As a kid growing up I would *try* to save my favourite halloween candies for as long as possible. Though, every year this didn’t work out so well for me. I would end up with a bag of the wrapped hard candies and rockets, or other treats I didn’t love as much. Yes, halloween candy ranges on a scale for me, I do not love it all.

What I have come to learn in recent years, is that you can buy candy at the grocery store the day after Halloween on SUPER sale. It’s madness. This year it was sold out before I could get there. Apparently candy sales are all the rage.

For those who do savour their candy loots and somehow make the sugar supply last (well, I envy you) and perhaps this recipe is most suited for you.

I was thinking of a way to use up leftover halloween candy – if you have any left… Or use some of that sale-candy. And I thought it would pretty much all taste good inside of a cookie. So how about make a candy bar cookie bar?? You can group like-candies together and use those in the bar, or just make a monster-swamp-like cookie of everything. Experiment a little… Why not!

I found some recipes to work from for inspiration and created my own Halloween Candy Bar-Bar recipe. This will make a 9×13 pan size cookie, and it will freeze well: so you can wrap it up and save it for the upcoming holidays.

You will need a 9×13″ pan, lined with parchment paper (it helps to life the bar out of the pan with ease).

Preheat your oven to 350F.

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all purpose flour (or Gluten Free cup-4-cup replacement)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 peanut butter (or other favourite nut butter, and all natural is best for good nutty flavour)
1 cup unsalted butter, melted just until it’s pourable (not too hot)
2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups of leftover Halloween candy chopped into pieces (I used mostly Nestle bars, and added some pecans to make 2 cups)
1 cup rolled oats (optional) or 1//2 cup hemp seeds (optional) to rescue any nutritional value in these bars (if you must)

1. Mix your flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in one large bowl. Set aside.
2. Mix your eggs with a fork in a small bowl, add the vanilla and melted butter and beat with the fork. Add sugar. Mix thoroughly.
3. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture, add your peanut butter at the same time and mix well.
4. Add most (3/4) of your candy and fold in. Save a little bit to top your bars with before baking.
5. Spread the batter evenly into your pan. Use a spoon dipped in cold water, or use your hands. Sprinkle remaining candy on top.
6. Bake at 350F until golden brown, takes about 30 minutes. About 20 minutes in, rotate your pan in the oven so it browns evenly.
7. Let cool and remove from the pan, then cut into bars of desired size. Enjoy!

Halloween candy be gone! Sort of…

Which candy bars will you add?