Sweet Treats: Recipes For Your Leftover Halloween Candy

BAY AREA, CA – Are your little ghosts and goblins overloaded with Halloween candy?

Taste of Home has compiled several recipes -- and we're sharing our three favorites -- that use those mini candy bars in delicious dishes, that can fill in as dessert for the whole family. One even adds apples, so -- hey, even better! -- fruit in the mix.

Enjoy!

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Butterfinger Cookie Bars

"My boys went through a phase where they loved Butterfingers. We made Butterfinger shakes, muffins, cookies and experimented with different bars; this one was voted the best of the bunch. Make sure you have an extra candy bar on hand because it’s hard to resist a nibble or two while you’re chopping." —Barbara Leighty, Simi Valley, California

Recipe uses: 6 Butterfinger full-size candy bars or 16-17 fun-size

MAKES: 36 servings

Ingredients

• 1 package dark chocolate cake mix (regular size)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 tablespoon baking cocoa
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 2 large eggs, divided use
• 6 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 ounces each), divided (Fun-size equivalent is about 16 to 17 bars.)
• 1-1/2 cups chunky peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, flour, pudding mix and cocoa. In another bowl, whisk milk, oil, butter and 1 egg until blended. Add to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Press half of the mixture into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, chop two candy bars. (Adjust if using fun size bars.) Stir peanut butter, vanilla and remaining egg into remaining cake mix mixture. Fold in chopped bars and 1 cup chocolate chips.
3. Chop three additional candy bars (adjust if using small bars); sprinkle over warm crust and press down gently. Cover with cake mix mixture; press down firmly with a metal spatula. Crush remaining candy bar (or bars, if using mini ones); sprinkle crushed bar and remaining chocolate chips over top.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 3 dozen.

Originally published as Butterfinger Cookie Bars in Simple & Delicious August/September 2013, p14

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Candy Bar Cheesecake Brownies Recipe

"I came up with these brownies as a way to use up my son's leftover Halloween candy. You can tint the cream cheese orange for a spooky touch." —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grv, Utah

MAKES: 24 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, cubed
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup baking cocoa
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped assorted miniature candy bars (about 18)

TOPPING:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup chopped assorted miniature candy bars (about 10)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13x9-in. baking pan. In a microwave, melt butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking to blend after each addition. Add flour and salt; stir just until combined. Stir in 1 cup candy bars.
2. Spread into prepared pan. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add egg; beat on low speed just until blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls over batter. Cut through batter with a knife to swirl. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup candy bars.
3. Bake 30-35 minutes or until filling in center is almost set. Cool 1 hour in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Cut into bars.Yield: 2 dozen.

Originally published as Candy Bar Cheesecake Brownies in Halloween Bookazine 2015 2015, p92

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Candy Bar Apple Salad

"This creamy, sweet salad with crisp apple crunch is a real people-pleaser. It makes a lot, which is good, because it will go fast!" —Cyndi Fynaardt, Oskaloosa, Iowa

Recipe uses: 4 full-size Snickers candy bars or about 14 fun-size

MAKES: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups cold 2% milk
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 4 large apples, chopped (about 6 cups)
• 4 Snickers candy bars (2.07 ounces each), cut into 1/2-inch pieces (Two Snickers fun-size bars weigh 1.2 oz, so the mini-bar equivalent is roughly 14 bars.)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in whipped topping. Fold in apples and candy bars. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 12 servings (3/4 cup each).

Originally published as Candy Bar Apple Salad in Taste of Home August/September 2008, p30

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Also from the Patch fall recipe files:

• What To Do With Those Baby Pumpkins? Stuff & Roast 'Em!
• Stir Up Treats For The Grown-Ups: Halloween Cocktails
• Fabulous For Fall: Creamy Pumpkin Hummus Recipe
• Holiday Dessert: Fall Pear Crisp

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Images clockwise from top left: Morguefile Jack-o-lantern; Butterfinger Cookie Bars, Candy Bar Cheesecake Brownies Recipe, Candy Bar Apple Salad photos by Taste of Home