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Katie's Cucina » Recipes » Dessert

Candy Cookies

Published: Oct 20, 2020 · Modified: Oct 22, 2022 by Katie · This post may contain affiliate links

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White plate with cookies on a black and white towel with text on image for Pinterest.
Two photos split by text: top of plated cookies, bottom of scooping cookies.
Two photos split by text; Top of a plate of cookies, bottom of candy in cookie batter.
Top view of cookies on a black wire rack with text on image for Pinterest.
Plate of canday cookies with text on image for Pinterest.
Female hand with purple nails pulling apart a candy cookie with logo on corner.
Two photos split by text; Top of candy in cookie dough, bottom of a plate of cookies.

These Candy Cookies have the base of a traditional chocolate chip cookie, and incorporates any leftover candy bars you might have laying around! The sky is the limit–chop up your favorite candy bars and add them in these sweet cookies.

Close up of a plate of cookies with candies in them and more cookies in the background.

I first shared these Candy Cookies back on Halloween in 2013. I used my favorite cookie batter base and basically raided the Halloween candy to load them up with all my favorites! Essentially these are the best way to use up all the leftovers. These leftover Halloween candy cookies have been an annual treat and tradition that my kids have looked forward to making after Halloween every year.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Directions
  • FAQs
  • Tips & Tricks
  • Cookie Recipes
  • Candy Cookies

Ingredients

Ingredients: Flour, sugar, eggs, butter, candies, salt, and vanilla.
  • All Purpose Flour – This is the base for my cookie dough batter and the only flour I ever use.
  • Brown Sugar / White Sugar – This combo is what gives the cookies it’s sweet tasting flavor and provides a soft and moist cookie.
  • Butter – I always only have salted butter on hand, but most people like to bake with unsalted. Either will work! Don’t forget to take out the butter ahead of time for it to get to room temperature.
  • Eggs – I also like to take out my eggs when I take out my butter to get my refrigerated ingredients to room temperature.
  • Vanilla Extract – A little goes along way since it’s so strong!
  • Salt – The salt cuts the flour taste just enough, but doesn’t make it overly salty.
  • Chocolate Candies – For this recipe you can use just about any candy your heart desires! This is why these are the best way to use up the leftover candies to make leftover Halloween candy cookies!

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Top view of a mixing bowl with butter and sugar.

In a KitchenAid stand mixer, begin to cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 1 minute.

Top view of stand mixer with a flat paddle with creamed sugar and egg.

Then add the vanilla extract and eggs (one at a time). Mix until incorporated about 1 minute.

Top view of a mixing bowl with flour and a paddle attchement.

Add the 2-¼ cup all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the stand mixer, and mix for 30 seconds or until well incorporated.

Candy being poured into a yellow KitchenAid Mixing bowl with cookie dough.

Add the chopped chocolate and M&M’s; mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix one last time for about 5-10 seconds.

Two photos: One scooping cooking dough, the other of a brown sheet pan with raw cookie dough balls.

Using a medium cookie scoop, begin scooping dough and placing on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Black wire rack with M&M Cookies cooling on it.

Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let sit on the hot cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer using a cookie spatula to a wire rack to cool. Repeat until all the cookie dough has been made.

FAQs

White plate of cookies with candies sitting on a black an white checkered dish towel.
What kind of candy can you put in cookies?

Just about any type of chocolate will work in a basic cookie batter.
-Mu0026M’s
-Reeses Pieces
-Peanut Butter Cups
-Kit Kat’s
-Snickers
-Milkyway
-Almond Joy
-Milk or Dark Chocolate Bars
-Rolos

What can I do with stale cookies?

You can add stale cookies to a milkshake, or crush them and turn them into a pie crust. I like to mix in dry/old cookies into ice cream. Another great way to use up stale cookies is to create cookie brownies by crumbling the stale cookies into brownie batter before baking.

How long do cookies last?

Typically for the freshest cookies you will want to consume them within 2-3 days. As long as you store the cookies in an airtight container you can typically get a full week out of them before going stale.

What’s the secret to soft cookies?

For soft cookies the key is to not over bake. I pull the cookies out of the oven when they are still in the cooking process. By using a cookie scoop it will increase the height of the cookie which will also help for the cookie to be soft and thicker!

What to do with leftover Halloween candy?

If you are like me you find yourself with way too much Halloween candy. If you don’t plan to donate your candy to our soldiers overseas or to a dentist office here are a few of my favorite ways to use up the leftover Halloween Candy.
-Mix into cookies, brownies, and cakes.
-Mix into ice cream or blend into milkshakes.
-Make a snack mix!
-Freeze the candy and thaw to enjoy throughout the year.
-Infuse alcohol with hard candies.

Tips & Tricks

Female hand with purple nails pulling apart a candy cookie.

Here are a few of my favorite tips and tricks I’ve found helpful when making Halloween Candy Cookies.

  • Chop Candy – Chop chocolate candy into bite-size pieces for the best
  • Extra Candy – Add extra candy on top after mixing in the chopped candy.
  • Caramel Candies – If you love caramel you will want to use one of the caramel candies like Rolo’s, Snickers, or even Milkyways.
  • Cookie Scoop – Ever since I invested in cookie scoops it’s what I always use for scooping my cookie dough. Trust me, it’s worth the $15 investment. Start with a medium scoop then buy the small and large!
Top view of M&M cookies on a black wire rack.
  • Underbake – I know this sounds crazy, but I achieve soft and chewy cookies every single time by under-baking my cookies. They will continue to bake once you pull them out of the oven as they rest on the hot cookie sheet. I promise!
  • Wire Rack – After the cookies have cooled for 5 minutes on the baking sheet you’ll want to transfer using a cookie spatula on to a wire baking rack. This is where they will continue to cool and set before you dig in to them!
  • Refrigerate – Don’t want to bake all the cookie dough in one evening? Wrap the dough in plastic wrap forming in a log and refrigerate for up to one week. Break off a few each day to bake and enjoy fresh cookies.
  • Freeze – Scoop the remaining dough and place on to a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator to harden for 1 hour, then place in a freezer safe container or Ziploc bag. Label and freeze for up to 3 months!

