If you’re anything like me, you inevitably find yourself with a massive amount of leftover Halloween chocolate come November. Well, nothing kicks off baking season better than these Leftover Halloween Candy Brownies.
It’s no surprise that I’m a brownie fan (these Condensed Milk Brownies put me on the map!), and the chocolaty squares are only made better with all your favorite add-ins.
With a fudgy texture and tons of varied flavors and textures from the candy, these brownies can’t help but be outrageously delicious. Plus, they’re easy to whip up and this brownie recipe works with any chocolate-based candy.
So, instead of letting all that candy expire in the back of your pantry, let this recipe become an annual Halloween tradition that will make you re-fall in love with that candy. And if you still have more, check out these Leftover Halloween Candy Cookies, next!
Guided by principles of green living, I always do all that I can to avoid food waste, whether that be fresh food or leftover candy!
Green tip: Did you know that of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes? It’s always best to avoid food waste as much as you can!
Halloween Candy Brownies Ingredients
Here’s everything you need:
- Unsalted butter. If you only have salted just omit the added salt.
- Oil. Any neutral oil will do. I usually use vegetable or coconut.
- Granulated sugar. I debated whether to finalize this recipe with 1 or 1 ¼ cup sugar, but I liked the texture of the latter better. If you have a sweet tooth, definitely go with 1 ¼ cup, but if you’re worried, they will be too sweet, go with 1 cup.
- Eggs.
- Vanilla extract.
- All-purpose flour.
- Cocoa powder. I used dark.
- Salt.
- Leftover Halloween Candy. See full list of suggested candies below.
Brownies with Candy Tips and Tricks
Best Halloween Candies for Baking
This easy brownie recipe works with really any chocolate-based candy. You can use mini or full-sized candy bars, just roughly chop them. Once chopped, measure about 1 ½ cups of the candy pieces to add to the brownie batter.
Here’s a quick list of leftover Halloween candies that are delicious in these brownies:
- Hershey’s
- Kit Kat
- Reese’s
- Butterfinger
- M&M’s of any flavor
- Twix
- Milky Way
- 3 Musketeers
- Snickers
- Pay Day
- Almond Joy
- Baby Ruth
- Mounds
- Crunch
- Heath
- 100 Grand
- Mars Bars
- Take 5
- Whoppers
How to Make Easy Brownie Batter
Make sure your butter is softened for best results. If you don’t have time to allow the butter to come to room temperature naturally, check out How to Quickly and Easily Soften Butter.
Start by creaming the butter, oil, and sugar together with a hand mixer on high until it is smooth and integrated. This step is crucial to getting a great texture on your brownies, as creaming the sugar and the fat aerates it.
Next, add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat again until just combined. Then, add your flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix again and then use a rubber spatula to scrape any ingredients left on the sides of the bowl and integrate it into the batter.
Finally, fold in about 1 cup of the chopped candy bars, using a spatula to pepper the candy throughout the batter.
Transfer the Batter
Use a spatula to transfer the batter into a lined square 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan. Spread the batter out, pushing it into all four corners until it’s roughly evenly spread throughout.
Then, add the rest of the chopped Halloween candy on top. Bake on the top rack of your preheated 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes until the brownies do not wobble in the center when you give them a shake.
Allow them to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing into them.
How to Properly Store Leftover Brownies
Cover your one-bowl brownies or store them in an airtight container to keep them fresh. At room temperature, they will last for 3-4 days. In the refrigerator, these brownies will last up to a week!
If you want to extend the life of your brownies even further, you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Just make sure to allow them to thaw at room temperature before biting into them.
Leftover Halloween Candy Brownies
SAVE RECIPE TO COLLECTION PIN PRINT RATEIngredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 tablespoon oil (canola, vegetable, grapeseed, or coconut in liquid form)
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (*see notes)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used dark)
- ¼ teaspoon salt (plus an optional extra pinch of flaky salt for the top)
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
- 1 ½ cups leftover Halloween candy, roughly chopped (**see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line your pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on high to combine the softened butter, oil, and sugar for 2-3 minutes to cream together.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon oil
- Add the eggs and vanilla and use the hand mixer on low until combined.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Mix in flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder (optional), and salt and combine until smooth. Your batter should be light and airy.½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons espresso powder
- Use a spatula to fold in 1 cup of chopped candy.
- Transfer the brownie batter to your prepped pan and use a spatula to spread it out in an even layer. Sprinkle the rest of the candy on top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes on the top rack of the oven, until the middle doesn't wobble when shaken. Option to crack on sea salt or pink Himalayan salt. Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing into 9 or 16 brownies!
Pro Tips
- *If you’re worried about these being too sweet you can use just 1 cup of sugar and still get a similar texture on your brownies.
- **You can make these with one or a combination of any of the following chocolate candy bars: Hershey’s, Kit Kat, Take 5, Mars Bars, Heath, Crunch, Mounds, Baby Ruth, Almond Joy, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Twix, M&M’s of any flavor, Butterfinger, Snickers, Reese’s, Pay Day, and 100 Grand.
- When the brownies first come out of the oven, they may seem slightly underdone. This is intentional as they will continue to cook until they cool. However, if you are one of those people who prefers the corner pieces and not the ooey-gooey middle bits, leave them in the oven for 5 extra minutes in order to get a crispier treat.
- I like my brownies chunkier, so I use a 9-inch by 9-inch pan or an 8-inch by 8-inch pan. If you want thinner brownies, you can easily use a 13-inch by 9-inch pan. No need to alter the cooking time or anything. I’ve made them in this size pan before and they are equally delicious.
