What to Do With Leftover Halloween Candy

Halloween is fun, but let’s be honest: sometimes it leaves us with way too much candy. Between the trick-or-treat haul, the leftovers from the candy bowl, and the pieces nobody actually wants, it doesn't take long to end up with a kitchen full of sweets.

Before you resign yourself to eating fun-size candy bars until Thanksgiving, put them to work. From gooey skillet cookies and loaded brownies to sweet-and-salty snack boards and creative drinks, here are some genuinely delicious ways to turn those Halloween leftovers into something new.

Make a S’mores Skillet Cookie

Turn leftover chocolate bars into the ultimate warm dessert. Press cookie dough into a cast-iron skillet, add chopped chocolate candy, and top with marshmallows and crushed graham crackers. Bake until the edges are golden and the center is gooey, then serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

RECIPE → S’mores Skillet Cookie by Delish

Bake a Better Brownie

Almost any chocolate candy can make a boxed or homemade brownie better. Chop up Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Butterfinger, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, or M&M’s and fold them into the batter before baking. The candy melts into pockets of chocolate, caramel, peanut butter, and crunch.

RECIPE → Loaded Fudgy Candy Bar Brownies by Averie Cooks

Turn Butterfingers Into Cookies

Butterfingers are especially good in cookies because their crisp, peanut butter center adds texture without disappearing completely into the dough. Chop them into small pieces and fold them into chocolate chip or peanut butter cookie dough.

RECIPE → Butterfinger Cookies by Taste of Home

Build a Candy Bar Blondie

Blondies are another easy base for leftover candy. Try chopped Snickers, Milky Way, Rolos, or M&M’s. A sprinkle of flaky salt on top helps balance all that sweetness and makes the caramel and chocolate flavors stand out.

RECIPE → Snickers Chocolate Chip Blondies by Averie Cooks

Make a Sweet and Salty Snack Mix

For something that requires almost no baking, combine freshly popped popcorn, pretzels, M&M’s, chopped chocolate, peanuts, and a few sour candies. The combination works because every bite has a different balance of salty, crunchy, sweet, creamy, or tart.

For an extra treat, spread the mixture onto a baking sheet, drizzle with melted chocolate, let it set, and break it into clusters.

Turn It Into a Halloween Charcuterie Board

Candy can have a place on a snack board, too. Pair chocolates with cheeses, crackers, pretzels, nuts, and fresh fruit for a sweet and savory spread that works especially well for Halloween gatherings.

Try dark chocolate with sharp cheddar, peanut butter cups with brie, or caramel chocolate with sliced apples and aged gouda. Add grapes, dried figs, or chocolate-covered nuts for more variety.

Give Rice Krispies Treats a Halloween Upgrade

Classic Rice Krispies Treats become something completely different with leftover candy. Mix M&M’s or chopped chocolate into the marshmallow mixture, then press Reese’s Pieces or more candy on top. Finish with a drizzle of melted chocolate and a sprinkle of crushed pretzels for a salty crunch.

RECIPE → Candy Bar Rice Krispie Treats by TheCookieRookie

Turn Gummy Bears Into a Cocktail

Give leftover gummy bears an adult twist by turning them into a fun Halloween cocktail. Add gummy bears to a fruity vodka drink as a colorful garnish, or soak them in vodka to create boozy gummies that can be served alongside the drink. It’s an easy way to give leftover candy a second life.

RECIPE → Gummy Bear Cocktail by Delish

For adults of legal drinking age only.

Finish With an Ice Cream Bar

Sometimes the easiest idea is the best one. Set out vanilla and chocolate ice cream with bowls of chopped leftover candy, crushed pretzels, peanuts, hot fudge, caramel sauce, and whipped cream.

Try Butterfinger with vanilla ice cream and salted peanuts, Reese’s with chocolate ice cream and hot fudge, or crushed pretzels with caramel sauce and chocolate candy.

RECIPE → Halloween Ice Cream by Love In My Oven

Still Have Candy?

You don’t have to use every piece at once. Keep a small amount for occasional treats, or use individual pieces in lunches, desserts, or snacks over the next few weeks. Candy your household will not eat can also be shared with friends, neighbors, coworkers, or family.

The goal isn’t to get rid of every piece. It’s to turn a bowl of random leftovers into something you actually want to eat.

By, Lucy Chatman

Staff Writer for HealthyHOME Media