8 Halloween Treats to Satisfy Your Sweet Cravings

This year, Halloween, like literally everything else, will look a little different. But Dr. Bonnie Henry has assured us that spooky season is not cancelled. While we did get the go-ahead on trick-or-treating, if it’s done socially-distanced and in your local neighbourhood, it’s also recommended that we stay curled up in our households, celebrating with low-key traditions and our favourite scary movies.

I’m thinking that this is all the more reason to indulge in more than the Costco-sized assorted chocolate bars (although I love a good Coffee Crisp). Here are some seasonal features around Vancouver to satisfy those cravings. 

1. Hot Chocolate with a Witchy Twist from East Van Roasters

For an at-home hot cocoa, East Van Roasters mixed stone-ground Ecuadorian chocolate with charcoal—a spooky twist for the health-conscious ghouls in your households. The brew is paired with house-made strawberry marshmallows to top. If you’re feeling more snack-y, there’s also candied corn nuts slathered in 70% Peruvian dark chocolate and honey nib caramels. 

Price: from $9 to $20 
More info: eastvanroasters.com

2. Jack-O’-Lantern Galore from Mon Paris Pâtisserie

Made with Cacao Barry chocolate, Mon Paris’ milk chocolate jack-o’-lantern lollies are filled with pumpkin spice caramel—because is it actually fall if we don’t have pumpkin-spiced everything? There’s also the jack-o’-lantern statue paired with a signature caramel truffle. Or indulge in all of the chocolate carvings as a full set. 

Price: from $4 to $35
More info: monparis.ca

3. Scare and Share Chocolates from Rocky Mtn. Chocolate

Rocky Mtn. Chocolate’s ample Halloween features this year include novelty chocolates (like their #NOBRAINER hollow sweets-filled chocolate pumpkin and this 7oz milk chocolate mummy—definitely spooky, but also kinda cute?). There’s also classic sticky caramel apples and plenty of themed milk chocolate balls and bars, so there’s lots to go around. 

Price: from $6.50 to $135
More info: rockychoc.com

4. The Great Pumpkin from Temper Chocolate and Pastry

These Halloween offerings include milk and dark chocolate lollipops, bite-sized spooky-shaped chocolate frictures and oversized hollow chocolate pumpkins filled with mini chocolates, chocolate lollipops and caramels—they truly are great pumpkins, Charlie Brown. 

Price: from $9 to $60
More info: temperpastry.com

5. Creepy Crawly Cookies from Coho Commissary

The Panel Lemon Spider Cookie, a collaboration between two Coho Commissary members (Panela Lemon and Leavenly Goods) is a maple-and-vanilla base cookie dough mixed with crunch organic brown rice crisps. The centre is stuffed with a chewy pecan-spiced filling, and on top, a little spider in organic dark chocolate drizzle with candied eyes. 

Price: $5.50
More info: cohocommissary.com

6. Trick or Treats from Beta5

Beta5’s Halloween features this year include many candy bars, in flavours like peanut butter crunch, cashew, pop rocks and milk tea. There’s also the monster mash cream puff pack, which seems like it would be, I don’t know, a graveyard smash. 

Price: from $1.75 to $35
More info: shop.beta5chocolates.com

7. Thomas Haas Chocolates’ Fall Carvings

Thomas Haas’ seasonal collection includes an elaborate chocolate scarecrow placed in a mini pumpkin patch (that’s also all chocolate). It looks almost too good to eat. Almost.

Price: $39
More info: thomashaas.com

8. Chocolate Avocados from Chez Christophe

Is anything scarier than the price we’re willing to pay for avocado toast? This year, Chez Christophe’s Halloween collection includes “Franc”, a dark chocolate avocado-shaped Frankenstein with white chocolate eyes. Pair Franc with the chocolate cyclops showpiece, or, if you’re searching for something more conventional, there’s also ghost and skull-shaped chocolate lollipops.

Price: from $2.45 to $25
More info: chez-christophe.com