Cookie Recipes

White plate filled with M&M cookies on a black and white dish cloth.

Love cookies and craving more cookie recipes? Here are a few of my favorites!

  • 4 chocolate sugar cookies on a white plate with a pink striped white cloth in the background.
    Chocolate Sugar Cookies
  • White tray filled with 8 chocolate chip cookies with marshmallows.
    Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
  • Top view of chocolate cookies on aa wire rack.
    Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
  • 2 chocolate chip cookies on two bright blue paper napkins on top of a striped white and blue dish cloth.
    Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you find yourself with excess Halloween candy and want to whip up a sweet treat. I hope you will make these Halloween candy cookies.

If you make these candy bar cookies, I would be honored and love for you to take the time to leave a ⭐ star rating and comment! I spend hours developing and testing these recipes, and always love to hear feedback and user experience!

Don’t forget to FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, and subscribe to my email list!

White plate filled with cookies stacked on top of each other with a black and white checkered cloth.

Candy Cookies

These Candy Cookies have the base of a traditional chocolate chip cookie, and incorporates any leftover candy bars you might have laying around! The sky is the limit–chop up your favorite candy bars and add them in these sweet cookies.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Save Saved! Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Salt
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 36
Calories: 172kcal
Author: Katie

Equipment

  • KitchenAid Stand Mixer
  • Oven

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks Unsalted butter softened
  • ¾ cup Granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup Brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 2-¼ cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1-½ cups Chopped Chocolate Candies chopped small
  • ½ cup M&M's

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a KitchenAid stand mixer, begin to cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 1 minute.
    2 sticks Unsalted butter, ¾ cup Granulated sugar, ¾ cup Brown sugar
  • Then add the vanilla extract and eggs (one at a time). Mix until incorporated about 1 minute.
    1 teaspoon Vanilla extract, 2 Large Eggs
  • Add the 2-¼ cup all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the stand mixer, and mix for 30 seconds or until well incorporated.
    2-¼ cup All-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Salt
  • Add the chopped chocolate and M&M's; mix until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix one last time for about 5-10 seconds.
    1-½ cups Chopped Chocolate Candies, ½ cup M&M's
  • Using a medium cookie scoop, begin scooping dough and placing on an ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let sit on the hot cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat until all the cookie dough has been made.

Notes

  • Chop Candy – Chop chocolate candy into bite-size pieces for the best
  • Extra Candy – Add extra candy on top after mixing in the chopped candy.
  • Caramel Candies – If you love caramel you will want to use one of the caramel candies like Rolo’s, Snickers, or even Milkyways.
  • Cookie Scoop – Ever since I invested in cookie scoops it’s what I always use for scooping my cookie dough. Trust me, it’s worth the $15 investment. Start with a medium scoop then buy the small and large!
  • Underbake – I know this sounds crazy, but I achieve soft and chewy cookies every single time by under-baking my cookies. They will continue to bake once you pull them out of the oven as they rest on the hot cookie sheet. I promise!
  • Wire Rack – After the cookies have cooled for 5 minutes on the baking sheet you’ll want to transfer using a cookie spatula on to a wire baking rack. This is where they will continue to cool and set before you dig in to them!
  • Refrigerate – Don’t want to bake all the cookie dough in one evening? Wrap the dough in plastic wrap forming in a log and refrigerate for up to one week. Break off a few each day to bake and enjoy fresh cookies.
  • Freeze – Scoop the remaining dough and place on to a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator to harden for 1 hour, then place in a freezer safe container or Ziploc bag. Label and freeze for up to 3 months!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 188IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @KatieJasiewicz or tag #katiescucina!

Disclosure: There are affiliate links present in this post. That means if you click on a link and purchase something. I will receive a small percentage of the sale at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your continuous support of Katie’s Cucina!

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About Katie

Katie is a busy mom of 2 children who loves to feed her family delicious meals that don't take hours to cook! She started her blog 15 years ago as a way to help others get cooking in the kitchen.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Taylor @ greens & chocolate

    November 01, 2013 at 2:13 pm

    These could not have come at a better time! We have wayyyy too much leftover Halloween candy right now…putting them into cookies ASAP.

    Reply
    • Katie

      November 04, 2013 at 4:37 pm

      Taylor I hope you love these as much as we did! 🙂

  2. Erin | The Law Student's Wife

    November 01, 2013 at 12:28 pm

    CONFESSION: I was so good and didn’t open the trick or treat candy bags before Halloween night…but when there was only one 100 Grand left in the bowl, I snatched that baby up! Sorry kids. Now that I’ve gotten rid of all of our candy, I fully intend to buy more just to bake these. Please don’t judge!

    Reply
    • Katie

      November 04, 2013 at 4:38 pm

      Ha ha… My husband did the same thing. When he saw the last Kit Kat and Reese’s package in the bowl he pulled them from the bowl! 😉 no judging here…

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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I'm Katie Jasiewicz: home cook, food blogger, and recipe developer. A busy mom of two children who loves to feed her family delicious meals that don’t take hours to cook! My mission is to create easy-to-make modern comfort food for the busy family. (more)

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