8 ways to repurpose leftover candy after the holidays

Chocolate candies such as Hershey's Kisses are often given throughout the holiday season. Once the holidays are over, there are various ways to use any leftover candy. Richard B. Levine/Sipa USA/TNS
Chocolate candies such as Hershey's Kisses are often given throughout the holiday season. Once the holidays are over, there are various ways to use any leftover candy. Richard B. Levine/Sipa USA/TNS

Over the holidays, it can be easy to accumulate excessive bags of candy that could take months to eat.  

 

Over the holidays, it can be easy to accumulate excessive bags of candy that could take months to eat. 

Instead of trying to consume handfuls of sugar at once, here are other suggestions to use leftover holiday candy. 

  1. Use Hershey chocolate bars for fondue

One way to use leftover chocolate bars is to melt them down in a double boiler — a bowl set inside a saucepan filled with boiling water — to create a fondue. 

2. Use candy canes as stir sticks for hot chocolate or coffee

For those who are sad the holiday peppermint coffee creamer is slowly fading away for the season, or for those who just like peppermint flavoring, candy canes can be an easy way to infuse the flavor into both coffee and hot chocolate. With hot chocolate, candy canes can even replace the need for a spoon. 

3. Use candy canes in desserts

Along with using full-sized candy canes in coffee and hot chocolate, crushed candy canes can also be used in many different desserts such as ice cream, rice crispy treats and brownies. They add an extra crunch many people like in their sweets. 

4. Use candy bars for frosting

Just as people can melt candy bars into chocolate for fondue, they can also melt them into frosting for cake, cupcakes and other treats. They can be melted in the microwave or over the stove. Adding whipped cream to the chocolate can also add volume and texture to the frosting. 

5. Use leftover lollipops and hard candies for stained glass cookies

For those looking for a creative baking outlet, stained glass cookies allow room for multiple interpretations. After making sugar cookie dough and cutting out the desired shape, crush lollipops and hard candies in a food processor until they are in small chunks. Cut out a smaller shape from the middle of the sugar cookies and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle the candies in the middle of each cookie to fill the middle hole. Bake at the required time and oven temperature of the sugar cookie dough recipe. The inside of the cookies will come out looking like stained glass windows. 

6. Use leftover candy as a donation

Although the holidays have already passed, people are always welcome to send care packages to the troops. Donating leftover candy and writing letters to those fighting overseas can be a heartwarming way to clean out the taunting candy jar sitting on the counter. 

7. Use starbursts and skittles for adult drinks

For those of age, starbursts and skittles can be combined with various adult drinks to create fruity concoctions. 

8. Use leftover candy bars for apple salad

To put a twist on a popular dessert, adding various candy bars to apple salad can give it a crunch people are looking for. 

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