Spooky Spider Date Balls: Healthy Halloween Treats for Kids

Creepy, cute, and made with real ingredients!

Halloween doesn’t have to mean mountains of sugar and candy wrappers everywhere. These Spooky Spider Date Balls are a fun, no-bake treat that kids love to make, and parents love because they’re full of fiber, protein, and natural sweetness instead of refined sugar.

They’re perfect for Halloween parties, lunchbox surprises, or a cozy fall afternoon in the kitchen with your little ones.

Why You’ll Love Them

  • Made with real, wholesome ingredients (no refined sugar!)

  • Quick and easy, ready in 10 minutes, no baking needed

  • Fun family activity, kids can help roll and decorate

  • Naturally gluten-free and can be made nut-free

Ingredients

  • Ÿ cup pitted dates

  • ÂŒ cup quick oats

  • 3 Tbsp all-natural peanut butter (or other nut butter)

  • 1 Tbsp cocoa powder

  • 1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

  • ⅛ tsp sea salt

  • Pretzels, round parts broken into “legs”

  • Dark chocolate chips for “eyes”

Instructions

  • 1. Blend:

    Add the dates, oats, peanut butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and sea salt to the bowl of a food processor.
    Run the food processor until the mixture comes together and forms a sticky ball.

  • 2. Shape:

    Use your hands to form the mixture into small balls - about one tablespoon of dough per ball.

  • 3. Decorate:

    • Gently press pretzel “legs” into the sides of each ball (four on each side).

    • Add two chocolate chips to the front for “eyeballs.”

  • 4. Chill & Serve:

    Place in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to firm up if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Healthier Treats, More Fun

Each little spider is packed with fiber, protein, and natural sweetness, a great energy boost for busy fall days or spooky night adventures. They satisfy those chocolate cravings without the sugar crash, and they make an adorable (and nutritious!) Halloween snack alternative.

Fun Tip

Create a “Spider-Making Station” at your next Halloween party!
Lay out bowls with pretzel pieces, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, and maybe even candy eyes. Kids will love decorating their own creepy crawlers, and they’ll be eating something you actually feel good about serving.

The Unjunk America Way

At Unjunk America, we believe healthy food should be fun, delicious, and doable, especially during the holidays. Recipes like these Spooky Spider Date Balls prove you don’t have to give up the joy of treats to feed your family well.

Michelle Walker

a mom, former educator, and the founder of Unjunk America - a movement dedicated to helping families ditch processed foods, decode food labels, and reconnect with real food. With a warm, no-judgment approach, Michelle empowers parents to make simple, sustainable changes in their kitchens, one meal at a time.

Learn more or join the movement at UnjunkAmerica.com.