Recipes for Leftover Halloween Candy, from Meringues to Booze
It’s almost Halloween, which means candy season. Whether you’re planning for Trick-or-Treaters or not, it’s pretty hard to walk into your local drug store and not come out with an embarrassingly large bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (undisputed king of Halloween candy*) or something equally delicious and spooky.
So, on one hand: Yay! So much candy! On the other hand: Eek! What do I do with all this candy? If you’re sick of eating it the old-fashioned way (at night, in bed, probably with Netflix) and are looking for some new ways to enjoy those individually wrapped packets of joy, here are some things you can make with all the “leftovers” to mix it up and blow minds.
*Seriously, it’s the best candy. Please do not argue.
Matt Duckor1/4MAGIC SHELL
As if the concept of Magic Shell wasn’t magical enough, you can also make it with leftover Halloween chocolate. You know Krackel, the lesser-known competitor to the Nestlé Crunch Bar? Probably not, because it's constantly being overlooked in favor of better candy, like Reese’s and Snickers and Reese’s. But not this time. Melt down these chocolate bars and their crunchy crispy things still stay crunchy and crispy, adding even more texture to whatever you’re dipping. Now THAT’S magic. RECIPE: Slowly melt 1 lb. of Krackels with 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (you can do this over a double boiler, or in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between). Once totally liquified, you can get to dipping your ice cream cones and bananas. Freeze at least 10 minutes for full magic effect.
Matt Duckor2/4ICE CREAM
Everyone knows the best way to enjoy a York Peppermint Patty is to freeze it, right? Well, do that, but first chop it up and then mix it into vanilla ice cream. What you get is basically a cheater's version of mint chocolate chip. Sure, lots of companies make ice cream with candy in it, but it’s still fun to do it yourself. And the sky’s the limit--any candy bar will work in this. RECIPE: Mix 1 1/2 cups of chopped candy bars (or York Peppermint Patties) and 1 pint vanilla ice cream and with a wooden spoon or spatula to combine. Freeze it again at least 1 hour before eating the whole thing.
Matt Duckor3/4HALLOWEEN JUNGLE JUICE
Maybe the easiest (dare we say "most spirited"?) way to get rid of all that pesky candy: turn it into something that will get you tipsy. And if you weren’t planning on throwing a Halloween party this year, you might want to reconsider. This concoction isn’t something you’re going to casually sip on a mellow Wednesday night in. RECIPE: Combine 1 cup fruit candy (Jolly Ranchers, Gummi Bears, Butterscotch, Starburst, and Twizzlers all work) with 2 cups vodka in a large glass jar or resealable container. Let sit at least 24 hours for hard candy like Jolly Ranchers, and at least 48 for softer candy like Gummi Bears and Starburst), shaking occasionally to dissolve. Not that the color matters here, because let’s be honest, you’re drinking melted candy, but keep like colors together for the prettiest results. (When we were testing this, some of us were perfectly content to drink this out of little cups filled with lots of ice. But go ahead, make punch, use them for JELL-O shots, get wild. It’s Halloween!)
Matt Duckor4/4MERINGUES
If there’s even a slight possibility you could ever get bored with eating Reese’s straight-up, these meringues are a really good alternative, especially crumbled over ice cream. You could totally use other candy bars, like Snickers, Milky Ways, or Kit Kats. But why? RECIPE: Preheat oven to 220°. Using an electric mixer on medium-high, whip 3 egg whites until light and frothy, 1–2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 1/2 cup sugar and continue to whip to medium peaks, about 5 minutes. Slowly add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and whip meringue to stiff peaks, another 2–3 minutes. Using a spatula, fold in 1 cup chopped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (mini or regular size works). Dollop meringue by the heaping 1 tablespoonful onto 2 parchment-lined baking trays and bake until light golden brown and crispy, about 1 1/2–2 hours (meringues will crisp up as the cool). Store them airtight at room temperature for a few days.
