Before you give in to the temptation of the kids’ Halloween candy stash hidden under their beds, trade some of those treats for these irresistible Candy Bar Muffins. It’s a simple way to tame temptation and turn excess candy into a more balanced indulgence.
The goblins have gobbled, the pirates have looted and the ghosts have slithered away. Halloween is over and you’re left with a handful of treats in the bottom of the candy bowl and pillowcases full of temptation stashed under the beds. You’ve already picked out your favourite bars—fair enough, you were chief costume designer and Halloween organizer—but how do you keep the rest of those sweets from becoming your family’s main food group for the next few weeks?
Collect the treat bags and try one or more of the following ideas:
1. Unwrap crispy chocolate and candy bars (Skor, Crunchie, Crispie Crunch, M&M’s, Twix, etc.) and place them in a zip-top bag. Crush them with a rolling pin until you have small, even crumbles. Freeze the crumbles and use them to top parfaits, yogurt, pancakes, rice pudding, muffins before baking, or folded into whipped cream. Mix with chopped nuts for a crunchy oatmeal topper.
2. Dice chewier bars (Mars, Oh Henry, Snickers, Wunderbar, Caramilk, etc.) and toss them with a light dusting of cornstarch to keep them from clumping. Freeze and use them in place of chocolate chips in cookies, muffins, loaf cakes or cheesecakes. They also work wonderfully folded into pancake batter, warm puddings, granola or trail mix. I especially love them in banana loaf, where they melt into gooey pockets.
3. Chop meltable bars (milk chocolate, Mars, Caramilk) and stir into simmering milk. Whisk until smooth for a rich, caramel-style hot chocolate.
4. Donate wrapped treats to food banks, shelters, or group homes.
5. Give them to a family with hungry teenagers.
6. If you have backyard chickens, a small, occasional treat can be entertaining for them (ask your vet if unsure).
7. Or convert your candy into these muffins. Diced candy pieces bake into melty pockets inside and form crunchy, crackly bits on top—delicious.
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Kitchen Frau Notes: Alternative flours contribute fiber and nutrients and are sold in health food stores or the natural foods section of supermarkets. Using some wholesome ingredients in these muffins helps balance the indulgence of the candy. If you can’t find ground golden flaxseed, regular ground flaxseed will work; it has a slightly stronger flavor.
If you prefer to make these muffins with regular wheat flour, replace the flours, starch and flaxseed in the ingredient list with 1½ cups all-purpose flour, or use a mix of half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour.
Candy Bar Muffins (or Raid-the-Halloween-Loot-Bag Muffins)
(gluten-free if you use gluten-free candy)
- ½ cup (75 g) brown rice flour
- ½ cup (65 g) sorghum flour
- ¼ cup (35 g) tapioca starch
- ¼ cup (30 g) ground golden flaxseeds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) liquid honey
- 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 fun-sized candy bars* (gluten-free if required), or a heaping ½ cup chopped larger candy bar, or regular chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg, then add the oil, honey, applesauce and vanilla. Tip: measure the oil first, then the honey—the honey will slide out of the cup easily.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until evenly moistened. Dice or coarsely chop about six of the candy bars and fold them into the batter.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Finely dice or chop the remaining two candy bars and sprinkle the pieces over the muffin tops.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Makes 12 muffins. Let them cool briefly before eating, as the melted candy can be very hot.
*Some candy bars are made without wheat—examples include Crunchie, Caramilk, Snickers, Oh Henry and M&M’s—but always check labels as ingredients change and manufacturing practices vary by country. For people with celiac disease or severe wheat allergy, choose clearly labeled gluten-free chocolate or use gluten-free chips.
Guten Appetit!
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Strawberry, Almond Flour and White Chocolate Muffins
Hummingbird Muffins
Healthy Halloween Fudge (a.k.a. pumpkin poop!)
Pumpkin Freezer Fudge
