On November first, everyone asks the same question—what do I do with all this Halloween candy? The answer doesn’t have to be pop it in your mouth every time you pass by the candy bowl. Repurposing Halloween candy can be fun and easy, whether you Do It Together as a fun project for a crafternoon, or turn it into gifts or decor for another day. There are so many options—and each one is a sweet idea!
Turn It Into Another Taste Treat
Mix It Up
Combine smaller Halloween candy—like malt balls and candy corn—with a few less sugary items like puffed cereal, nuts, dried fruit and pretzels to turn it into one of a kind snack mix. Set out bowls of mix-ins and everyone can mix theirs to their own taste. Or package them into single-serving snack packs or favors in baggies or jars. (For cute packaging ideas, click here)
Bake It In
Chop up candy bars like Snickers, Milky Ways and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and add them to half-baked brownie mix. Top with melted plain dark chocolate bars and more candy pieces, sprinkle with nuts and coconuts and you’ve got a decadent chocolate-y dessert for Thanksgiving or any other celebratory occasion. For the recipe, click here.
Top It Off
Keep that Halloween spirit going by treating your family to a creepy cupcake bar the next time you need a pick-me-up on a rainy November afternoon. Unwrap the Halloween packs of gummies, Reese’s pieces, M & Ms, jelly beans, and other seasonal candies, and display them in cupcake tins. Set out plain cupcakes and frosting and invite everyone to decorate a cupcake or two with their favorite tasty accessories.
Stick Them Together
Turn chocolate bars into chocolate bark by melting down Hershey’s Milk and Crunch bar minis in a double boiler, and mixing in Reese’s pieces, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries, plus chopped Butterfingers to add autumnal orange dust. Sprinkle with flaky salt, cool into bark, break into bars, and treat your friends to a delicious twist on classic Halloween treats.
Add Them In
Pour mini packs of smaller candies like jelly beans, Nerds, and Jujubes into the mix when you’re baking Rice Krispie treats for bars that are even sweeter—and much more colorful! This works best with jelly beans or candy with hard coatings like M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces.
Melt them Down
Turn two flavors of fall—apples and candy—into one of a kind caramel apples. Just unwrap and melt caramels and dark chocolate minis into caramel and chocolate sauce, dip in an apple and roll it into crushed hard candies like lifesavers, chopped larger candy bars like Butterfingers or Reese’s Pieces, or smaller individual candies like Reese’s Pieces or sno-caps. Set out all the toppings and sauces and everyone can create the apple that tempts them.
Create Sweet Gifts
Everybody loves candy—almost as much as kids love a cool project! Here are simple ways to turn leftover candy into fun favors or thoughtful little treats to give to friends and family.
Wrap Them Up
Roll up some gold card stock and fill it with the prettiest leftover foil-wrapped candies, candy corn, and gummies in fall colors. Add in some notes and a nametag, and you have candy-copia favors that double as placecards for your Thanksgiving table.
Melt Their Hearts
Smash sno-caps, Reese’s pieces, lifesavers and other hard candies, and package them along with wrapped caramels and dark chocolate minis (for melting), and apples and crabapples. Download our art and label, box it all up and you’ve got a Caramel Apple to Go kit to give anyone who wants to celebrate fall a little longer.