These little shortbread cookie bars are just AMAZING, and they’re a great way to use up leftover Halloween candy. Buttery shortbread cookie bars laden with candy bits make for one amazing treat!
If you’ve ever been stuck with way too much candy after a less busy than anticipated trick or treating day, this recipe for shortbread cookie bars is what you need! You still get to enjoy that candy in a new fun way. Plus, you can bake these up and give them away as gifts if you’d prefer.
What Halloween candy do I need for these shortbread cookie bars?
- That’s the best part! You can use any candy you have leftover. Simply throw them in a food processor to get the pieces nice and small and add them to the shortbread mixture. Read the full recipe below for the how-to.
- For this recipe, we used 2 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, a ½ cup Whoppers, and ⅓ Cup Heath Bars
You’ll need to unwrap those little candies and they may just be the most time consuming part of this whole process!
Once you have your favorite candies mixed up into tiny little pieces, it’s time to add them to your shortbread mixture.
After combining the delicious leftover Halloween candy with shortbread dough, you’ll simply spread the dough and get it baked!
Right when these bars come out of oven, cut them however you’d like. We do little triangles because it’s the perfect bite-sized treat. Next up comes the frosting!
How long do these shortbread cookie bars last?
- They keep very well for a few days as long as you store them in an air tight container.
- We like to make these for an event like baby shower or game night so feel free to make them a couple of days ahead of time.
What candy will you use in your leftover Halloween candy shortbread bars? Leave a comment below and let us know!
And, if you’re looking for another great Halloween treat to make, try these Frankenstein cookies!
Trashed Up Shortbread Cookie Bars (that use leftover Halloween candy)
Ingredients
For the bars
- 3 sticks butter unsalted, at room temperature (1 1/2 cups butter)
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 2½ cups flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 cup candy crushed (we used 2 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, a ½ cup Whoppers, and ⅓ Cup Heath Bars)
- ⅛-1/4 cup water
For the frosting
- 3 Tbs Butter melted
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
Optional
- 1-2 Tbs sanding sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 baking dish (I use this one) with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat butter for 1 minute, then scrape down the sides and add the powdered sugar and beat on low until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the flour and the corn starch. Beat slowly until the dough resembles a crumbly mixture.
- In a food processor, dump your bite-size candies in. Pulse until candies are broken up into small pieces.
- Next add the cup of candy pieces and beat until incorporated. If it is very dry and crumbly, add ⅛-1/4 cup water so that the mixture comes together.
- Spread/press into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on the edges. Remove from oven, and immediately lift/transfer the parchment paper and shortbread bars to a cutting board or flat surface and cut them into squares, and then cut each square diagonally.
To make the frosting
- While the shortbread bars are baking make the frosting. To do so, mix all the frosting ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer until they are creamy and well mixed together. Pour frosting over the warm, cut shortbread bars. If using sanding sugar sprinkle it on top of the frosting.
- Allow bars to cool completely, then separate them with a butter knife by running the knife along the lines you have already cut. Then enjoy!
Buy Handmade Wooden Bookshelf Online says
I love these Shortbread Cookie Bars , these seems amazing and unique . Thanks for sharing these , I was actually searching for same kind of bar recipe .
Complete Uttarakhand Tour Guide says
Love these Shortbread Cookie Bars recipes , these are amazing and unique . Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Sweetphi says
So glad you loved the recipe
Rose says
Love these delicious Trashed Up Shortbread Cookie Bars, these seems super delicious and amazing . My kids gonna love these bars , super excited to try these . Thanks for sharing these.
Girish Jha says
Thanks for sharing these Trashed Up Shortbread Cookie Bars, these bars seems so delicious and amazing , will love to try this delicious one
Vamika says
delicious one shared, will try this recipe for sure. Thanks for sharing this one.
Alishka says
Love this “Shortbread Cookie Bars”, these are so amazing and delicious stuff, thanks for sharing
phoenix says
Great recipe! I made it according to your recipe and the taste is great! Everyone in the family likes it, it makes me happy. Thank you
Sweetphi says
So happy you love the recipe, thank you for your feedback!
Wakky says
Wow, that’s an amazing idea. I will try that too.
