• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cookie Dough Diaries
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Cookies
    • Brownies and Bars
    • No Bake Desserts
    • Cakes and Cupcakes
    • Muffins, Scones, and Loaves
    • Vegan Desserts
    • Drinks & Smoothies
  • About
    • About Me
    • FAQ
  • Work With Me
    • Portfolio
  • Subscribe
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
  • Contact Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Cookies > Halloween Candy Cookies

    Halloween Candy Cookies

    Published on October 31, 2022. Last updated on October 31, 2022. By Gabby. 8 Comments

    166 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    This post contains affiliate links. Read the full disclosure here.

    Jump to Recipe

    These Halloween Candy Cookies are a perfect way to use up all that leftover Halloween candy! These cookies are easy to make, easy to customize with your favorite candy, and they're ready in 25 minutes! Each bite is loaded with gooey Halloween candy!

    halloween candy cookies on a baking sheet with pieces of candy scattered around them

    I don't know about you, but I always have way too much leftover Halloween candy after October 31st. And every year I do the same thing: chop up the candy, throw it in some cookie dough, and bake!

    These Halloween candy cookies are loaded with chocolate, caramel, crunchiness, peanut butter, you name it! They make me want to buy extra bulk boxes of Halloween candy so that I can just make them all year round.

    Why These Halloween Candy Cookies Work

    • No dough chilling required!
    • These Halloween candy cookies are ready in 25 minutes and are thick, soft, and gooey inside. 
    • They are the perfect way to use up leftover Halloween candy!
    • You can make these cookies completely dairy free by using dairy free candy!
    • These cookies are based off my popular chocolate chip cookie recipe

    Ingredients Needed

    • Butter: You can use any kind of butter for this recipe. Regular or dairy free butter works fine!
    • Egg: If you want to make these cookies egg free, you can replace the egg with one flax egg.
    • Halloween Candy: Use any chocolate based halloween candy, and use dairy free candy if required. I've provided some dairy free options further down in this post.
    ingredients needed to make halloween candy cookies in bowls with labels

    Step By Step Instructions

    Step One: About an hour before you start baking the cookies, pick your favourite Halloween candy that you want to use and place it in the fridge to chill. This will make the candy easier to cut and it won't be too soft when it gets mixed into the dough.

    Step Two: In a medium sized bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and set them aside for later. Next, pick a few of your favourite Halloween chocolates, and if the chocolate is in a bar form, chop it up into small chunks.

    Step Three: Next, you're going to beat together the butter and sugars for about a minute, then add in the eggs and vanilla extract and beat again. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the mixture and then mix them together until combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times to make sure the dry ingredients are fully combined.

    Step Four: Add in the chopped up Halloween candy and mix the dough for another 10 seconds, or until the chocolate is just combined throughout the dough.

    Step Five: Form balls that have about 1.5-2 tablespoons of dough and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The cookies are done after between 8-10 minutes in the oven. The edges will look just slightly set, with barely any golden brown to them and the middles will look under-baked.

    step by step collage photos showing how to make halloween candy cookies

    Which Halloween Candy is dairy free?

    For people who are lactose intolerant, have dairy allergies, or are vegan, it can be hard to find good dairy free chocolate-based Halloween candy.

    Here are some of my favourites:

    • No Whey No No's - these taste just like Smarties/M&M's!
    • Cocomels - these are my favourite vegan soft caramels. They're soft and delicious!
    • Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups* - These are super popular and are made without milk. They are so good and taste just like Reese's *If you have an allergy, make sure to read the label because it does say "May Contain Milk".
    • Free2Be - These are like Reese's but they are dairy free and peanut free, plus free from 8 other allergens!
    • Enjoy Life Chocolate Crunch Bars - These are sooo delicious. They have this really great crunch to them and you would never know they are dairy free! These are sold individually in quite a few places and are pretty popular.

    Those are just a few of my favourites, but check around online or at stores in your area and you might find some more hidden gems!

    halloween candy cookies on a baking sheet

    FAQs and Expert Tips

    Which kind of Halloween candy should I use?

    These cookies should be made using chocolate-based candy. You can use any chocolate-based Halloween candy you want, and you can pick anywhere from 3 or more candies.

    I typically use a few of my favourite vegan/dairy free Halloween treats, but you can use anything you want!

    Here are some of my non-dairy free candy suggestions:
    -Reese's Pieces
    -Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
    -Snickers bars
    -Twix bars
    -Kit Kat bars
    -Aero bars
    -Smarties
    -M&M's
    -Coffee Crisp bars

    Can I use gummy candies in these cookies?

    No, you'll want to stick to chocolate-based candy to avoid having a melty mess on your hands.

    Gummy candies won't incorporate well into these cookies. Chocolate-based candy and cookies go much better together, trust me.

    Can I add caramels to these cookies?

    If you are using any soft caramels in these cookies, leave them out of the dough. Once you have scooped the dough onto the baking sheet, gently push 1-2 soft caramels into the top of the dough before baking.

