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I Don't Stress About Buying Too Much Halloween Candy, Because I Always Turn The Leftovers Into These Treats

No matter what you're left with, we've got recipes to give your candy new life.

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chocolate covered pizza dough topped with marshmallows, pretzels, and candy
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

Between spooky movie nights, trick-or-treating (going with the kids or just handing it out), and festive costume parties, come October (or let's be honest, end of August), it’s not hard to end up with TONS of leftover candy by the end of Halloween. We’re all about that sugar rush in October, but as the weeks after the spooky holiday go by, we get less and less interested in our candy stash. Rather than just pawning it off on friends and coworkers or (the horror) throwing it away, we’ve curated a list of 48 recipes to give all that candy new life—even dreaded candy corn 😈.

One of our absolute favorite things to do with leftover candy is to turn it into desserts and treats for the holidays that come after Halloween. Hear us out: Outside of their miniature, Halloween-themed packaging, candy is candy is candy, and no one will be able to tell you used leftovers. Need a sweet treat for Thanksgiving? Turn candy corn and M&Ms into adorable turkey cupcakes or Oreo turkeys. Want something fun for Hanukkah? Make our sugar cookie dreidels, then fill them with any small candy like M&M's, Nerds, or Skittles. Need a Christmas-y activity everyone can enjoy, from kids to adults? Gingerbread houses are classic, but don't let the season go by without making our ugly sweater sheet cake or our Reese's trees too. They’re both an incredible way to use up a ton of different types of candy, so get creative.

If you’re not looking for holiday-specific recipes, we’ve got you too. Turning chocolate Halloween candies like Reese’s, Twix, Snickers, and Butterfingers into other desserts like cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, and bars is a no-brainer, and we’ve got recipes for all the best versions. More of a fruity candy fan (or perhaps not, since you’ve got all these candy leftovers 😉)? Try turning them into our stained glass cookies, Starburst edible slime, Skittles vodka slushies, or Starburst Jell-O shots. These recipes are as much fun to make as they are to enjoy (perfect for the kids inside us all).

1

S'mores Skillet Cookie

smores skillet cookie
Parker feierbach

Miniature Hershey bars are definitely one of the more bummer chocolates to get around Halloween. What's not a bummer? Turning them into this s'mores skillet cookie that you can enjoy all year long, no fire pit required.

Get the S'mores Skillet Cookie recipe.

2

Gummy Bear Cocktail

gummy bear cocktail with lemon blueberry
PHOTO: ROCKY LUTEN; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

We’re BIG fans of a good hack, recipes that save time, and using the smallest amounts of leftovers possible to create innovative treat—remember our jam jar cocktail? This is its next iteration, made extra extra cute.

Get the Gummy Bear Cocktail recipe.

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3

Copycat Kudos Bar

copycat kudos bars topped with chocolate and candy
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

If you were a kid in the '90s, the thought of a Kudos Bar likely brings back memories of a chocolatey, peanut buttery, crisp yet chewy, after-school treat (and maybe some lunchtime bartering). While you can’t find them in stores anymore, my no-bake copycat Kudos Bars are even better than we remember.

Get the Copycat Kudos Bar recipe.

4

Snickers Cheesecake

snickers cheesecake
Parker feierbach

Ever wished you could have a Snickers Bar... in cheesecake form? Well, today's your day! This outrageous cheesecake has a creamy milk chocolate center and is topped with plenty of caramel and roasted salted peanuts. Oh, and Snickers, obviously.

Get the Snickers Cheesecake recipe.

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5

M&M Cookie Bars

mm cookie bars cut into squares
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

These have all the comfort of a chocolate chip cookie, with the added crunch of M&M's and the heft of a bar shape, making for a delicious treat that’s impossible to put down.

Get the M&M Cookie Bars recipe.

6

Chocolate Pizza

chocolate covered pizza dough topped with marshmallows, pretzels, and candy
PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: ADRIENNE ANDERSON

We start with our favorite homemade pizza dough here, but you can absolutely use store-bought if that's what you prefer. Add some sliced strawberries, marshmallows, pretzels, candy or just leave it at Nutella! The best thing about this easy dessert? You absolutely can't mess it up.

Get the Chocolate Pizza recipe.

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7

Reese's Stuffed Rice Krispies Treats

reese's stuffed rice krispies treats
Parker feierbach

It's not that traditional Rice Krispies Treats aren't good—they're just a little boring and safe. These are the opposite. They're surprising and delicious in a way that everyone, including purists, will love.

Get the Reese's Stuffed Rice Krispies Treats recipe.

