Mix your favorite leftover Halloween candy into a cookie dough that can be frozen and then baked whenever you’re craving cookies!
Save that Candy!
Halloween has come and gone and that means we all likely have buckets of candy sitting around our house screaming to be eaten. I consume my fair share of candy on Halloween and I’m usually in a candy coma the morning after, only to wake up to buckets of leftover candy on the counter. To keep our hands out of all that candy the days after Halloween, I stir it into a simple cookie dough that can be frozen and baked whenever we’re craving cookies.
Best Way to Save Your Faves!
Let’s talk candy! What’s your favorite? Mine is anything chocolate. And if it has peanut butter, it’ll be in my mouth before it even has a chance to hang out in a Halloween candy bucket. I love Take 5, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Snickers most! In fact, I even created my Homemade Take 5 Candy Bar Bites, 3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cups, and Homemade Snickers Bites so I could enjoy my favorites even more!
These candy-filled cookies are the kind of cookies that everyone will love because they’re crisp around the edges, chewy in the middle and loaded with all kinds of crunch and chew from the variety of candy baked into them. A sweet surprise in every bite!
I dipped into our candy supply today so I could make a batch and bake some for us to enjoy this weekend. All the candy in these cookies makes them awesome and irresistible! I’m planning to make several batches this weekend so we have a freezer full. Nothing beats warm cookies at a cravings notice.
I have no doubt these frozen cookie dough balls will come in handy over the next few months when family is in town or we’re entertaining friends around the holidays.
Ingredients and Supplies
(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)
Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter (softened): gives these cookies their rich, buttery flavor and helps create perfectly crisp edges with chewy centers. Salted butter works just as well; simply reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe.
- Granulated sugar: adds sweetness and helps the cookies spread and develop those deliciously crisp edges.
- Light brown sugar: adds moisture, a hint of caramel flavor, and that irresistible chewy texture. If you use dark brown sugar they will have a richer molasses flavor and might spread a little more during baking.
- Eggs: bind the ingredients together while adding moisture and structure to the cookie dough.
- Vanilla extract: enhances the buttery, sweet flavors of the cookie dough and complements all that delicious Halloween candy.
- All-purpose flour: provides the structure that holds these candy-loaded cookies together while keeping them tender. A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend can be used as an alternative, although the texture may vary.
- Baking soda: helps the cookies rise slightly, spread, and develop beautifully golden-brown edges.
- Kosher salt: balances the sweetness of the sugars and candy while bringing out all the delicious flavors. If using table salt, use slightly less.
- Halloween candy: adds fun pops of chocolate, caramel, crunch, and sweetness to every bite, making these cookies a delicious way to use up leftover treats. Use any combination of your favorite chocolate candies, M&M’s, peanut butter cups, or even chocolate chips, aiming for about 2 cups total.
Supplies:
- Electric stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Freezer-safe baggie or container
- 2-TBSP cookie scoop
- Wire cooling rack
Watch Me Make It!
A Note About Spreading
This cookie dough recipe is meant to be baked from frozen. So if you’re going to make and bake them right away, allow for at least 30 minutes in the freezer before putting them in the oven to prevent spreading. Also, keep in mind that candies with caramel will be prone to spreading making chilling the cookie dough before baking even more important.
How to Make Leftover Halloween Candy Cookie Dough
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars until smooth.
- Beat in the vanilla and eggs until well combined. Add the flour, baking soda and salt.
- Mix until just combined. With the mixer on low speed or with a mixing spoon, stir in the Halloween candy.
Note: For each batch of this cookie dough I make, I stir in about 30 chopped bite-sized candy bars as well as about 10 mini bags of candy pieces like M&M’s and candy corn. A total of 2 cups candy.
- Scoop the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon-sized scoops and top with additional candy, if desired.
- Freeze cookie dough balls are in a single layer on a baking sheet for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- To bake frozen cookie dough: simply remove the number of cookie dough balls you want from the freezer and place them a few inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 12-14 minutes or until they start to brown and crisp around the edges.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Or enjoy them warm right off the baking sheet.
Storage
To Freeze Cookie Dough: Once the cookie dough balls are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container or resealable plastic bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, bake straight from frozen in a 350°F oven for about 12-14 minutes or until they start to brown and crisp around the edges.
To Store Baked Cookies: Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To Freeze Baked Cookies: Place completely cooled cookies in a freezer-safe airtight container or resealable plastic bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Halloween Eats and Treats
Make your Halloween party one they won’t soon forget. With delicious goodies for kids and kids-at-heart, these Spectacularly Spooky Halloween Boards and Treats are frightfully fun to make and eat!
