Transform Your Halloween Haul: Irresistible Leftover Candy Shortbread Bars

After the spooky festivities of Halloween wind down, many of us are left with an abundance of candy – sometimes more than we know what to do with! Instead of letting those treats gather dust or slowly disappear into a sugar-induced coma, why not transform them into something truly spectacular? These Leftover Candy Shortbread Bars offer a brilliant, delicious, and incredibly simple solution to your post-Halloween candy dilemma. Combining a rich, buttery shortbread base with a gooey chocolate layer and a generous topping of your favorite chopped candies, these bars are a game-changer. They’re quick to make, incredibly satisfying, and provide a fantastic way to enjoy your sweet haul in a whole new form.

From Trick-or-Treat to Delectable Treat: A Blogger’s Tale

Hi there! My name is Amber, and I’m the voice behind BluebonnetBaker. I also wear another hat as the managing editor of Food Fanatic, a wonderful platform where we explore all things food. It’s a place where talented contributors, like Joan, who recently joined us as a chocolate expert, share their amazing creations. If you haven’t yet indulged in the divine slow cooker chocolate lava cake she crafted for us, you are truly missing out!

This past weekend marked a special occasion in our household: my son Evan’s third Halloween, even though he had just celebrated his second birthday. The reason for this delightful discrepancy? He was born on Halloween itself! This led to his Aunt dubbing him “Pumpkin Doodle,” a name that, over time, affectionately shortened to simply “Doodle.” And there you have it, folks – in about a decade, my sweet boy will likely be utterly mortified that his mom confessed his lifelong nickname to the entire internet. But such is the life of a blogger!

To preemptively apologize for any future teenage embarrassment, I make sure to bake plenty of delectable treats. I figure a little goodwill credit with the toddler now might just pay off when those challenging teenage years arrive, and he might take it easy on his dear old Mom. A girl can certainly dream, can’t she?

The Great Candy Haul and a Brilliant Solution

This year’s Halloween was particularly memorable as it was the first time Evan truly “understood” the magic of trick-or-treating. You should have seen the pure joy and surprise on his face when he realized that by simply holding out his big orange bucket, people would just *give him candy*! He didn’t even have to utter “please,” “thank you,” or “trick or treat” – though his Mama and Daddy certainly said it plenty on his behalf. It probably didn’t hurt that he was dressed as an absolutely adorable Jake from Jake and the Neverland Pirates, complete with spiky black “hair.”

He had an absolute blast that night, thoroughly enjoying the five pieces of chocolate we allowed him to have. But let me tell you, his cuteness knew no bounds, and we ended up with a pretty significant bucket of candy. Of course, his father and I *could* have slowly eaten it all over the next few months, and Evan would be none the wiser (at least, not until he reads this blog post!). But that seemed a little too easy, and frankly, less fun. We needed a more creative, community-oriented approach to this sugary bounty.

Introducing the Crazy Good Leftover Halloween Candy Shortbread Bars

Enter this absolutely phenomenal recipe for Leftover Halloween Candy Shortbread Bars. Good gravy, I mean it – they are SO incredibly good! What makes them truly special is the flexibility to use any combination of candy you have on hand. For my batch, I went with a delightful mix of Snickers, Baby Ruth, M&Ms, Butterfinger, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. However, you could easily substitute or add other favorites like Almond Joy, Zagnut, or classic Hershey’s Bars, and they would be equally delicious. The beauty of this recipe lies in its adaptability; it’s a blank canvas for your candy creativity.

The Anatomy of a Perfect Candy Bar: Ingredients & Tips

These bars are pretty rich, meaning an 8×8-inch pan can stretch surprisingly far, yielding a generous 16 servings. Not only do they make a fantastic after-school treat, but they’re also substantial enough to satisfy a sweet craving without overdoing it. Moreover, they offer a completely delicious and efficient way to use up a significant portion of your leftover Halloween candy. If your candy stash manages to last that long, these bars would even make an incredible, festive dessert for Thanksgiving!

Buttery Shortbread Base: The foundation of these bars is a classic shortbread, made with room temperature butter, light brown sugar, kosher salt, and all-purpose flour. Using room temperature butter is crucial for achieving that light and fluffy texture, ensuring the shortbread bakes up perfectly golden brown and tender. The brown sugar adds a lovely depth of flavor compared to white sugar, complementing the candy toppings beautifully.
Gooey Chocolate Layer: A layer of melted semisweet chocolate chips acts as the perfect “glue” for your chopped candy. This molten chocolate adds another dimension of richness and helps bind all those various candies into a cohesive, sliceable bar. Don’t skip this step – it’s key to keeping your candy toppings securely in place!
Your Choice of Candy: This is where the fun really begins! Chop up about 2 cups of your favorite candy bars and candy-coated chocolates. Think beyond just chocolate bars; chewy candies, peanut butter cups, and even fruity chews can all find a happy home here. Mixing different textures and flavors ensures every bite is an exciting surprise.

