Perhaps you bought a load of candy for trick-or-treaters who didn’t turn out in the numbers you’d expected. Or maybe your kids brought home more than even they can manage. Whatever the reason, post-Halloween, many of us have a pile of candy at home that we don’t know what to do with. So, here are 9 ideas for how to use up your Halloween candy (other than just eating it).

1. Donate it
   If you don’t want to eat your Halloween candy, there’s sure to be someone who does. So, consider donating it to a local charity. Try checking out local food banks, homeless shelters, nursing homes, and community centres to see if they’re accepting donations.

2. Make milkshakes
   Blend leftover chocolate bars with ice cream or frozen yogurt to take your milkshake making to a whole new level.

3. Make a souped up trail mix
   Make your own indulgent trail mix by mixing small candies like M&Ms, Smarties, and jellybeans with chopped up nuts, dried fruits, and pretzels – the ultimate sweet and salty treat.

4. Mix it into cookie dough
   Make fun-filled cookies by chopping up leftover candy and chocolate bars and mixing them into cookie dough. You can either bake straightaway or divide into balls and freeze until a time that you’re craving cookies.

5. Save it for the holiday season
   With another candy-heavy season just around the corner, why not save your leftover Halloween treats for the holidays. That way, you don’t have to repurchase come December. If you use refillable advent calendars, you could also use your excess candy for these.

6. Have it with your coffee
   Take your morning coffee break up a notch by having a small chocolate on the side – just like in fancy establishments!

7. Use it to fill a piñata
   Got a party coming up? Consider adding to the festivities with a piñata filled with leftover Halloween candy. Empty piñatas ready to be filled with treats can be bought from most party stores.

8. Make melted candy-bar hot chocolate
   Craving something warm and sweet on these cold fall evenings? Try making melted candy bar hot chocolate. For this quick and simple recipe, combine chopped chocolate bars with milk in a saucepan set over a medium heat, whisking continuously until the chocolate has melted. Pour into your favourite mug, garnish with more candy, and enjoy!

9. Make sweet hand pies
   Try making these delicious, melt-in-the-middle treats with your leftover Halloween candy. All you need is store-bought pastry, chopped candy, a cookie cutter, and a baking tray. To make them, simply roll out the pastry, cut into circles with the cookie cutter, and place chopped chocolate in one half of the circle. Next, fold the dough over the candy filling and crimp the edges with your fingers or a fork to seal. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°F, leave to cool slightly, and tuck in! Full recipe here.

If you’re struggling for what to do with your leftover Halloween candy, we hope these 9 ideas have helped!