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Why You’ll Love These Cookie Bars
Halloween is one of our favorite holidays, and of course, it’s filled with lots of sweet treats. We usually end up with a ton of candy from our kids trick-or-treating or just leftovers from handing it out.
Personally, I don’t love candy bars on their own, but bake them into a cookie bar like this, and I can finish a batch in just a few days! The chocolate, caramel, and peanut butter melt into pockets of gooey sweetness, and the buttery dough balances it perfectly.
This recipe feels like a cozy fall baking project that also solves a problem: what to do with too much candy. It’s simple, fast, and great for baking with kids after trick-or-treating. For another candy-inspired treat, try my Paleo Reese’s Bars or No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: Keeps the bars soft and tender while staying gluten-free.
- Baking powder: Helps them rise slightly and stay chewy.
- Sea salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Butter: Adds rich flavor and moisture.
- Brown sugar: Gives the bars that caramel-like chew.
- Egg + egg yolk: The yolk adds extra richness and chewiness.
- Vanilla extract: Deepens the candy flavor.
- Chopped candy bars: Use chocolate-based candies such as peanut butter cups, 100 Grand, Butterfinger, Crunch bars, M&Ms, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, or Kit Kat. Avoid gummies or hard candies that melt or harden when baked.
- Optional flaky sea salt: A pinch on top after baking adds the perfect finish.
How to Make Leftover Halloween Candy Cookie Bars
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt in a large bowl.
Step 2: In another bowl, stir butter, brown sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
Step 4: Add all ingredients for the shortbread layer in a mixing bowl and mix until a dough forms.
Step 5: Press evenly into the pan with your hand or a spatula. Fold in chopped candy. You can mix different kinds for variety. Think chocolate, caramel, or toffee-filled bars. Bake for 23-28 minutes, until the edges are golden and the center still looks slightly soft.
Step 6: Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then lift out using the parchment. Once completely cooled, cut into squares, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Candy Cookies
- Mix gently: Stir just until no dry streaks of flour remain; overmixing can make the bars tough and dry.
- Choose candy with texture: Chocolate, peanuts, caramel, toffee, or nougat give the most satisfying bite.
- Skip sticky and hard candy: Skip sticky and hard candies like lollipops or gummies, they tend to melt or turn too sticky when baked.
- Add crunch: Try mixing in a handful of popcorn or crushed pretzels for a salty-sweet twist.
- Slightly underbake: Pull them out when the center still looks a little soft. They’ll firm up as they cool for that perfect chewy texture.
- Cool completely: Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing. As they rest, the centers set and develop that irresistibly soft and chewy bite.
Storage and Freezing Tips
- Keep these bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. To freeze, wrap individual squares and store for up to 3 months.
- Thaw at room temperature before serving. Perfect for a quick sweet bite long after Halloween!
Recipe FAQs
Chocolate-based candies such as Crunch Bars, 100 Grand, Butterfinger, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, M&Ms, or peanut butter cups work best. Avoid hard or gummy candies that don’t melt evenly.
Yes! Bake the batter in a 9×13 pan for about 30–32 minutes until golden at the edges.
Don’t over-bake them. Pull them from the oven when the center still looks slightly underdone. Cooling will firm them up.
Absolutely! It’s a great one-bowl dessert for a fun after-trick-or-treat baking activity.
These bars are proof that a little Halloween chaos can turn into the most delicious fall baking tradition. They’re easy, cozy, and the best way to turn leftover candy into something everyone will look forward to year after year.
More Dessert Bar Recipes
If you make these leftover Halloween candy cookie bars, please leave me a star rating and comment below! I love to hear your thoughts and feedback. Follow me on social media – Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for even more delicious recipes!
Easy Leftover Halloween Candy Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup gluten free all-purpose flour, or regular all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cup candy bars, chopped (chocolate, peanut butter, toffee, and/or caramel-based bars work best – avoid hard candy and gummies)
- Optional: flaky sea salt, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt.1¼ cup gluten free all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp sea salt
- In a separate bowl, stir together butter, sugar, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Fold in chopped candy.1½ cup candy bars
- Transfer to the prepared baking pan then flatten the dough on the pan with a spatula or your hand. Bake for 23-28 minutes until the edges are golden and the center is still slightly soft.
- Cool for 10 minutes then remove from the pan. Once cooled completely, cut into squares, sprinkle with sea salt, and enjoy!Optional: flaky sea salt
Notes
- Mix gently: Stir just until no dry streaks of flour remain; overmixing can make the bars tough and dry.
- Choose candy with texture: Chocolate, peanuts, caramel, toffee, or nougat give the most satisfying bite.
- Skip sticky and hard candy: Skip sticky and hard candies like lollipops or gummies, they tend to melt or turn too sticky when baked.
- Add crunch: Try mixing in a handful of popcorn or crushed pretzels for a salty-sweet twist.
- Slightly underbake: Pull them out when the center still looks a little soft. They’ll firm up as they cool for that perfect chewy texture.
- Cool completely: Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing. As they rest, the centers set and develop that irresistibly soft and chewy bite.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