Meagan says
Any thoughts on how they would freeze?? Getting ready to make them now – Can’t wait to see how they turn out. Thanks for the recipe!
Sweetphi says
That’s a great question! I think they would freeze really well. I’d make sure that they were cool completely first and then freeze them and then just let them thaw before enjoying! I’ve frozen regular short bread bars before and they thawed great 🙂
Sommer @ASpicyPerspective says
Oh, these cookie bars are perfect for a holiday cookie exchange!
Sweetphi says
I’m sure anyone in a cookie exchange would be MORE than happy to receive these for a holiday cookie exchange..little bits of candy…yum! Thanks for commenting Sommer!
Ashley McLaughlin says
Gah! These are my dream cookie!! Thanks so much for joining in for Jess’s shower!
Sweetphi says
You’re too sweet! Thank you so much for comment, and an even bigger thank you for setting it all up, what a fantastic event 🙂
DaisyAtHome says
Love these! I may have to stop eating all this leftover Halloween candy long enough to make some epic shortbread bars. Yum!
Sweetphi says
Ha, you’re so sweet! But seriously, this shortbread is absolutely the perfect way to eat leftover Halloween candy 🙂
Jennifer @ Show Me the Yummy says
These look craaaazy good! I love that you put Reeses in there 🙂
Sweetphi says
Thanks! Reeses should go in every dessert, right?
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
You don’t want to run out of candy on Halloween 🙂
Sweetphi says
Haha, girl, with the amount of candy my hubby bought it will be months (and lots of batches of these) before I run out lol!
Sarah | The Sugar Hit says
Oh man, these are insane! Any time a cookie and a candy bar meet, beautiful things happen.
Sweetphi says
Haha, girl you’re so right…any time a cookie and a candy bar meet, beautiful things DO happen! I’m totally loling over here 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
Amanda says
WOW!!! This is just fantastic!!!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much Amanda, truly appreciate the comment 🙂
bevweidner says
Giiiiirl these are PERFECT. Thank you so much for being a part!
Sweetphi says
OMG THANK YOU for putting it all together, you are 1 in a million 🙂
Denise says
What size baking dish?
Sweetphi says
Thank you for your comment, I used a 9×13 pan, but you could certainly use a square pan, the bars would just be a little thicker 🙂
Denise says
Thanks! I’m not a huge fan of whoppers and I have a bunch leftover from Halloween too. Seems like the perfect way to use them 🙂
Sweetphi says
This would definitely be the perfect way to use them 🙂
brandi says
these are SO perfect! love all those chopped up little bits of candy in every bite. i have a feeling i know what i’ll be doing with MY leftover candy now.
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your super sweet comment! And these bars, omg, they’re definitely perfect for leftover Halloween candy!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
We have SO much candy leftover from Halloween. I made my husband bring most of it to work. We still have a small stash here. These shortbread bars are such a fabulous and fun idea!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much for your comment, these shortbread bars are absolutely perfect for using left over Halloween candy in 🙂
jlampe12 says
Oh man, I want these so bad. They look amazing!!
Sweetphi says
Thank you so much!
Lynn Lovejoy from Order in the Kitchen says
Phi you are too adorable. I love these shortbread cookie bars and they SO fit Jessica! You are amazing lady!!
Sweetphi says
Awe, thank you so much girl, truly appreciate the comment 🙂
Jessica says
oh my gosh. THESE ARE TO DIE FOR. i can’t get over them. thank you so much!! XOXOXO
Sweetphi says
You’re so welcome beautiful girl, ALL the congratulations in the world as you bring your beautiful baby into this world (and I have no doubt he or she will be the snazziest kid evvvver !)
wearenotmartha says
Seriously, why am I not eating these for breakfast right now??
Sues
Sweetphi says
These would definitely make one sweet breakfast…pun intended lol. And I have to fess up…I did have one of these cookie bars on my way to work 😉
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says
haha love the story about your hubby, alllll the candy!!
Sweetphi says
All the candy, right? Wasn’t he being a little ridiculous? I totally made fun of him lol, but I still <3 him 😉
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
Dang girl – you know how to get down with the trashy theme!! Love this!
Sweetphi says
Haha thank you so much Liz, can you tell I had way to much fun with it? lol