If you make this Leftover Halloween Candy Cookie Dough, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Leftover Halloween Candy Cookie Dough
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 12 mins
- Total Time: 32 mins
- Yield: 35-40
- Category: Dessert
Description
Mix your favorite leftover Halloween candy into a cookie dough that can be frozen and then baked whenever you’re craving cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups leftover Halloween candy (about 30 bite-sized chocolate bars chopped and 10 mini bags of candy pieces such as M&M’s and candy corn)
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars until smooth.
- Beat in the vanilla and eggs until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined.
- With the mixer on low speed or with a mixing spoon, stir in the Halloween candy.
- To freeze the cookie dough for baking later, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the baking sheet. Scoops of dough can be close together at this point. Press a few extra pieces of chopped candy and candy pieces into the tops of each scoop of cookie dough, if desired.
- Place baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Take the cookie dough out of the freezer and transfer to a freezer-safe plastic container or plastic bag. Return the dough to the freezer and store until ready to bake. Dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When craving a cookie, simply remove the number of cookies you want from the freezer and place a few inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes or until cookies start to brown and crisp around the edges. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
If you want warm cookies shortly after mixing the cookie dough, scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls and place them a few inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press a few extra pieces of chopped candy into the tops of each ball of cookie dough, if desired. Refrigerate or freeze the scooped cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 350°F for 9–11 minutes or until the cookies start to brown and crisp around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
delicious 😋 made a chocolate version with dark chocolate for this recipe and it was so good would definitely recommend for cookie lovers
Hi Alex! Yay, loved that you used the dough to create a great dark chocolate cookie. The cookie dough base is so great! Thanks for sharing! Enjoy!
This is the very best cookie recipe, hands down! Making these with my girls the day following Halloween will be a new tradition for our family!
Hi, Andrea! I love to hear this. I am so happy y’all enjoyed making them together!
I also had issues with these cookies spreading flat and burning around the edges. Using any candy with caramel doesn’t seem to work, as it crystallizes, burns, and makes the cookies stick (even with a silicone sheet underneath it). My boys said they taste fine, but I wouldn’t ever make these for anybody beyond my own family. Not an attractive cookie!
Hi Beth! I’m sorry to hear they didn’t bake as great for you as they’re supposed to. I always use caramel in ours and love the way it bakes throughout each cookie with some caramelized edges and pockets on the tops. Some are certainly prettier than others, but all taste amazing to us.
We make these all the time, bake a few and freeze the rest. They are perfect to quickly bake anytime you need a cookie. They are delicious!
DO NOT MAKE THESE! I followed the directions to a tee. They are so ugly and thin, most are sticking to the baking sheet and fall apart when removed. I was going to take these to a cookie exchange, but they are embarrassing. Such a waste of ingredients.
Hi Jacque! It sounds like something went wrong on your end as this recipe is tried and true and has been baked with success and enjoyed by millions for years. The type of candy you mix into the recipe could certainly effect the final results, but it sounds like something was wrong with the base cookie dough mixing on your end. I’m bummed to hear you didn’t get to enjoy them like the rest of us have for years.
I haven’t made these yet but I went overboard buying Halloween candy. Do you have any recommendations for high altitude?
I recently moved from Dallas and have never baked in high altitude before and have heard it’s different. Thanks!
Hi, Claudia! I don’t have any experience baking at high altitudes, but these are some sources I would trust for tips. Hope this helps. Enjoy! ❤️ https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
https://iambaker.net/high-altitude-baking-tips/
Cookies seemed to spread way too much. Edges of cookies were dark brown while the center was raw at only 12 minutes. I think the recipe has way too much sugar and will try to remake with 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1/2 cup of brown sugar instead. This is my second year trying this recipe and same issue happened both times
Jasmine, I had the same experience. Everything tasted AMAZING, but the cookies came out HUMONGOUS and very thin. I actually think it’s the butter that did it. I was also curious whether the process of freezing them made the batter “behave” differently. I’m excited to try The Baker Mama’s Monster Balls, as another commenter said she makes them weekly!
I’M OUT OF BROWN SUGAR :(((((( please tell me there’s a way to salvage this??
Hi! You can use all granulated white sugar if you have 2 cups or you can replace the 1 cup brown sugar with one of these brown sugar substitutes: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/brown-sugar-substitutes Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Hello!
I chilled the dough for 20 minutes as recommended and then baked them all!
I am leaving some out for my family but have decided to freeze the rest in a container with parchment paper in between the layers. I want to freeze them to have next week on Christmas.
Do you think this is okay?
Hi Jessica! Yes, you can definitely freeze the already baked cookies. Putting them in a freezer safe container with parchment between each layer is perfect. I’m sure everyone will enjoy them!