This Halloween, shake things up a bit with these VEGAN Pastry Voodoo Dolls – not as sugary as the usual treats, but quite interesting, delicious and even healthy! No food colors or anything artificial used here! 
Settle this debate for me, will ya? Do these Vegan Pastry Voodoo Dolls look happy (like singing a harmony around the skeleton prince) or do they look super creepy?
When they first came out of the oven, my husband thought they were cute (like little gingerbread men), but after seeing these photos, he finds them creepy! I, on the other hand felt like a serial killer while carving out their eyes and mouth (I kept cringing with every slice), but after seeing them ‘hanging out’ with the skeletons, thought they looked kinda cute 🙂
Cute or Creepy, these still taste delicious – puff pastry sheets sandwiched with this gorgeously red Beetroot Halwa! Halloween treats usually are just a lot of sugar and not much else – these on the other hand are sweet, but are also kinda healthy, on account of the marvelous Beets! Why Beets? Natural Red color that looks like blood and gore! No colors, no chemicals, au naturel baby!
If you don’t have a gingerbread man cookie cutter, don’t worry – Here’s a FREE printable for you to trace onto a cardboard, cut out a template and use!
Just place the cardboard template on the partially-thawed puff pastry sheets and cut away using a small knife. I found that it was easier to remove them after they’ve firmed up in the fridge a bit. Once you’ve got the dolls cutout, roll them with a rolling pin slightly to elongate them.
Divide the beetroot filling into 6 parts. This is the messy part – you gotta smear the filling over half of your doll cut outs. Sandwich with the other half and press down. Cut out eyes and mouth and other gory details as you please.
There’s only 5 in the picture coz I ate one as soon as it came out of the oven. 😛 If yours softens a bit with storage, heat them up on a 350°F/180°C oven for 5 minutes and they’ll be right as rain again!
When you make these (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here and will share it with pride on my social media feeds.
One more time – creepy or happy? Let me know in the comments below! 🙂 Happy Halloween folks!
Decor tip: Eyeballs and Skeletons from Dollar Tree, Skull from Walmart.
VEGAN Pastry Voodoo Dolls
- Prep Time:20m
- Cook Time:15m
- Total Time:35m
- Serves: 6
- Yield: 6 pastry voodoo dolls (3.6")
Ingredients
For the Beet filling
- 1 c raw beetroot, grated
- 1/3 c sugar (or other sweetening agents)
- 4 tbsp. coconut milk (or regular milk/water)
For the Voodoo dolls
- 1 pkg of puff pastry (2 sheets) - I use Peperidge Farms
- 1 tbsp. Coconut Milk wash ( substitute with regular milk )
Instructions
- Thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions, but only until it's pliable enough to open up without breaking/cracking. The voodoo dolls are best cut out while still firm (not hard).
Make the filling
- Heat a small pan and add beets and coconut milk. Cover and cook until soft.
- Uncover, add sugar and keep stirring over medium heat until all the liquid cooks off and you get a fairy 'dry' mixture. Let cool completely and divide into 6 parts. Set aside.
Make the Voodoo Dolls
- Use a gingerbread cookie cutter (or the provided printable template) and cut out dolls from the two pastry sheets. I used the 3.6" template and got 12 dolls.
- Transfer to a wire rack and roll them out slightly thin using a rolling pin, one at a time.
- Spread the beet filling on 6 of the rolled out pastry dolls and sandwich with the other 6.
- Cut out eyes, mouth and other details using a small knife. Pinch edges close best you can.
- Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a medium baking tray with parchment paper.
- Brush tops with milk - for that gorgeous brown shade as it bakes.
Bake!
- Bake at 400°F/200°C for 15-20 minutes until golden brown, puffed and crisp.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving hot! If storing, cool completely before transferring to an air-tight container. If it gets soft with storage, reheat in a 350°F/180°C for about 5 minutes.
Susan says
Not vegan if made with puff pastry which is made with butter.
Tina Dawson says
Pepperidge Farm (and most store bought puff pastries) are made with vegetable shortening. So definitely plant-based.
Lynn | The Road to Honey says
Girl. . .I couldn’t stop laughing about the serial killer (or is it cereal killer 😉 ) comment.
Sorry. . .I have to side with the hubster on this one. Coming out of the oven, I’m sure these little dudes were cute. But styling them with the bloody eyeballs, the skeleton, a bamboo sticks stabbing them through the cranium. . .well. . .creepy! But that’s what you are going for this time of year, no? For the winter holidays. . .out with the skewer. . .hang out with reindeer. . .and Voila! Cute again. 😉
Tina Dawson says
Ha ha my husband made that exact same joke about a cereal killer!!! 😀 😀 😀 Christmas is hands down my favourite time of the year, but Halloween is a close second! And I am gonna have a lot of fun! Thanks for stopping by Lynn! 🙂
Smruti says
This looks awesome!! Perfectly made 🙂
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Smruti!!! I am glad you like them!
Missy says
This is creepy and adorable at the same time lol.
Tina Dawson says
Ha ha ha! Thanks Missy! Just what I was going for 😛
swathi says
great idea love it, will give it try .
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Swathi! I hope you like it!
Julie | Bunsen Burner Bakery says
The whole idea of puff pastry voodoo dolls is hilarious! (Adding a third option into the mix, with cute and creepy.) Great Halloween treat!
Tina Dawson says
Ha ha, thanks so much Julie! I’ll categorize ‘Hilarious’ under cute! 🙂 🙂
Stephanie@ApplesforCJ says
This is such a creative idea for Halloween. Love that you’ve included free printable.
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Stephanie, I didn’t have a gingerbread man cutter either, and assumed there’d be others like me! 🙂
Pooja@poojascookery.com says
I loved this idea, Tina. so innovative and different.
Tina Dawson says
Thanks Pooja!
Cindy Gordon says
oh my goodness! My kids would LOVE this! How fun!
Tina Dawson says
Yaay Cindy! Thanks so much!