Apple Donut Monsters

Transform ordinary apples into extraordinary Halloween delights with these fun Apple “Donut” Monsters! Core, slice, then cover them in a delicious, flavored cream cheese “frosting” and unleash your creativity with sprinkles, candy corn, and spooky candy eyes. They’re a joy to make and an absolute treat to eat!

Unleash Your Inner Monster Chef: Introducing Apple “Donut” Monsters

Get ready for a Halloween treat that’s as charming as it is delicious! These Apple “Donut” Monsters are a brilliant, playful twist on traditional sweets, offering a healthier yet equally festive option for your spooky celebrations. Forget the deep fryer and excessive sugar; we’re using fresh apples as our base, transforming them into delightful “donuts” with creamy, flavored cream cheese “frosting” and a menagerie of fun decorations. Imagine vibrant sprinkles, cheerful candy corn, and whimsical candy eyes bringing your apple creations to life – perfect for sparking joy and imagination in the kitchen.

The inspiration for these adorable Halloween apple donuts began with a simple idea: apples that look like donuts. I recently stumbled upon a viral video, perhaps from Delish, showcasing sliced apples ingeniously disguised as tempting donuts. My immediate thought was, “How can I make these even more exciting?” The answer quickly emerged: turn them into monsters! And just like that, the concept for these captivating Apple “Donut” Monsters was born, promising endless fun and flavor.

Why These Apple Donuts Are a Must-Make This Halloween

These aren’t just snacks; they’re an experience! Creating these Apple “Donut” Monsters is an incredibly engaging activity that’s perfect for kids (and adults!) of all ages. It’s wonderfully simple, making it accessible for even the littlest hands to help. The core appeal lies in the ease of preparation: just whip up your desired flavors of cream cheese “frosting,” slice your apples, and let the decorating commence! The joy of crafting these edible monsters rivals the pleasure of eating them.

I personally gravitate towards classic flavors that pair perfectly with apples: a smooth vanilla, a rich chocolate, and, of course, a creamy peanut butter. Is there any better combination than apple and peanut butter? It’s truly a match made in flavor heaven, offering a satisfying blend of sweet and savory that’s simply irresistible. But the beauty of this recipe is its versatility – feel free to experiment with any “frosting” flavors your heart desires!

A Healthier Treat: The Cream Cheese “Frosting” Advantage

While you could certainly use traditional frosting for these apple “donuts,” I intentionally chose cream cheese for my “frosting” base. My aim was to keep the overall sugar content lower and avoid an overly sweet result. When you select the right variety of apple – crisp, naturally sweet ones like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala – they provide ample sweetness all on their own. The cream cheese offers a rich, tangy counterpoint that balances the apple’s natural sugars beautifully, creating a more wholesome and equally delicious snack.

Using cream cheese also opens up a world of flavor possibilities without piling on extra sugar. You can infuse it with natural sweeteners like a touch of maple syrup or honey, or simply rely on the flavor of melted chocolate or peanut butter, as I did. This approach not only makes for a more mindful treat but also allows the wonderful, fresh taste of the apple to shine through, rather than being overwhelmed by sugary glazes.

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #AppleWeek. I received complimentary product from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #AppleWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

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Essential Tools for Perfect Apple “Donuts”

To make the creation of your apple “donuts” as smooth and enjoyable as possible, having the right tools can make all the difference. For #AppleWeek, our generous sponsors at Zyliss provided bloggers with two fantastic tools: the Zyliss Comfort Utility Knife and the Zyliss Easy Twist Apple Corer. These tools proved incredibly useful for precise slicing and effortless coring.

As a bit of a kitchen gadget enthusiast, I already owned an apple slicer that cores, but never a dedicated apple corer. Receiving the Zyliss Easy Twist Apple Corer was perfect timing! It truly highlighted how much easier and more satisfying making these “Apple Donuts” could be. A good corer ensures a perfectly round hole, mimicking a real donut, and a sharp utility knife allows for even, consistent slices. While these specific tools are fantastic, any sharp knife and a reliable apple corer (or even a small circular cookie cutter for the “hole”) will do the trick!

During Apple Week, there is an exciting giveaway where you can win one of nine fabulous prizes from our generous sponsors! You can read all about the incredible prizes here. At the bottom of this post, you’ll find more information on how to enter to win one of these fantastic rewards!

But first, let’s dive back into the wonderful world of these Apple “Donut” Monsters!

