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7 Creative Ideas for Leftover Halloween Candy


by Kim Grundy via USA Today

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. 

1. 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. 

2. 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. 

(LEFTOVER HALLOWEEN CANDY RECIPE: Blondies) 

You can make cookies this way, too; just place scoops of batter on a cookie sheet and bake. 

3. 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. 

4. 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. 

5. 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. 

6. 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. 

7. 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 to include whatever Halloween candy leftovers you have!

(RECIPE:Halloween cookie bark)

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