When the dust settles after All Hallows’ Eve, you’ve probably got more candy than you know what to do with. Consider these Leftover Candy Compost Cookies & Bars the sweet answer to your Halloween candy surplus conundrum. This recipe is endlessly customizable; it can be made into cookies or bars and can feature whatever candy you love best. No matter what you choose, you win.
Leftover Candy Compost Cookies & Bars
Makes 9 bars or 24 cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter*, softened
- ½ cup (110 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons (36 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (50 grams), room temperature
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla extract
- 1⅔ cups (208 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) whole milk, room temperature
- 1½ cups assorted Halloween candy *, divided
- 1 tablespoon (11 grams) Halloween sprinkles
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Add eggs, beating well. Beat in vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Gently stir in ¾ cup candy. Refrigerate until slightly firm, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- For bars: Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan. Press dough into prepared pan. Top with sprinkles and remaining ¾ cup candy.
- Bake until edges are golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 200°F (93°C), about 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- For cookies: Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1½-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, scoop dough, and place 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Top with sprinkles and remaining ¾ cup candy.
- Bake until golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool on pans for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
*We used Kerrygold.
*Candy should be around the same size, so chop larger candy pieces as needed.
*Candy should be around the same size, so chop larger candy pieces as needed.
Do yourself a favor and add your big chunks of chocolate and candy corn as soon as you take out of the oven. Even with refrigerating, the candy corn and chocolate will melt all over making for a large mess. Cookies will break when trying to remove from cookie sheet. Taste is good.
Definitely use eyes they make super cute cookies.
I made a quadruple batch (we had a lot of leftover candy) and baked in two 9x13s. I overbaked them a touch. But dang! Between the two offices I divvied them up between this recipe disappeared FAST. Everyone commented on how good they were. Personally I wasn’t as enamored, but apparently I’m wrong.