Mom Hack: Make Frozen Cookie Dough from Your Halloween Candy!

Now that Halloween is a few weeks past its due date, you’re probably ready to get your kids’ candy out of the house. There are lots of good places to donate, from shelters to dentists’ offices to the military, but we stumbled upon this smart idea from The Baker Mama and wanted to share it. This freezable dough uses up your Halloween candy, and you’re ready for any last minute bake sale request from school – win-win! “Making this cookie dough with our leftover Halloween candy is one of our favorite family traditions. We love having a freezer stocked with cookie dough to bake at a later date, once the sugar rush of Halloween has worn off,” says Meagan, who recently published her first book called Beautiful Boards (it really is beautiful – check it out!).

LEFTOVER HALLOWEEN CANDY COOKIE DOUGH

Serves: 30

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups leftover Halloween candy (about 30 bite-sized chocolate bars chopped and 10 mini bags of candy pieces such as M&M’s and candy corn)

Instructions

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and eggs until well combined. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined. With the mixer on low speed or with a mixing spoon, stir in the Halloween candy.
2. To freeze the cookie dough for baking later, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the baking sheet. Scoops of dough can be close together at this point. Press a few extra pieces of chopped candy and candy pieces into the tops of each scoop of cookie dough, if desired.
3. Place baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Take the cookie dough out of the freezer and transfer to a freezer-safe plastic container or plastic bag. Return the dough to the freezer and store until ready to bake. Dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
4. When craving a cookie, simply remove the number of cookies you want from the freezer and place a few inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes or until cookies start to brown and crisp around the edges. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Note: If you want warm cookies right away after mixing the cookie dough, just place 2 tablespoon scoops of dough a few inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press a few extra pieces of chopped candy and candy pieces into the tops of each scoop of cookie dough, if desired. Bake at 350°F for 9-11 minutes or until cookies start to brown and crisp around the edges. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.