Uses for leftover candy
Leftover Halloween candy can be used to infuse alcohol for an adults-only treat. You can also donate your extra sweets to an assortment of charities.
Halloween is all about creative costumes, hay rides, fun parties, haunted houses … and the candy. So much candy. Don’t toss leftover Halloween candy in the trash, however – not when there are so many smart uses for all of those Snickers, Twix bars, M&Ms and Skittles. In fact, you might even pick up a little extra this year (or hit that extra row of houses while trick-or-treating) and have fun testing out these tasty ideas from Thanksgiving.com, Grateful.co and the USA TODAY Network.
Donate your leftover Halloween candy
What’s always a great option when you have more of something than you need? Give it away! ❚ Operation Gratitude sends sweets to deployed troops and first responders. ❚ Soldiers’ Angels Treats for Troops ships donates candy to veterans and deployed service members. ❚ Some dental offices and other businesses hold Halloween candy buybacks, in which they trade toothbrushes, floss or other items for candy that they then donate to troops.
Want to know your local options? Contact nearby nursing homes and homeless shelters to see if they’ll accept such donations. You can also try programs like Big Brother Big Sister and the Ronald McDonald House Charities, too.
Here’s a sweet bonus: Halloween candy can present a learning opportunity when you encourage your kids to share their bounty.
Make leftover Halloween candy blondies
Reese’s peanut butter cups, Milky Way bars and whatever else is in the candy bag can go into these leftover Halloween candy cookie bars. Simply make a basic cookie dough base and stir in chopped-up candy (chocolate-based candy works best). Press the dough into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, sprinkle with more chopped-up candy, and bake.
Make leftover Halloween candy brownies
If you’re more into brownies than cookies, prepare some boxed brownie mix according to the package directions. Stir chopped candy into the batter, pour into a glass dish, sprinkle a bit more candy on top for good measure, and bake.
Mix leftover candy into fudge Basic chocolate fudge gets an upgrade when you mix in chopped leftover Snickers, Mars, Butterfingers or other chocolate candies. Sprinkle some on top, too.
Make a DIY ice cream sundae bar Invite some neighborhood friends over for an ice cream sundae bar. Chop up all the leftover candy and put it in small bowls, along with leftover M&Ms, Skittles and gummy candies. Kids and adults alike will have fun building their own ice cream sundaes.
Make a batch of homemade candy ice cream
Speaking of ice cream, candy can liven up plain flavors such as vanilla and chocolate. Just stir in some chopped or melted-down candy before freezing (try Laffy Taffy or Reese’s Pieces), or mix in chopped candy bars or whole M&Ms or Nerds into softened ice cream before freezing.
Layer up a batch of Halloween cookie bark
Cookie bark is as much cookie as candy, with every eerily irresistible bite featuring delectable layers of graham cracker, chocolate chips, crushed Oreos, Reese’s Pieces, mini marshmallows, candy corn and sprinkles.
This recipe calls for our favorite combination of sweet treats, but is easily adaptable!
Mix leftover candy into popcorn balls
Mix in leftover candy corn or M&Ms when making popcorn balls for a yummy sweet-and-salty combination that’s always a hit for after school or during family movie night.
Halloween Chex mix
Combine Chex cereal with pretzels, pour a glaze of butter, brown sugar and vanilla over the top, and bake. Once it’s cool, place it in a large bowl, and stir in leftover Halloween candy such as candy corn, M&Ms and Reese’s Pieces. (Recipe idea courtesy of One Little Project) Make a grownups-only infusion Another way to use candy without actually eating it is to infuse alcohol with it to create liqueurs. Many candies work for this: Jolly Ranchers, candy corn, Skittles, Starburst.
Simply divide the candies up by color, place in flasks, and add vodka or tequila. Let the flasks sit for at least 24 hours, shaking them several times. As the candy melts down, it creates beautiful color and delicious flavor.
Make a Halloween Rice Krispies treat cake
Not your typical cake – or your typical crispy treat – this no-bake Halloween Rice Krispies treat cake is easy to make and hauntingly hard to resist!
No need to turn on the oven for this dressed-up Halloween cake. We cast a spell over the expected square-shaped rice cereal treats, and turned them into a giant chocolate-coated, candy-studded cake of crispy Halloween yum! Every bite is a sweet-tooth-satisfying party in your mouth with tasty chunks of chocolaty rice cereal crunch, chewy candy corn, and a welcome peanut butter invasion of Reese’s Pieces.
When in doubt, melt it
Too much chocolate? Melt it in the microwave to make a syrup for ice cream, a glaze for a cake or fondue dip.
Freeze it for later
Don’t feel pressured to use up all that leftover Halloween candy at once! It will keep. Place the candy in an airtight container and freeze it. Most candy stays fresh in the freezer for at least 10 months, which means you can use it during the holidays to decorate gingerbread houses, or take some out at any time of year for some crumbled toppings on cakes, or to cut into chunks so you can mix them into cookies and other treats.
Whether you bake it, melt it, paint with it, or donate it, there are so many options for leftover Halloween candy besides just eating it out of the wrapper – and much better ideas than just throwing it away. Get creative with these sweet ideas and make the most of that Halloween spirit!