Loaded Candy Brownies – 🍫😍🧡 Dense, fudgy, and loaded with candy pieces in every bite! A dessert lover’s dream, these EASY loaded candy bar brownies are the perfect way to use up leftover candy!
Table of Contents
Quick and Easy Candy Bar Brownies Recipe
Halloween is just around the corner, and that means our cupboards will soon be full of leftover candy. During this time, I love to make these brownies to clear out leftover Halloween candy – or candy from any holiday.
The brownies have more variety of miniature and fun-size candy bars baked in than most gas stations sell. Butterfinger, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Snickers, Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Nestle Crunch, Twix, and M&Ms – you name it. These brownies have it all!
I adapted one of my favorite brownie bases because it makes an 8×8 pan. And with brownies this decadent, a bigger pan enters into dangerous territory.
There’s no melted chocolate in them, and they’re made simply with cocoa powder. I used to think cocoa powder brownies couldn’t possibly hold a candle to melted chocolate brownies or be as fudgy, but this base proves me wrong.
They’re as easy as a boxed brownie mix and ready in half an hour. I encourage you not to buy any new candy for these. Shop in your own pantry. Try chocolate-covered pretzels or nuts, two-day old chopped up cookies, leftover caramel corn, diced Nilla wafers or graham crackers, whatever you have that’s snacky and munchy, toss it in.
And if you’re so inclined, sprinkle on a little more candy and some chocolate chips. Rich, decadent, and just want the pantry cleanout doctor ordered, these candy brownies never disappoint!
Love candy-loaded recipes?
I’ve made Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Crumble Bars (cookie dough base), Milky Way Chocolate Cookie Crumble Bars (chocolate cookie dough base), Triple Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Bars (blondie base with PB three ways), and Loaded M&M Oreo Cookie Bars (blondie base loaded up), too!
Try them all, or pick your favorites!
Ingredients in Loaded Fudgy Candy Bar Brownies
To make these brownies with candy pieces, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter – melted
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Brewed coffee – this is optional and doesn’t make your brownies taste like coffee, but it does enhance the chocolate taste
- Vanilla extract
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- Instant espresso coffee granules – again, these are optional but highly recommended for the boldest chocolate flavor
- Salt
- All-purpose flour – feel free to use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to keep these brownies gluten-free
- Fun-sized candy bars – Twix, Butterfinger, Musketeers, Milky Way, Snickers, Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Nestle Crunch, etc. If using regular sized bars, just chop them into tiny pieces
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- M&Ms
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Candy Brownies
Making brownies with candy bars is so quick and easy you’ll feel like you’re working with a box mix!
Here’s an overview of how the brownies are made:
- Mix the slightly cooled melted butter, eggs, sugar, optional coffee, and vanilla in a bowl. Add the cocoa powder, espresso granules, and salt, whisking until smooth. Stir in the flour just until combined.
- Turn 2/3 of the brownie batter into a square baking pan lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper and greased with cooking spray.
- Arrange the candy bar pieces over the batter. Add the remaining batter, and sprinkle the top of the brownies with the chocolate chips and M&Ms.
- Bake until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan for 1 hour. Then, slice, and enjoy!
Recipe Tip
For easy lifting, let your foil hang over the edges of the pan. Then, all you have to do is grab both ends and lift! This helps create smooth cuts for bakery-worthy brownies.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, double all the ingredients, and use a 9×13 baking pan. Just be sure to keep a close eye on your oven, and adjust the baking time as needed.
Stored in an airtight container, leftover brownies will stay fresh at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I prefer to store them in the fridge, and serve them slightly chilled!
Yes! You can freeze candy bar brownies for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature when ready to eat.
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Loaded Fudgy Candy Bar Brownies
Equipment
- 1 (8×8 inch) Baking Dish
- 1 Large, Microwave-Safe Bowl
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 1/4 sticks, melted
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons brewed coffee, leftover from the morning brew is fine, optional but recommend to enhance chocolate flavor and does not make brownies taste like coffee
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process, I used Hershey’s natural
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee granules, optional but recommend to enhance chocolate flavor and does not make brownies taste like coffee
- ¼ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- about 12 to 15 fun-size candy bars, diced in half if it’s larger like a Twix (I used Butterfinger, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Snickers, Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Nestle Crunch, Twix)
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, for topping
- ⅓ cup M&M’s for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang on the sides, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute. Allow butter to cool momentarily so you don’t scramble the eggs.
