SCD Halloween Finger Cookies

It’s that scary time of year again when SCD parents search desperately for alternatives to mainstream Halloween treats.

Here’s one option that’s safe for lunch boxes, Halloween parties, and if made in tiny versions and well packed, even for trick-or-treat bags.

SCD Gingerbread Witches’ Fingers

6 cups almond flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup honey
¼ cup SCD yogurt
1 egg
2 Tbs. ground cinnamon
1 Tbs. ground ginger
1 Tbs. ground cloves

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Add baking soda to almond flour. (It’s best if you sift them together, but I’m usually too lazy for that, and just combine with a whisk until all of the lumps are out.)

Whisk honey, yogurt, egg, and spices together, adjusting spices to your taste.

Add almond flour mixture to liquid/spice mixture, either by hand or in a stand mixer. (I prefer the Kitchen Aid.)

If the dough is too sticky, add more almond flour a little at a time. This dough will never be equivalent to a gluten-based dough, but it does need to be dry enough to handle — but sticky enough to stay together.

You can refrigerate the dough at this point to make it easier to handle if you’d like. (This dough also freezes well.)

When ready to make the finger cookies, roll the dough into finger-like shapes, adding knuckles, warts, etc. Press an almond into the “finger’s” tip for the fingernail, and use a toothpick or knife to score wrinkles into the skin.

Place on a parchment lined cookie tray and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Be careful. Because the dough is dark, it burns easily. The baking time will also depend on how thick the cookies are, so err on the side of caution.

Serve to little ghosts and goblins.

SCD Halloween

Holidays, for SCDers, can be a challenge.

Since Halloween is coming up, I’m brainstorming some workable SCD solutions so I don’t freak out at the last minute.

Please remember, not all of these foods will work for everyone, especially if you are new to the diet. And the small bits of dried fruit and nuts may not be suitable for especially young ones.

I’ve broken this down into two lists, the first for trick-or-treating and the second for parties, festivals, etc.

A few ideas for trick-or-treating:
Add a little extra pizzazz by using themed treat bags.

1. Non-food items such as little puzzles, mini-sticker books, individual-sized Play-doh (note: these contain wheat) etc. (Personally, I’m not a fan of small plastic toys.)
2. Boxed raisins without sugar.
3. Dried fruits without sugar: pineapple, apricots, etc.
4. Date-nut balls, baked or raw, if properly packaged (from Breaking the Vicious Cycle).
5. Clementine pumpkins (You can make really cute jack-o-lanterns by pressing fruit leather onto clementines as seen on page 78 of the print edition of October’s Family Fun magazine.)
6. Mini-pumpkins: not edible, but still fun.
7. Honey lollipops (from Breaking the Vicious Cycle; these are fickle and melt easily. And take it from me, if you tackle these, make sure your counters are level!)
8. Honey marzipan animals—or Halloween ghouls (Ditto the note above. Keep refrigerated as long as possible.)
9. Homemade nut brittle.
10. Individually packaged almond butters. Please note that I have not confirmed that these are SCD compliant, but we have used them successfully.
11. Toasted pumpkin seeds.
12. Homemade trail mix.
13. Homemade Tricolor Chips (from Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet) or Carrot Curls (from Breaking the Vicious Cycle).


14. Individual mini-sized LaraBars. (I’ve found these in boxes of 12 at Whole Foods, and Target in the vitamin section, for about $10. Definitely not frugal, but as one of the few packaged, easily transportable foods, they’re worth it.)







For other Halloween functions such as parties, festivals, pumpkin patch field trips, etc., where the treats aren’t as likely to be crushed during transportation:

1. Homemade SCD cookies in Halloween shapes, like these gingerbread skeletons. (Or the gingerbread recipe from Recipes for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.)
2. Homemade SCD meringue cookies (I’m going to try these in scary shapes.)
3. Homemade SCD brownies (from Breaking the Vicious Cycle; replace peanut butter with almond butter).
4. Homemade SCD pumpkin mini-muffins (Don’t forget the specialty liners, like these spider web cupcake wrappers and toppers. Here are some free printable cupcake picks to get you started.)
5. Glazed apple slices (peeled apple cooked in honey, cinnamon, a little butter, and nuts).
6. Pumpkin pie (I usually make a crustless version and bake it in individual ramekins.)
7. Mummy meatloaf (using SCD legal cheese instead of American).


Is this a rare time where we offer non-SCD treats to our little ghosties? That’s a personal decision based on your own child’s health, but on special occasions, I have served these prepared fruit leathers with success.

As for me, I’m on the search for a honey-based candy apple recipe. If you have one, let me know.

What about you? I’d love to hear what SCD Halloween treats you give your little goblins.