Halloween Candy Cookie Bars
Halloween Candy Cookie Bars are scrumptious homemade treats that use up all of that leftover candy in the most delicious way. Dip into your little one’s trick or treat bag to grab a few sweets (don’t worry, we won’t tell) and make these quick and easy bars today!
We love baking a pan full of homemade bars! There’s something so nice about being able to slice them into perfectly portioned pieces. It’s all the goodness of cookies and cakes all baked into little squares! Be sure to also check out our favorite S’mores Bars and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars.
Halloween Candy Cookie Bars Recipe
Here’s the deal – if you snag a few handfuls of Halloween candy from your kid’s loot, they’re probably going to notice. Instead of resorting to thievery, we recommend heading to the grocery store the day after Halloween and grabbing some cheap discounted candy!
Trust us, the best way to dress up that store bought spooky candy is with this easy recipe. Cookie Bars are sweet, buttery, and so soft, and they’re the perfect host for your leftover Halloween candy!
How to Make Halloween Candy Cookie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and grease lightly or line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Then, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, and mix until combined.
- Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until completely incorporated.
- Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt until a thick dough forms. Use a spatula to fold in the Halloween candy pieces.
- Press the dough into the prepared baking pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until light and golden on top.
- Allow the bars to cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Tips and Variations:
- Bake times may vary by oven, so start checking these festive cookie bars around 25-30 minutes to ensure they don’t overbake.
- We used our Congo Bars batter minus the chocolate chips for these Halloween cookie bars. Feel free to leave the chocolate chips in the recipe but consider reducing the amount. Between the candy and the chocolate chips, the batter may not bake properly.
- The dough is very sticky and thick and not similar to the texture of chocolate chip cookie dough. It bakes up soft, similar to a brookie, with a glossy top and crunchy edges.
- Use your favorite candy! We love Plain M&Ms, Miniature Reese Cups, Reese Pieces, Fun Size Snickers and Fun Size Twix, but the possibilities are endless.
Storage
At room temp: Halloween Candy Cookie Bars store well at room temperature for 3-4 days.
In the fridge: These bars will last about 4-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
However, the dry air tends to dry them out a bit after a couple of days.
In the freezer: The cookie bars freeze well when wrapped in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Drop the bars into a freezer-safe container or plastic bag and they’ll stay fresh for about 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, large
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups leftover Halloween candy, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Use an electric mixer to cream the butter until fluffy. Then, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, and mix until combined.¾ cup unsalted butter1 ¼ cups light brown sugar¼ cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla, and beat until completely incorporated.3 large eggs2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt until a thick dough forms. Use a spatula to fold in the Halloween candy pieces.2 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour2 teaspoons baking powder2 cups leftover Halloween candy½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Press the dough into the prepared baking pan, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until light and golden on top.
- Allow the bars to cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing and serving.
- See post for tips, variations, and storage options.