What You’ll Need to Create These Delightful Apple “Donuts”

Gathering your ingredients for these fun Halloween apple treats is incredibly simple. You likely have many of these items in your pantry already!

• Fresh, firm apples (like Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala)
• Cream cheese (softened)
• Chocolate chips (for melting)
• Peanut butter
• Vanilla extract (clear for a vibrant white “frosting”)
• Granulated sugar (just a touch, optional)
• A variety of sprinkles
• Candy corn
• Edible candy eyes
• Black gel frosting in a tube (optional, for drawing mouths or details)

As mentioned earlier, cream cheese forms the base of our delicious “frosting.” I prepared three different flavors for a diverse monster squad. For a classic vanilla option, I mixed softened cream cheese with clear vanilla extract and a hint of sugar. For the chocolate lovers, softened cream cheese was blended with melted chocolate chips. And for that irresistible apple-peanut butter combo, I simply combined cream cheese with creamy peanut butter. These variations ensure there’s a flavor for everyone, making the decorating process even more exciting!

From just two apples, you can yield a generous amount of “donuts.” For instance, I created 12 “donut” slices from two medium-sized apples, and I had more than enough of my homemade cream cheese “frostings” to cover each one generously. This recipe is highly scalable, so feel free to adjust the quantities based on how many monsters you plan to conjure!

Tips for Preparing Your Apple “Donuts”

Choosing the right apples is the first step to success. Opt for apples that are firm and relatively round, as their shape will greatly impact how easily you can remove the core and how centered your “donut” hole will be. Varieties like Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Granny Smith work wonderfully.

Once cored, slice each apple from top to bottom into pieces approximately 1/4 inch thick. This thickness provides a sturdy base for your “frosting” and decorations without being too bulky. Don’t worry if it takes a little while to decorate them, especially if you get really creative! If you’re concerned about your apple slices browning while you work, a quick spritz with a little lemon juice (or even a dip in a lemon-water solution) will prevent oxidation and keep them looking fresh and appetizing.

Unleashing Creativity: Decorating Your Monster Squad

This is where the real fun begins! You can let your imagination run wild with these Apple “Donut” Monsters. I started with some classic “donut” looks: vanilla “frosting” with colorful sprinkles, rich chocolate “frosting” also with sprinkles, and a vanilla “frosting” dusted with cinnamon and sugar. Then came the peanut butter “donut,” playfully adorned with candy corn. It was with this last little guy that I truly started experimenting with the fantastic candy eyes – they instantly add so much character!

If you have children or grandchildren who love helping out in the kitchen, these Apple “Donut” Monsters are an ideal activity. They offer a fantastic opportunity for creative expression, fine motor skill development, and, of course, delicious snacking! There’s nothing quite like the joy of seeing their unique monster creations come to life (and then watching them happily devour their masterpieces!).

This particular monster, with its slightly bewildered expression, never fails to make me smile. It kept reminding me of something familiar, until it finally clicked! Do you remember those adorable Martian characters from Sesame Street? The ones that would exclaim, “Yip, yip, yip, yip!”

Yes, these guys! I’m not entirely sure why the connection formed – perhaps I needed more sleep at the time! Either way, I think this apple monster (whether “he” or “she”) turned out incredibly cute!

Oddly enough, this simple, sprinkle-covered monster with eyes became my absolute favorite. So much so, I couldn’t bring myself to eat it! It just had too much personality.

Instead, I sampled the classic vanilla “frosting” with sprinkles, which was equally delightful. As I looked at the finished group, I couldn’t help but wonder if they all look like they’re collectively yelling, “Ohhhhh…. NoOoOoOo….” in the background! Their expressions are truly priceless.

I sincerely hope that if you decide to make these fantastic Apple “Donut” Monsters, or any version of them, you’ll share your creations on social media and tag me! I genuinely can’t wait to see what amazing and creative monsters you bring to life.

This marks my third and final contribution to Apple Week 2019. If you happened to miss my other two delightful apple recipes, I encourage you to check them out! Earlier in the week, I shared my recipe for Apple Pie Oatmeal Cookies, and on Wednesday, I presented the perfect small indulgence: Apple Crisp in a Mug, ideal for when you crave just a little something sweet. All these recipes celebrate the versatility and deliciousness of apples.

Apple “Donut” Monsters: The Recipe

Ready to get started? Let’s dive into the how-to for these fun and easy Apple “Donut” Monsters! Have a blast creating your spooky sweet treats.

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