How to Bake with Leftover Halloween Candy

If you’re staring at a bowl of leftover Halloween candies and don’t know what to do with them, have I got a fun surprise for you! In this post I’m going to show you how to make delicious baked goods with those pesky leftover candies. Talk about a sugar rush!

Halloween Candy Galore!

My quest to create this recipe started with a large bowl of leftover candy on my kitchen counter. Only two days had passed since Halloween but those candies—which were all chocolate-based—wouldn’t stop taunting and tormenting me. 

My Halloween story is different from years past. I usually hang out with grandkids and I’m not faced with the task of handing out candy at my front door. But this year everyone had plans, which left me at home to face the inevitable. 

On Halloween day I drove to my local WalMart to look for candy. Big mistake.

Never Shop for Candy on Halloween Day

I’d waited too late. All of the large bags were gone. And they had limited supply of the smaller bags—all chocolates. 

Here in the south we rarely buy chocolate candies to give out on Halloween night because it’s so hot, even in late October. Fortunately, temps were in the 60s on Halloween day so I decided I would go ahead and buy the chocolates. I had no other options, after all! The shelves were pretty bare. I'd better grab what I could. . .while I could.

Forty dollars later, I filled a giant bowl with the goodies. Then, as the sun went down, I sat out on my front porch and dished out candies to all of the kiddos who happened by. 

We had a large crowd but I still had candy left over afterwards. A lot of it, in fact. I wasn’t sure what to do with all of that chocolate. 

What Can I Bake with Leftover Halloween Candy? 

After a friend sent me a link to a (rather complicated) cake made from leftover Halloween candies, I knew there had to be a better way. But, what I could I make in a hurry?

I knew I had a really good blondies recipe, so the idea hit: Why not make my blondies but replace the chocolate chips with chopped Halloween candies? Talk about an easy dessert!

So, that’s what I did. I took several different types of leftover candies (all chocolate-based) and chopped them up. The ones I had on hand were Reese’s peanut butter cups, Mounds, Rolos, and Hershey’s Kisses. Perfect! 

I laid them out on a piece of waxed paper and grabbed a big, heavy knife. Then I went to town, chopping them up into small pieces. I needed a cup and a half, total. These would make the perfect base for my yummy blondies. 

If you're interested in making these candy-infused blondies, keep reading!

Ingredients for Leftover Halloween Candy Blondies 

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but for now here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make these delicious blondies. 

• salted butter, softened
• light brown sugar (or a combination of light and dark)
• large eggs
• pure vanilla extract
• salt (omit if you use salted butter)
• all purpose flour
• quick oats
• baking powder
• chopped pecans
• chopped Halloween candies (chocolate based)

How to Make these Yummy Halloween Candy Blondies

These came together so easily! I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before!
First, start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.

If you haven't already done so, chop up your chocolate candies. (Yield 1 ½ cups)

Place room temperature butter in a large mixing bowl and whip until light and fluffy. I used an electric mixer but these could easily be made by hand using a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.

Next, add your brown sugar and vanilla. Mix well.
Now it's time to add the eggs. Whip until fully incorporated.

Next, add your salt, flour, baking powder, and oats. (The oats add a lovely texture.) Don’t over-mix.

Now for the good stuff! Add half a cup of pecans (if you choose) and all of that chocolate candy you chopped up.

Prepare your baking dish. I used an 8x12 pan.

I prepared my pan by spraying it with Baker’s Joy and then pressing a piece of parchment paper into it. I knew this would make it easier to get the blondies out after-the-fact. Add your batter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. 

Place on wire rack to cool completely.

Once blondies are fully cooled, lift them from the pan and cut into squares. 

This is a great recipe and so easy! You're going to love making and serving these to your family or guests.

The overall flavor will depend on the candies you use. Mine had a delicious nutty flavor, thanks to the Reese's.

My blondies had a sticky bottom because of the caramel in the Rolos. They were like chewy cookies, but in bar form!

You're going to love serving these! But just in case they don't all get eaten up right away you can store the leftovers in an airtight container. They should stay fresh up to five days. 

Another option would be to freeze them for later use. Allow blondies to thaw naturally when you're ready to eat them.

Questions People are Asking:

Can I use this Blondies recipe to make cookies?

Yes, but you will have to up the flour content to firm up the batter. I would probably add an additional half cup of flour. You might eyeball it then try baking just one cookie to see if you have the right quantity of flour. Alternatively, you could make cookies using my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe.

Can I use the Blondies recipe to make cookie bars?

Yes, just spread dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pat the dough down to about a half-inch thickness. (Make sure you use a traditional sized cookie sheet, not a bigger one.)

Can I use hard candies or sour candies in these recipes? 

I don’t recommend it. I’ve tried to bake with those candies in the past and they ended up a sticky, gooey mess. 

What are some other ways I can use up chocolate candies?

You can use finely chopped pieces of candy in my Ranger (Cowboy) cookies or my Easy Chocolate Chip Brookies. You can also scoop up a big bowl of ice cream and add chopped candy to the top, along with some hot fudge.

What about Edible Cookie Dough Balls?

You can make edible cookie dough balls with chopped candies inside. Be sure to heat treat your flour in the microwave for a minute before using (allowing to cool completely). Skip the eggs and make cookie dough, then add chopped candies and roll into balls. These are yummy frozen!

Can I use these recipes with Christmas candies or Valentine’s candies? 

Yes, this would be especially yummy with chocolate mints or other chocolate based Christmas candies. 

What about rice krispies treats?

Yep, that's a great idea! Make them according to the recipe on the box of Rice Krispies but add chopped pieces of candy to the mix.

Can I bake a cake with leftover Halloween candies?

I was interested in finding that out, myself. . .so I baked one!

I used a box of white cake mix, a stick of butter, three large eggs, and a cup and a half of ganache (which I made by melting down chocolate Halloween candies in a half cup of whipping cream). It made a rich milk chocolate cake batter. I baked it for half an hour at 350 degrees in two 8-inch round pans.

While the cake was baking I made an easy milk chocolate frosting by melting down more chocolate candies in a couple tablespoons of whipping cream and whipping them together with a stick of butter, a cup of powdered sugar, and a dash of vanilla. Then I frosted my cake and added a few pecans and leftover candies!

Can I Decorate Baked Goods with Leftover Candy?

Sure! Use Kit Kats, leftover candy corn, gummy bears, or other leftover sweets to decorate the top of your cake, blondies, brownies, or other baked goods. You can also save these candies to decorate gingerbread houses at Christmastime.

Candy Recipes from Out of the Box Baking

If you're in the mood for homemade candy instead of baked goods, we've got you covered. Here are some of our most popular candies:

Easy Peanut Butter Snowballs

If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas candy, one rich with flavor, you’re going to love these delicious snowballs! If you're out of almond bark you can always melt down Halloween chocolates and use them to dip your snowballs in.

Old-Fashioned Divinity

If you love the light, sweet texture and flavor of divinity but you’ve been scared to make it because you think it’s too difficult, think again! This easy recipe comes together with ease. . .and tastes amazing. You’re going to love this southern confection!

Easy Peanut Brittle

This is my Mama's recipe, and boy, is it yummy! You're going to love this tasty brittle.

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That's it for this post, friends. You'll find the Blondies recipe in the printable card below. You're going to have so much fun taking that leftover candy and turning it into something new.

See this recipe at

Full Plate Thursday 

Weekend Potluck

Busy Monday

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.