What's the perfect way to use up leftover Halloween candy? Make Leftover Halloween Candy Cookies! Thick, chewy brown sugar cookies are filled with pieces of your favorite candy bars. Mix the chopped candy into the batter, and add some to the tops for the ultimate kitchen sink cookies.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Simple cookie recipe - this cookie recipe is a very basic brown sugar cookie that uses pantry staples. I wouldn't expect you'd have to go to the store for anything (unless you don't have brown sugar).
Repurposed - This recipe is the absolute best way to use up all of that leftover Halloween candy! We all know you have some, so rather than letting it sit around for a year and toss it out, repurpose it into some epic cookies packed with tons of candy. You'll be making a batch of these cookies every year from here on out!
Texture - They're super thick, chewy cookies and are so good! They've got crispy, golden-brown outer edges and perfectly chewy centers. Packed with a ton of candy, you get a little bit of everything in every bite. From gooey caramel to melty milk chocolate, there's a perfect morsel in there for everyone.
Don't want cookies? Make them into cookie bars using this browned butter blondie recipe!
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Ingredients
- Dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, kosher salt, and flaky sea salt. I highly recommend flaky sea salt for the tops of the cookies. Because there's so much milk chocolate, the flaky salt really helps to cut through how rich these cookies can be.
- Sugar. Light brown sugar is the only type of sugar used in this recipe.
- Dairy. One stick of unsalted butter and two large eggs.
- Baking soda.
- Candy. One and a half cups of chopped, leftover Halloween candy will be used. See the next section for recommendations on which types of candy are best, and which to avoid.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities. Note that it's important to use room temperature butter and eggs for this recipe for best results.
Variations
Here are my top recommendations for candy to use in the cookies.
- Kit Kats
- Milky Way
- Snickers
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- M&M's of any variety
- Hershey bars or chocolate bars
- Butterfingers
For the most part, you can use any of your favorite leftover Halloween candy. It's best to use chocolate candies, and I'd stay away from gummy candies like gummy worms or candy corn.
These cookies are obviously the Halloween version, but can also be made with Christmas candy or Easter candy for other festive versions!
Hot tip! Add some chopped pretzels to the top of the cookie dough balls before baking for a sweet and salty combination!
How to Make This Recipe
Want to level up this recipe? Use brown butter! Brown the butter, then allow it to solidify back to room temperature before making the cookies.
One: Cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Two: Scrape down the sides, then add the eggs and vanilla extract.
Three: Beat again until light and fluffy and thickened.
Four: Add the whisked flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
Five: Mix until combined, then scrape down the sides.
Six: Add the chopped Halloween candy and mix in on the lowest speed until dispersed.
Seven: Use a large cookie scoop to add the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press extra candy pieces onto the tops of the cookie dough balls, then bake.
Eight: Bake, then use a large round object to "scoot" the cookies to reshape the cookies. Sprinkle on flaky sea salt to finish and allow them to cool completely on the pan.
Hot tip! Don't skip out on the scooting process. Because the cookies are so large, this helps bring the edges in, makes the cookies an even thickness, and allows them to set up best. Use any round object larger than the baked cookie (Tupperware, bowl, hand sifter, etc).
Expert Tips
- Use a digital scale to measure the flour, or use the fluff, scoop, and level method using measuring cups.
- These cookies are large and spread quite a bit. Don't add more than 4-5 cookies per baking sheet, and keep them spread out. Store the remaining cookie dough in the fridge as each batch bakes.
- Add even more chopped candy to the tops of the cookies after they've been baked. This is more for aesthetics than anything but also adds a bit of melty chocolate to the tops and helps the flaky sea salt stick.
- Bang the cookie sheet on the counter a few times as soon as they're removed from the oven and before scooting. This helps the centers fall a bit before rounding them out.
- The centers may seem underdone, but this is what you want. Remember that the cookies will remain on the pan until they're completely cool, so they will continue to cook and set as they cool.
- Like a crispier cookie? Go for 14-16 minute bake time.
How to Freeze Cookie Dough
Want to freeze these leftover Halloween candy cookies? Good plan. Simply scoop the cookie dough balls onto the baking sheet and flash-freeze them for 30 minutes. Transfer the frozen balls to a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to two months.
The best part? You can bake the cookies directly from frozen! Add the frozen cookie dough balls to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated 350℉/180℃ oven for 14-16 minutes. Don't forget to bang the pan & give them a scoot upon removal!
Hot tip! Write the from frozen baking instructions right on the bag so you know exactly how to bake them off when the craving hits.
Recipe FAQs
The number one culprit of puffy cookies is too much flour. Be sure to use a digital scale to measure the flour, or use the fluff, scoop and level method to measure.
Sure! Use a 1.5 inch cookie scoop and bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, following all same instructions for the cookies, otherwise.
Storage
Store the leftover Halloween candy cookies in an airtight container for three days. If you need to layer the cookies, place a piece of wax paper or parchment in between so they don't stick to each other.
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📖Recipe
Leftover Halloween Candy Cookies
Equipment
- 2-3 large baking sheets
- 1 large cookie scoop 2¼" diameter scoop
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature (113g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed (200g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 300g
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups leftover halloween candy chopped into small pieces (plus a bit extra to add to the tops)
- flaky sea salt for the tops
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃ and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer) cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium high speed for 5 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar
- Scrape down the sides, then add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for an additional minute.2 large eggs, ½ tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt, then add it to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until it starts to combine, then scrape down the sides and finish mixing until no flour streaks remain.¾ teaspoon baking soda, 2½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the chopped candy and mix on low for a few turns, just until it's evenly dispersed. You can also do this by hand to be sure the pieces don't break up.1½ cups leftover halloween candy
- Use a large cookie scoop to scoop the dough (fill the scoop completely, then scrape it on the side so it's totally flush), then add the dough to the pan. Only add 4-5 at a time, keeping them spread evenly.
- Press extra pieces of candy into the tops of the dough, then bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set and starting to brown. The centers will still look underdone.
- Remove the pan from the oven and smack it on the counter a few times. Then, use a round object with an opening larger than the cookies to scoot the cookies to reshape them.
- Add additional pieces of chocolate candy to the tops for extra melty bits, then sprinkle each cookie liberally with flaky sea salt.flaky sea salt
- Repeat with the additional batches of cookies.
- Cool the cookies completely on the pan before transferring to a wire rack or storage container.
Notes
- Use a digital scale to measure the flour, or use the fluff, scoop, and level method using measuring cups.
- I find it best to only bake one pan of cookies at a time. If baking two sheets, be sure to rotate the pans on the racks at the halfway point.
- These cookies are large and spread a bit. Don't add more than 4-5 cookies per baking sheet, and keep them spread out. Store the remaining cookie dough in the fridge as each batch bakes.
- Add even more chopped candy to the tops of the cookies after they've been baked. This is more for aesthetics than anything but adds a bit of melty chocolate to the tops and helps the flaky sea salt stick.
- Bang the cookie sheet on the counter a few times as soon as they're removed from the oven and before scooting. This helps the centers fall a bit before rounding them out.
- The centers may seem underdone, but this is what you want. Remember that the cookies will remain on the pan until they're completely cool, so they will continue to cook and set as they cool.
- Like a crispier cookie? Go for 13-16 minute bake time.
- To make the cookies smaller, use a 1.5-inch cookie scoop and bake for 9-11 minutes.
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