This post may contain affiliate sales links. Please see our full disclosure policy for details.
Halloween candy cookies are the easiest way to turn a bowl of leftover trick-or-treat candy into a dessert everyone actually wants to eat. These start with a box of white cake mix, so the dough comes together in minutes with no creaming butter or measuring out a long list of dry ingredients.
Every cookie gets loaded with chopped candy bars, so no two bites taste quite the same, and a little extra candy pressed on top after baking makes them look just as good as they taste. Bake up a batch and you’ll have a completely different cookie every time depending on what’s left in the candy bowl.
The result is a soft, chewy cookie with candy melted into every single bite.
Table of Contents
I’ll be honest, Halloween isn’t my favorite holiday. I don’t dislike it exactly, it just doesn’t hold the same spot in my heart that Thanksgiving and Christmas do, especially now that my kids are grown.
When Taters and Tales were little, though, we lived on the busiest trick-or-treating street in our town, and I’d have family and friends over for a spooky dinner before the doorbell started ringing for the night.
These Halloween candy cookies would have been an easy addition to that dessert table, right alongside my No Bake Halloween Candy Cheesecake, which is another good way to use up whatever candy is left in the bowl.
Why This Recipe Works
A cake mix takes care of all the measuring, so you get a foolproof, consistent cookie base every single time without pulling out flour, sugar, and leavening.
Since the candy is chopped and folded in at the end, you can use whatever combination you have on hand. That’s the same trick I use in my Easy Copycat Crumbl Twix Cookies and my Easy Kit Kat Brownie Cookies, where chopped candy bars get folded straight into a cake mix base.
If you’d rather stick with a classic chocolate chip cookie for the holiday, my Creepy Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies are another fun option to add to your Halloween baking list.
Ingredients Needed
- White Cake Mix – This is what makes these Halloween candy cookies so quick and foolproof. You can also use vanilla cake mix if that’s what you have on hand.
- Butter – I used salted butter, melted, which adds richness and helps the dough come together quickly.
- Sour Cream – Just two tablespoons keeps the dough moist and helps the cookies stay soft as they cool.
- Leftover Halloween Candy – Chocolate and caramel based candy bars hold up best in the oven. Save gummy or hard candies to snack on instead, since they won’t bake into the dough the same way.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
The Cake Mix I Used
For this recipe, I used a white cake mix. My go-to brand is Betty Crocker, but Duncan Hines and Pillsbury would work just as well. Whatever brand you use, just make sure it’s a standard 13.25-ounce box.
Can I Use a Different Cake Mix?
Yes, a yellow cake mix would work well here, too, and will give the cookies a more golden color. A chocolate cake mix would also work great if you want a super chocolatey dessert!
How to Make Halloween Candy Cookies
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk the cake mix and flour together to break up any lumps. Add the eggs, melted butter, and sour cream, and mix with a hand held or stand mixer until you have a thick dough. Fold in the chopped Halloween candy, saving a handful of pieces to add on top after baking.
Step 2: Use a large cookie scoop to divide the dough into 16 portions. Shape each one into a thick round disc with your hands before placing it on a lined baking sheet.
Step 3: Bake 6 cookies at a time for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still slightly soft.
Step 4: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press a few more pieces of candy onto the top of each one. Let them cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
Cookie Tips
I have tons of tips for making cookies turn out perfectly every time, but these are my top tips for this recipe:
- Chill the dough if it feels too soft to scoop. Ten to fifteen minutes in the fridge makes it much easier to shape into even discs.
- Save your prettiest candy pieces for the topping. Pressing them on right after baking, while the cookie is still warm and slightly sticky, helps them stay put.
- Bake in batches instead of crowding the pan. This is what keeps every cookie the same size with evenly set edges.
- Chop the candy into small, even pieces. Bigger chunks can weigh down one side of the dough and make the cookies bake unevenly.
Storage and Freezing
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
These cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Leftover Halloween Candy Cookie FAQs
Yes, this Halloween candy cookies recipe works with any single candy bar or a mix, so use whatever you have the most of.
Aim for pieces about the size of a chocolate chip. Smaller, even pieces distribute through the dough more evenly than big chunks.
Yes, Halloween sprinkles or chopped peanuts would both be a fun addition if you want to change things up.
Do you love candy cookies?
Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @practicallyhomemade on Pinterest!
Loaded Halloween Candy Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix, 13.25 ounces
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup butter, melted {I used salted butter}
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
- 2 cups Halloween Candy, {chopped}
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- Combine cake mix and flour in a medium bowl, whisk {or sift} together. Add eggs, melted butter and sour cream. Mix using a hand held {or stand} mixer until you have a thick dough. Add Halloween candy to the cookie dough {making sure to reserve some of them for the top of the cookie after baking} and mix until they are evenly distributed in the dough.
- Use a large cookie scoop to measure out 16 cookies. Use your hands to gently shape each cookie dough portion into a thick round disc before placing it onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake 6 cookies at a time. Place the cookie on a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are set but the center is still slightly soft.
- Remove cookies from the oven, add more Halloween Candy to the top of each cookie and allow them to cool completely on the baking sheet.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
