As October nights draw in and the crackle of bonfires warms the air, there’s something magical about getting into the kitchen and whipping up treats that capture the season. This year, why not bring Freda’s award-winning handmade peanut butter into your Halloween and Bonfire Night bakes? Whether you’re creating spooky snacks or something for an energy boost on a chilly evening, these recipes will make your celebrations deliciously memorable.
🕯️ The Story: Warm Nights, Sweet Treats & A Spoonful of Comfort
The nights are darker, pumpkins glow in the window, and the smell of wood smoke fills the air. Somewhere between the crackle of the fire and the laughter of friends, there’s a tray of something sweet cooling on the kitchen counter.
That’s where Freda’s comes in. Our handmade, small-batch peanut butter adds the perfect touch of richness, warmth, and comfort to autumn baking. With no palm oil and nothing artificial, Freda’s brings wholesome goodness to every bite.
🍪 Our Hero Recipe as made by our founder Lisa!: Halloween Flapjack
Makes: 10 Flapjack| Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins
🧂 Ingredients
400g wholegrain porridge oats
200g butter or dairy-free alternative
150g Demerara or light brown sugar
5 balls of preserved ginger, finely chopped
150g honey
50g ginger syrup
4 generously heaped dessert spoons of Freda’s peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
• 200g dark chocolate
• Melted white chocolate (for ghost shapes)
• A little extra dark chocolate (for ghost eyes)
👩🍳 Method
1. Preheat your oven to 160°C / Gas mark 3.
2. Grease and line a deep-sided tray or cake tin, with greaseproof paper. The sides should be at least 1 inch high to hold the flapjacks.
3. Melt the butter gently in a pan, then stir in the sugar, honey, and peanut butter until smooth.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the oats and chopped preserved ginger with a wooden spoon until fully combined into a sticky mixture.
5. Press the mixture into your prepared tin, smoothing it out evenly so the top is flat.
6. Bake for 15–20 minutes, watching closely. You want the edges golden but not overdone.
7. Cool completely in the tin before adding the topping.
8. Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water). Stir until smooth.
9. Pour the melted chocolate over the cooled flapjacks, spreading evenly and swirling the surface with a knife.
10. Decorate with ghosts! Use melted white chocolate to create ghost shapes, then dot with dark chocolate eyes.
11. Cool and slice into squares or triangles. Store in an airtight container, though they tend to vanish fast!
🍪 Recipe 2: Halloween Peanut Butter Spider Cookies
Makes: 20 cookies | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 10 mins
🧂 Ingredients
150g Freda’s Smooth Original Peanut Butter
100g caster sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
20 mini peanut butter cups (or small chocolates)
50g dark chocolate, melted (for legs)
Edible candy eyes (optional)
👩🍳 Method
Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) and line a baking tray with parchment.
In a bowl, mix peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth.
Roll small balls of dough and place on tray, flattening slightly.
Bake for 8–10 minutes until just golden.
While still warm, gently press a peanut butter cup into the centre of each cookie.
Once cool, pipe chocolate “legs” from the body and attach eyes using a dot of melted chocolate.
Perfect for: Halloween parties or kids’ baking sessions.
Try this: For extra crunch, swap in Freda’s Crunchy Original.
🔥 Recipe 3: Peanut Butter & Treacle Swirl Bonfire Parkin
Makes: 12 squares | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 40 mins
🧂 Ingredients
150g self-raising flour
100g medium oats
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
100g butter
100g golden syrup
75g black treacle
100g soft brown sugar
2 tbsp Freda’s Sea Salt Peanut Butter
1 egg, beaten
50ml milk
👩🍳 Method
Preheat oven to 160°C (fan 140°C). Grease and line a square baking tin.
Gently heat butter, golden syrup, treacle, and sugar in a pan until melted.
Remove from heat, stir in flour, oats, and spices.
Mix in milk and egg until smooth.
Spoon mixture into the tin, then swirl peanut butter through the batter with a knife (don’t mix in fully).
Bake for 35–40 minutes until firm.
Cool completely before slicing. For the best flavour, wrap and leave for a day before serving.
Perfect for: Bonfire Night gatherings with a mug of hot chocolate.
Try this: Add a drizzle of melted dark chocolate on top before serving.
🍫 Recipe 4: Autumnal Peanut Butter Toffee Bark
Makes: 12–15 shards | Prep time: 10 mins | Set time: 30 mins
🧂 Ingredients
200g dark chocolate
100g Freda’s Fruit & Spice Peanut Butter
50g toffee pieces or crushed honeycomb
A pinch of Cornish sea salt
👩🍳 Method
Line a baking tray with parchment.
Melt the dark chocolate gently over a bain-marie or in the microwave.
Stir in the peanut butter and half the toffee pieces.
Pour onto the tray, spreading into an even layer.
Sprinkle the rest of the toffee and a pinch of sea salt on top.
Chill for 30–45 minutes until set, then break into shards.
Perfect for: Party platters, trick-or-treat bowls, or gifting.
Try this: Use Freda’s Toasted Coconut Peanut Butter for a tropical twist.
💡 Top Tips for Baking with Freda’s Peanut Butter
Stir before use: natural peanut butter separates naturally, so mix the oils in before scooping.
Adjust sweetness: Freda’s is low in sugar, giving you full control over how sweet your treats are.
Add a pinch of salt: enhances the natural roasted peanut flavour in sweet recipes.
Pair it up: peanut butter pairs beautifully with chocolate, treacle, honey, ginger, and caramel — all classic autumn flavours.
🍂 The Taste of Autumn in Every Spoonful
From gooey spider cookies to smoky treacle cake, Freda’s brings warmth and natural goodness to every bite. Handmade in Cornwall with high-oleic peanuts, no palm oil, and nothing artificial, our peanut butter makes seasonal baking both delicious and better for you.
So this Halloween and Bonfire Night, grab a spoon, stir the fire, and spread a little Freda’s magic.
Because peanut butter makes everything better.