Candy Cookie Bars! Two layers of gooey chocolate chip cookie dough is stuffed with the candy of your choice. The perfect dessert recipe to use up that Halloween Candy or adapt them for any holiday.
Do you need a way to use all that extra Halloween candy (like this Candy-Stuffed Rice Crispy Cake)?
Want a dessert and don't want to decide between cookies or a Reese's (or snickers or twix)? Then today is your lucky day. You're going to love these leftover Halloween Candy Cookie Bars.
In this recipe, two layers of gooey chocolate chip cookie dough is stuffed with the candy of your choice. The perfect dessert recipe to use up that Halloween Candy or adapt them for any holiday.
Candy Cookie Bars: Ingredients & Substitutions
Let's chat a little bit about the ingredients in this candy cookie bar recipe.
- All-Purpose Flour. If you need a gluten-free version...simply substitute Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour for the regular flour and choose gluten-free candy.
- Butter. I use salted butter, but unsalted butter works great too.
- Chocolate Chips. Both mini and regular chocolate chips work well in this recipe!
- Candy. Choose your favorite candy. I recommend sticking with chocolatey varieties, but the sky's the limit. Here are some candy suggestions:
- Reese's, Twix, Snickers, Rolos, Hershey Kisses, M&Ms, You favorite chocolate bars!, Reese's Pieces, Peanut butter Chips, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, etc.
How to make Candy Cookie Bars
Make the Dough
To make the dough I simply cut my recipe for The Most Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies in half. If it ain't broke, don't fix it right? Spread a little less than half of the dough in a baking dish...
Fill with Candy
Then comes the clincher. Take your favorite candy from your kids' trick or treat bags
(YES, you can eat as much as you want, you are raising them) and make a layer on top of the cookie dough.
I used Reese's cups this time, but have had delicious success with every flavor of Hershey's Kisses, Twix, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, etc.
Cover the Candy with Dough
Next, take the rest of the cookie dough and completely cover the candy. If you leave a little crack you can expect to have some gooey chocolatey candy leakage occur.
Another important note, be sure to leave about a half of an inch gap between your dough and the edge/side of your pan. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars puff up and fill the pan as they bake.
Make the Candy Cookie Bars Fun for any Holiday
I topped these with some Halloween sprinkles (although I have left them plain)! The great thing about these Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars is you can adapt them for any season.
Try using peppermint hugs stuffed inside of a cookie completely covered in Christmas sprinkles for Christmas. Use chocolate hearts and valentine's sprinkles for Valentine's day. The possibilities are endless.
Bake the Candy Cookie Bars
Bake the Candy Cookie Bars for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown (see below). They will be a touch doughy (because that's the only way to eat a cookie), so you have to let them cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
If you have guests over and need to make a knock-your-socks-off dessert in 30 minutes, this recipe is a winner. It is my go-to when we're entertaining and I don't want to spend all day in the kitchen. I mean, look at that gooey, doughy, perfectly delicious stack of cookies down there.
Enjoy
Serve these candy cookie bars slightly warm for the best flavor. They will be slightly gooey with crispy edges and little pockets of candy. YUM!
Store
These candy cookie bars keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I suggest slightly reheating them in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds to restore their fresh-from-the-oven gooeyness before enjoying.
Freeze
To freeze, let the bars cool completely. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQs
You can tell they done when the top is golden-brown and they are only slightly "jiggly."
Technically yes, you can test many different candies and see which is your favorite. You can use a mixture of different varieties as well (e.g., Reese's, Rolos and kisses all in one batch). Just be sure to spread it in an even layer.
When the cookie bars come out of the oven they will be softer. As they cool down, they will harden more.
Yes, you can double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13" pan.
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Candy Cookie Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour*
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips regular or mini
- 25 Miniature Reese’s Cups or 9 full size (or any other candy of your choosing)!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a 9x9” baking pan with parchment paper
and lightly grease. Set aside. - In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream together butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.
- Add egg and vanilla to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and beat until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.
- Press a little less than half of the dough into the bottom of your prepared baking pan, leaving about a ½ inch gap between the cookie dough and the side of the pan (it expands during baking)
- Place Reese’s cups (or any other candy of your choosing) evenly spaced on top of the first layer of dough.
- Top with the remaining cookie dough, making sure to completely cover the candy on both the top and sides.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
- Let the bars cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift the cookie bars out of the pan, then cut into squares and serve.
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- All-Purpose Flour. If you need a gluten-free version...simply substitute Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour for the regular flour and choose gluten-free candy.
- Butter. I use salted butter, but unsalted butter works great too.
- Chocolate Chips. Both mini and regular chocolate chips work well in this recipe!
- Candy. Choose your favorite candy. I recommend sticking with chocolatey varieties, but the sky's the limit. Here are some candy suggestions:
- Reese's, Twix, Snickers, Rolos, Hershey Kisses, M&Ms, You favorite chocolate bars!, Reese's Pieces, Peanut butter Chips, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, etc.
Store
These candy cookie bars keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I suggest slightly reheating them in the microwave for about 5-10 seconds to restore their fresh-from-the-oven gooeyness before enjoying.Freeze
To freeze, let the bars cool completely. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.Nutrition
More Delicious Recipes
- Try this rice crispy cake, also stuffed with candy like these bars.
- Use this recipe to make plain chocolate chip cookies bars these are the best or make the best chocolate chip cookies ever.
- Monster cookies are another fun halloween treat.
- Or stuff these homemade brownies with candy - yum.
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Jodie
Chocolate mint addict here!
Try adding a tablespoon of cocoa to the flour, and use York peppermint patties, Andes candies or Junior mints (or all three) for the candy. Keep everything else the same. Outstandingggg!
Helena
Great.... Wow, it sure looks delicious.!!