Best Ways to Use Leftover Halloween Candy
You ate enough candy during the weeks before Halloween and soon you'll be hit with irresistible Christmas goodies. Do yourself a favor and get candy out of easy reach for a few weeks. There are plenty of ways to use up leftover Halloween candy that won't jeopardize your ability to fit into your favorite jeans!
- Temper sugar's effect by incorporating candy into other foods. Cookies, cakes, and pies get seasonal flair when you add tasty excess trick-or-treats. Add small candies to nuts, pretzels, and tiny crackers for delicious party (or after school) snack mix.
- Donate your extra candy. Call local charities that work with children and ask if they need it. Think about places like Ronald McDonald house and local shelters for battered women and their kids. Churches and community centers may love the donation too.
- Support the troops. Chocolate doesn't travel well, but many other candies make the perfect pick-me-up to soldiers serving in Iraq or elsewhere. Make a family project of visiting the neighbors to collect extra candy, then ship it to your favorite soldier. Don't know anyone serving? Ask around or call you local recruiter's office.
- Package assorted candies in decorative bags and use for stocking stuffers. Most candy will stay plenty fresh through December.
- Most elementary schools still allow winter holiday parties in class. Use leftover Halloween candy for favors or prizes. There's no law against eating orange and brown wrapped chocolates later in the year.
- Make art. When you just can't take another bite, use colorful candies for collages, picture frames, and sugary sculptures. The dentist will approve.
- Freeze extra chocolate to use for baking throughout the year.
Here are more wonderful recipes to spark your imagination!
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My Favorite Way to Use Leftover Halloween Candy
Try the rest, then bake the best! These cookies are SO good. They make excellent lunch treats and will bring in the big bucks at your holiday bake sale. Package three of these large cookies in a clear cellophane treat bag (sold in the party favor aisle) and watch your profits roll in!
Coffee House Cookies - courtesy of The Pampered Chef
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, divided
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks (or morsels), divided
2 bars (1.5-2 ounces each, or equivalent mini bars) favorite chocolate candy
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. In another bowl or mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
- Stir 2/3 cup of the nuts and 2/3 cup of the chocolate chunks into dough. Cut candy bars into small pieces and set aside.
- Scoop ¼ cup of dough onto cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Leave plenty of space (about 3") because cookies will spread as they bake. Press nuts and candy into cookies. (This recipe makes 2 batches of 6 big cookies, but you can adjust to your preferences.)
- Bake 14-16 minutes or until cookies are almost set. Do not overbake; centers should be slightly soft. Cool on baking sheet 7 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
I like to use bars with nougat and caramel, but almost any kind of candy you like will make a nice cookie! Experiment, then come back and let us know what was most delicious!