Step-by-Step Baking for Sweet Success

Prepare Your Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later. Lightly spray with baking spray to prevent sticking. This preparation is key for a smooth removal once cooled.
Cream the Base: In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the softened butter, light brown sugar, and kosher salt. Beat on medium speed for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and well-combined. The warmth of your butter will influence the creaming time – warmer butter creams faster.
Incorporate Flour: Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the butter mixture, mixing after each addition until the flour is fully incorporated and a dough forms. If your butter was perfectly warm, you’ll have a cohesive dough. If it was a bit cooler, the dough might resemble coarse crumbs. Don’t worry! It will come together as you press it into the pan.
Press the Dough: Transfer the shortbread dough to your prepared pan. Using your hands or the back of a spoon, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan, ensuring it’s as level as possible. This promotes even baking and a consistent crust.
Bake the Shortbread: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the shortbread is beautifully golden brown around the edges and set in the center. While it bakes, move on to prepping your candy.
Chop Your Candy: This is a great task for little helpers (if you trust them not to eat all the evidence!). Chop your chosen candy bars and chocolates into smaller, bite-sized chunks. Aim for variety in size and shape to create interesting textures.
Melt the Chocolate Topping: Once the shortbread is baked, remove it from the oven. Immediately sprinkle the cup of semisweet chocolate chips evenly over the hot shortbread. Return the pan to the oven for just 1-2 minutes, or until the chocolate begins to look glossy and melty. Be careful not to let it burn!
Spread and Top: Remove the pan from the oven again. Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to gently spread the melted chocolate into an even layer across the warm shortbread crust. Work quickly!
Add the Candy: While the chocolate layer is still warm and gooey, immediately sprinkle all of your chopped candy bars and candy-coated chocolates over the top, pressing them down gently to ensure they adhere to the melted chocolate.
Cool Completely: This step is crucial for the bars to set properly. Allow the shortbread bars to cool at room temperature for at least half an hour, or ideally, overnight. This gives the melted chocolate time to solidify and act as a strong “glue” for the candy topping, ensuring clean cuts.
Slice and Serve: Once completely cooled and set, use the parchment paper overhangs to lift the entire shortbread slab out of the pan. Place it on a cutting board and slice into 16 evenly sized bars. Serve immediately and enjoy the sweet rewards of your Halloween haul!

Storage and Variations

These Leftover Candy Shortbread Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. While they’re best enjoyed fresh, they remain wonderfully delicious for a few days, making them perfect for sharing with friends, family, or as a delightful surprise in a lunchbox.

Feel free to get creative with your candy choices! Experiment with different combinations to discover your family’s new favorite. For example, a mix of chocolate and caramel candies creates a rich, indulgent experience, while adding some peanut butter cups or crispy bars introduces delightful textural contrasts. You can even drizzle a little extra melted white chocolate or caramel sauce over the top before the candy sets for an extra decorative touch and flavor boost. These bars aren’t just for Halloween; consider them for any holiday where candy abounds, like Easter or Valentine’s Day!

Thank you so much for letting me visit today and share a little chocolatey goodness with you. As Joan wisely told me within the first sixty seconds of our meeting, not much can top a good chocolate recipe!

Leftover Halloween Candy Shortbread
From Martha Stewart

Yield: 16 bars

Leftover Candy Shortbread Bars

Leftover Candy Shortbread Bars make quick work of any Halloween candy you’ve got hidden away. You can use any combination you’d like to make this delectable treat.

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
35 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped candy bars and candy coated chocolates, your choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper, and also lightly spray it with baking spray. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine butter, light brown sugar, and kosher salt, mixing until light and fluffy. (3-5 minutes, depending on how warm your butter is.)
Add in flour in increments, mixing after each addition, until flour is completely incorporated into the dough. If the butter was warm, you’ll have a cohesive dough. If it was a bit cooler, you may have dough that resembles coarse crumbs. That’s okay – you’ll simply press it into the pan and warm it with your hands as you do so. It’ll come together.
Press shortbread dough into prepared pan, making sure that it’s as level as possible so that it cooks evenly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until shortbread is golden brown and set.
While the shortbread bakes, chop your candy bars into smaller chunks.
Pour 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips over the dough and return to oven for 1-2 minutes, until the chocolate begins to melt.
Remove from the oven and use an offset spatula to spread chocolate in an even layer across the shortbread crust.
Immediately top with chopped candy bars and candy coated chocolate pieces to cover all the chocolate.
Allow to cool at least half an hour, or overnight, so that the melted chocolate can set and act as glue for the candy bar layer.
Slice into 16 bars and serve! May be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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