Halloween isn’t typically considered a low-cal, low-sugar holiday. But you can sneak in a simple, healthy dessert that children will love helping you make. Try these Spooky Pumpkin Cupcakes, a delicious alternative to traditional pumpkin muffins, courtesy of Everyday Health.

This recipe is chock-full of fiber and lower in calories and sugar. Finish off the muffins with a lower-fat version of cream-cheese frosting, and decorate with kooky spooky toothpicks. This recipe serves eight (about 40 cupcakes) and takes less than an hour to make, start to finish! (If the quantity is too much, just cut the ingredient measurements in half.)

Spooky Pumpkin Cupcakes

Ingredients
  • 6 cups oat bran flakes (cereal)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 cups whole-wheat flour*
  • 5 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 15 ounces solid-packed pumpkin
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 quart low-fat buttermilk
  • ¾ cups canola oil
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  2. Line three muffin pans with paper muffin cups.
  3. In a large bowl, mix together cereal, salt, sugar, flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon. Stir in raisins.
  4. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin, vanilla, buttermilk, and oil; stir until blended.
  5. Mix wet ingredients with dry until batter just holds together. Do not overmix.
  6. Spoon batter into each muffin cup until about 2/3 full.
  7. Bake for 17 minutes.

Cream-Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
  • 12 ounces Neufchâtel cream cheese
  • ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons plain, low-fat Greek yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions

Beat all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. Let cupcakes cool thoroughly before frosting them.

Teladoc wishes you and your family a fun, safe, and healthy Halloween. If you need help diagnosing and treating any non-emergency conditions such as upset tummies, flu, upper respiratory infections, and seasonal allergies, our board-certified physicians are available 24/7, anywhere you are, by app, web, or phone. Make it a great autumn!

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*Note: Spooky Pumpkin Cupcakes contain gluten.

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