form. Set out a spread of dippers—fruit, pretzels, graham crackers—and let guests build their own perfect bite.
2) Make Your Own Better-for-You Candy
Homemade versions of Halloween classics mean you control the ingredients—and the sugar. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are our PB2 Original, DIY answer to a trip to the candy aisle, and White Chocolate Cocoa PB Cups with PB2 Cocoa offer a fun, ghostly-white twist for the season. PB2 Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge delivers rich, melt-in-your-mouth indulgence, and Freezer Cookie Dough Fudge made with PB2 Performance Almond sneaks 20 grams of protein per serving into your freezer stash. Even PB2 Organic Peanut Butter Popcorn Balls inspire that retro, hand-held Halloween treat energy—minus the mystery ingredients. Bonus: most of these can be whipped up ahead of time and stored, so treat prep never collides with costume prep.
3) Bake Up Festive Party Treats
Hosting a Halloween gathering or heading to a classroom party? These chocolate-forward bakes hold their own next to any candy bowl. Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies and Organic PB Cookies (made with PB2 Cocoa and PB2 Organic, respectively) are crowd-pleasers that come together fast, while Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes are ready for their spooky sprinkle moment. Baked Chocolate PB Donuts skip the fryer without skipping flavor, Peanut Butter Muddy Buddy Cookies using PB2 Spread mash up two favorite treats in one, and Mocha Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars give the grown-ups something to look forward to, too. However you fill the dessert table, every one of these delivers festive flavor with a nutritional edge the candy aisle can't match.
Halloween should be fun—candy included! With a few protein-forward treats on the table, everyone heads into the sugar rush satisfied instead of starving, and the candy bowl becomes one part of the celebration instead of the whole thing.
Now that's a trick worth treating yourself to!
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Rich, chocolatey, and secretly wholesome, our dip made with PB2 Almond Powder tastes like brownie batter in the best way—serve it with apple slices, pretzels, or graham crackers! |
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These cookies are a seasonal standout thanks to the crackly tops, soft centers, and deep chocolate-peanut flavor from PB2 Cocoa! Pretty enough for a party platter, easy enough for anytime a sweet treat is required. |
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes Moist chocolate cupcakes get a creamy PB2 Cocoa boost in both the batter and the frosting. Top them with spooky sprinkles and they’re 100% Halloween-party official. |
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We love our fudge rich and dense, and thankfully this recipe delivers with a little help from PB2. Maximum indulgence in a perfectly portioned square; a little goes a long way—though good luck stopping at one piece! |
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White chocolate shells with a PB2 Cocoa filling? Talk about a ghostly-good twist on the classic cup! These homemade candies look impressive but are surprisingly easy to make. |
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These chocolatey donuts made with PB2 Cocoa are baked, not fried, so they require way less work (and no handling of tricky hot oil). We love adding festive toppings for extra Halloween flair. |
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Mocha Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars Creamy cheesecake bars made for the adults at the party don’t get better than luscious layers of coffee, chocolate, and PB2. Think of them as your reward for chaperoning trick-or-treat duty. |
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Sticky, sweet, and held together with PB2 Organic, our popcorn balls are a nostalgic Halloween treat done better. Wrap them individually for a fun party favor! |
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Fact: You don’t need a long ingredient list for big peanut butter flavor. Simple, classic, and made with PB2 Organic—the fork crosshatch on top is mandatory, of course. |
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Blend PB2 with Greek yogurt and even the trick-or-treaters will be tempted to reach for fruit first. If you wanted to add in an extra hint of vanilla flavoring, you could swap out Original PB2 for Vanilla PB2, but either way, this dip will be delicious! |
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A Halloween icon gets a homemade, wholesome makeover with PB2 Original in the filling. All the classic chocolate-peanut butter flavor, just with way less sugar—and that’s no trick! |
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We took the beloved chocolate-peanut butter candy and reimagined it as a PB2 party-ready dip. Plop it on a plate surrounded by pretzels and graham crackers, then stand back and watch it vanish. |
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Sweet-tooth satisfaction with 20 grams of protein per serving and no oven in sight? That’s a Halloween miracle all wrapped up in our PB2 Performance cookie dough freezer fudge. Be sure to make a double batch—you’re going to need it! |
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Peanut Butter Muddy Buddy Cookies Two treats become one when muddy buddy flavor meets a soft-baked cookie, all thanks to PB2 Spread. We’ve been known to pop a few into a little Halloween-themed cellophane bag to leave on coworkers' desks. |
