Halloween Candy Brown Butter Cookies

Use up your leftover Halloween candy by mixing it into a batch of perfect brown butter cookies. 

Halloween Candy Brown Butter Cookies Recipe

If you ever find yourself with an abundance of Halloween candy (say, on November 1), this recipe is just what you need. It's become sort of a tradition for me to come home from trick or treating and immediately start making a batch of these cookies as a treat for me and my kids. With swirls of caramel, crunchy salty bits, and lots of extra chocolate, you'll end up with cookies even better than traditional chocolate chip—plus, you can continue to enjoy candy long after trick or treating is over.

Ingredients for Halloween Candy Brown Butter Cookies

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • About 2 cups of various Halloween candy, cut into small pieces if necessary (M&Ms, Milky Way, Reeses, Snickers, etc! You can also throw in pretzel pieces for extra crunch/salt)
  • Flaky sea salt, to top

How to Make Your Halloween Candy Brown Butter Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and swirl occasionally until brown specks form (about 5-7 minutes). Once these specks appear and it smells slightly nutty, remove from heat and let cool. Don't walk away, it can burn quickly.
  3. Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition, followed by the vanilla.
  5. Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt, and stir on medium-low until a dough forms. 
  6. Fold the candy into the dough until just combined (being careful not to overmix). Place the mixing bowl in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. Chilling helps the cookies bake more evenly. if you're in a rush you can skip this step, but I highly recommend it.
  7. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and let sit for 5-10 minutes so it's pliable. Scoop the dough onto the baking sheet and top each ball with additional candy or chocolate chips. 
  8. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly golden.
  9. Immediately after you remove the cookies from the oven, swirl a large glass or biscuit cutter around them to get a perfect circle. 
  10. Top with flaky sea salt and try not to eat them all at once. 

What You'll Need

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