8

Number Cake

numbers cake
Parker feierbach

For this sheet cake, we traced our number on the back of an empty cereal box to used it as a stencil—trust us, it's very doable! As long as you top it with a fun assortment of candies (even the less desirable non-chocolate ones), it'll look adorable no matter what.

Get the Number Cake recipe.

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9

Stained Glass Cookies

stained glass cookies
Erik Bernstein

Love sugar cookies but hate decorating them? These are for you! Simply fill cookie cut outs with hard candies like Jolly Ranchers, then bake. The candies will melt then turn soft and chewy after cooling, adding a bright pop of color to your holiday dessert table.

Get the Stained Glass Cookies recipe.

10

Rolo Stuffed Blondies

rolo stuffed blondies
Parker Feierbach

Decadent doesn't even BEGIN to describe these blondies. Try them with any variety of chocolate candies (we bet Heath bars or Twix would be great too!).

Get the Rolo Stuffed Blondies recipe.

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11

Monster Cookies

monster cookies with oatmeal and mm's candy
PHOTO: LUCY SCHAEFFER PHOTOGRAPHY; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

The origin of the name "monster" cookies isn't clear, but it may refer to the fact that they're like Frankenstein's monster—made up of a combination of the parts of many other cookies. We love 'em because you can really throw anything into the dough, even leftover Halloween candy.

Get the Monster Cookies recipe.

12

Graduation Caps

rolos and reese's cups with chocolate bars stacked on top and candy to resemble graduation caps
PHOTO: JOSEPH DE LEO; FOOD STYLING: TAYLOR ANN SPENCER

Graduation, whether from preschool or a PhD program, requires celebrations and, of course, all of the festive snacks. Before you put out the festive napkins or greet guests, whip up these quick, easy, totally no-cook sweet little candy graduation caps too.

Get the Graduation Caps recipe.

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13

Reese's Peanut Butter Blondies

reese's stuffed blondies
Parker Feierbach

We have a real soft spot for our Reese's stuffed brownies, but when we're craving a cookie and peanut butter (and chocolate, ofc), these blondies are the solution.

Get the Reese's Peanut Butter Blondies recipe.

14

Reese’s Trees

stacked reese's to make a christmas tree with icing and sprinkles
PHOTO: RYAN LIEBE; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

In true Delish fashion, these Reese's trees couldn't be simpler to create. These adorable Christmas treats only take around 10 minutes to assemble, and will surely be the hit of any holiday party (especially for you peanut butter-chocolate fans).

Get the Reese's Trees recipe.

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15

Cookies 'N Cream Brownies

cookies n cream brownies
Ethan Calabrese

If you ask us, Cookies 'N' Creme candy bars are highly underrated. Not in the least because, as it turns out, melting them down makes the perfect frosting for fudgy brownies. Did we mention there are also WHOLE OREOS stuffed inside? 😏

Get the Cookies 'N Cream Brownies recipe.

16

Jelly Bean Bellini

layered drink with red, blue, and orange topped with jelly beans
PHOTO: BRYAN GARDNER; FOOD STYLING: MAKINZE GORE

We just found your new favorite jelly bean flavor—it’s bellini! This drink is for adults that enjoy the childlike joy of jelly beans. Sip each layer one by one or mix the cocktail together for a more tutti frutti kind of vibe.

Get the Jelly Bean Bellini recipe.

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17

Turkey Cupcakes

turkey cupcakes
Emily Hlavac Green

You can turn a chocolate cupcake into a cute little turkey with leftover Halloween candy decorations like candy corn, M&M's, and pretzels. These are so easy to make and will definitely win the hearts (and mouths) of all of your Turkey Day guests.

Get the Turkey Cupcakes recipe.

18

Sugar Cookie Dreidels

sugar cookie dreidels
Andrew Bui

Still got leftover Halloween candy by the time Hanukkah rolls around? Make these sugar cookies! These work with any small candy, from the mini M&M's we used here to Nerds or Skittles, so have fun with it.

Get the Sugar Cookie Dreidels recipe.

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19

Gingerbread House

gingerbread house

Building a gingerbread house from scratch might sound like a huge undertaking—but it's not! Add a couple of particularly Christmas-y candies (like peppermints or candy canes) to the mix, and you can breathe new life into any leftover Halloween candy as various parts of your house. Get creative!

Get the Gingerbread House recipe.

20

Skittles Vodka Slushies

skittles slushies
Chelsea Lupkin

The hardest part of this recipe is sorting out the Skittle colors. Once you have your rainbow organized, then it's a matter of letting the candies sit in the vodka overnight. The next day, you'll have a variety of colorful alcohol ripe for cocktails, like these fun slushies.

Get the Skittles Vodka Slushies recipe.

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