    If you mix soft caramels into the dough, sometimes they will end up at the bottom or edges of the cookies. When you bake them, they are going to spread and having them at the bottom or edges will make a sticky mess.

    halloween candy cookies stacked on top of each other with more cookies in the background

    Expert Tips

    • Don't forget to chill the candy - About an hour before you make the cookies, put the candy (not chopped up yet) into the fridge to chill. Using cold candy ensures that the candy won't blend into the dough before it get's baked, and that the candy won't spread and melt too much. It's also a lot easier to cut up the candy bars when they are cold because they don't squish and melt.
    • Don't use too much Halloween candy - I LOVE a cookie loaded with chocolate, but you don't want to put TOO much candy into the dough. Putting too much candy in the cookies will result in a bit of a mess, and you want to make sure that there is still a good ratio of cookie-to-candy. 1 cup is the perfect amount for me, but you could go up to 1 ½  at the maximum.
    • Be sure to properly measure your flour: Measure your flour using either a kitchen scale or the scoop and level method.

    Storage and Freezing Instructions

    These cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and will stay fresh for up to 5 days. 

    You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer ziploc bag, then thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the dough in individual balls and bake them later!

    More Recipes You'll Love

    • Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Dairy Free Brownies
    • Biscoff Butter Cookies
    • Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

    If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

    halloween candy cookies on a baking sheet

    Halloween Candy Cookies

    Gabby
    These Halloween Candy Cookies are a perfect way to use up all that leftover Halloween candy. They are quick, easy, and super customize-able. The cookie base is gooey and soft and each bite is loaded with meltey candy.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Bake 10 mins
    Total Time 25 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20 cookies
    Calories 229 kcal

    Equipment

    • Baking Sheet
    • Cooling Rack
    • Handheld or Standing Mixer

    Ingredients
     
     

    • ¾ cup butter (vegan or regular)
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup light brown sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
    • 2 cups +2 tbsp all-purpose flour
    • ¾ - 1 cup chocolate-based Halloween candy, chopped (dairy free or regular)

    Instructions
     

    • Chill your Halloween candy in the fridge for 30 - 60 minutes before you begin making the cookies.
    • Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    • In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    • Remove the Halloween candy from the fridge and chop it up into chunks*
    • In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer, combine butter and sugars, mixing until smooth.
    • Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat until just combined (do not over-mix!).
    • Mix in the dry ingredients until a dough forms. Toss in the Halloween candy and mix until just combined.
    • Make 1.5-2 tablespoon sized balls and place them on the baking sheet around 3-4 inches apart.
    • Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes. Remove them from the oven when the edges look set. They will look under-baked in the middle! Remove from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    Please Note: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above, under the "Metric" tab.
    Measuring Flour: Be sure to properly measure your flour using either a kitchen scale or the scoop and level method.
    Halloween Candy: If you are using soft caramels, leave these out of the dough. Once you have scooped the cookie dough and placed it on the baking sheet, gently push 1-2 pieces of soft caramel into the top of the dough.
    Storage Instructions: These cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature and will stay fresh for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer ziploc bag, then thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the dough in individual balls and bake them later!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 229kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 4gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 101mgFiber: 2gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 32IUCalcium: 29mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.

    « Nutella Brownies
    Biscoff Blondies »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elliot Schneider

      November 02, 2022 at 9:52 pm

      This was an amazing recipe I made it with my best friend and had an amazing time Happy Halloween!!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        November 03, 2022 at 3:04 pm

        Hi Elliot! Yay! So happy to hear that you both loved them 😀

        Reply
    2. John

      January 12, 2022 at 4:05 pm

      5 stars
      perfect way to use up halloween candy! excellent recipe, we ate them all in 2 days

      Reply
      • Gabby

        January 13, 2022 at 4:23 pm

        Hi John! I'm so happy to hear that you loved the cookies 🙂 Thanks for the review!

        Reply
      • Loren

        July 11, 2022 at 10:22 pm

        5 stars
        So good thank you!!! You are the best ❤️

        Reply
        • Gabby

          July 12, 2022 at 4:01 pm

          Hi Loren! I'm so happy you loved the cookies! Thanks so much for the review 🙂

      • Elliot

        November 02, 2022 at 10:09 pm

        5 stars
        This was my favorite cookie ever thanks for the recipe!!

        Reply
        • Gabby

          November 03, 2022 at 3:04 pm

          Hi Elliot! I am so happy to hear that you loved the cookies so much! Thanks for the review 🙂

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    photo of a girl laughing

    Hi Friend! I'm Gabby! I'm here to share easy, approachable dairy free/vegan dessert recipes that taste just like the real deal. Most recipes can be easily made with dairy products too, so there's something for everyone!

    Read more →

    Popular Recipes

    • Small Batch Brownies
    • Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
    • Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Dairy Free Chocolate Cake
    • Biscoff Brownies
    • Cookie Monster Cookies

    Favorite Cookies

    • Oreo Red Velvet Cookies
    • Vegan Peanut Butter Oat Cookies
    • White Chocolate and Raspberry Cookies
    • Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
    • Coffee Cookies
    • Biscoff Butter Cookies

    Featured In

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Privacy Policy

    Keep In Touch

    Sign up for free e-book!

    Find us on Pinterest

    Find us on Facebook

    Find us on Instagram

    Join our Dairy Free Recipe & Support Group

    Contact

    Contact Me

    Work With Me

    As an affiliate partner, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no cost to you. I only recommend products I really use and love.

    Copyright © 2023 - Cookie Dough Diaries