Candy Corn Fruit Parfaits (Vegan, Gluten-Free)

“Candy Corn” Halloween parfaits have been around for decades.

My mother created them with Jell-O and whipped cream.

My great aunt Martha made them using canned fruit topped with an enormous scoop of Haagen Daz vanilla ice cream.

This is my much healthier, vegan version. It uses no animal products and substitutes good-for-you, tropical-tasting coconut yogurt in place of fatty whipped cream or ice cream. It’s an easy, cheap, fun, and festive to way to sneak another serving of fruit into your family’s diet. The tropical island flavors are also very refreshing if you’re getting a little tired of apples and pumpkin spice!

(These are GLUTEN FREE if you use So Delicious brand coconut yogurt.)

Ingredients for Candy Corn Fruit Parfaits:

Canned Pineapple Chunks (or drained crushed pineapple)

Canned Mandarin Orange Slices

Non-Dairy Yogurt (Coconut-milk based if possible, plain or Vanilla flavor) OR non-dairy vanilla ice cream (if you must!)

Clear Parfait Glasses (or other clear glass dish that has a nice shape)

Directions for Candy Corn Fruit Parfaits:

Choose a clear parfait glass or other clear glass that’s a suitable shape. Perhaps a juice glass, sturdy wine glass, or small clear plastic cup. Since my parfait glasses are cobalt blue, I used disposable plastic wine glasses left over from my last party.

Carefully, spoon the pineapple into the bottom third of the glass. Try to keep the layer even on top.

Add a layer of mandarin orange slices. Again, try to smooth off the top of the layer. It won’t be exactly even, but that’s okay. Just try for a general striped effect.

Spoon yogurt on top. I prefer plain So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk yogurt, since it’s a little less sweet. If you prefer a slightly sweeter flavor, try the So Delicious Cultured Vanilla flavor yogurt. You could also use vanilla soy or almond milk yogurt, but the coconut flavor is amazing with the canned tropical fruit!

If serving as an after-dinner dessert using ice cream, I’d recommend a coconut-based vanilla ice cream. You could also add some candy corn (make sure it’s a vegan brand – some brands contain honey) and nuts on top of the ice cream.

Tagged as: candy corn fruit parfait, halloween recipes, vegan, vegan halloween recipes, vegetarian

Categorised in: Autumn, Desserts, Vegan Recipes