- Add the eggs, sugars, optional coffee, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the cocoa powder, optional espresso granules, optional salt, and whisk to combine. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, it could take a couple minutes of vigorous whisking.
- Add the flour and stir until just combined, don’t overmix.
- Turn two-thirds of the batter out into prepared pan, reserving the remaining one-third; just eyeball it. The reserved amount should be about 1 1/2 cups; set reserved portion aside.
- Place candy bar pieces onto batter, distributed evenly, in an even, flat layer. I made 5 rows with about 5 pieces candy per row.
- Top with reserved batter to cover candy. Gently smooth and distribute batter with a spatula or knife
- Evenly sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
- Evenly sprinkle the optional M&M’s over the top.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until done; don’t overbake. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out mostly clean, but will likely have a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow brownies to cool in pan for about 1 hour before lifting out with foil overhang and slicing.
- Brownies will keep airtight at room temperature or refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I prefer to store them in the fridge and serve them slightly chilled.
- Adapted from The Ultimate Fudgy Caramel Brownies
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Bars and Brownies:
Peanut Butter-Swirled Fudgy Brownies – These one-bowl, no-mixer brownies are thick, dense, rich, ultra-fudgy, with zero traces of cakiness nor dryness!
The Ultimate Fudgy Caramel Brownies – Possibly the best brownies I’ve ever had or made, and definitely my husband’s new favorite. It’s a one-bowl recipe that’s whisked together in 5 minutes and produces ridiculously rich and fudgy brownies with zero cakiness!
Homemade Little Debbie Cosmic Brownies – These homemade Cosmic Brownies are dark, dense, and rich. The edges are just a bit chewy, with a moist and ultra-fudgy interior!
Fudgy Nutella Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting – Rich, fudgy, and topped with a sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting, these brownies are moist, decadent, and perfect for every occasion!
Oreo Cookie-Stuffed Brownies with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting – These brownies combine Oreo cookies with a soft, fudgy brownie dough. Topped with buttercream frosting, they’re my absolute favorite treat!
Banana Bread Brownies with Vanilla Caramel Glaze – Banana Bread Brownies with Vanilla Caramel Glaze – Perfect for those times you want chocolate but need to use up your ripe bananas, make these. Not cakey, very fudgy, and extremely moist.
Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Dough Crumble Bars – Soft and squishy centers with chewy edges. Dense, buttery, and full of gooey creaminess from the sweetened condensed milk. Mini peanut butter cups in every bite
Milky Way Chocolate Cookie Crumble Bars – My new favorite layered bar is a chocolate cookie dough base, topped with Milky Way bars, chocolate cookie dough crumbles, and drenched with creamy sweetened condensed milk! Less than 10 minutes to make without a mixer!
Triple Peanut Butter Monster Cookie Bars – Peanut butter is use 3 different ways. Great for pantry odds-and-ends cleanout
Loaded M&M Oreo Cookie Bars – Stuffed to the max with M&M’s and Oreos! These Oreo cookie bars are an easy, no-mixer recipe that’s ready in 30 minutes. Always a hit at parties!
Soft and Chewy Brownie Cookies – These cookies have the taste and texture of perfect brownies! Soft and tender in the interior with chewy edges. They’re fudgy, dense, and not at all cakey!
In my cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort I share 4 more of favorite brownie recipes, all involving peanut butter
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What’s your favorite brownie recipe? Favorite way to use random candy (other than just eating it)?
This really is the perfect way to clean out my pantry! And the perfect midnight snack when I’m blogging away :)
I need one now with my latte!!
Averie! I can’t wait to show my boys these! Super cute! And ohhhhh so yummy!
Wow. These are so intense! I’d love to get some of them into the oven ASAP! Looks like an awesome recipe to bring along to a club meeting :).
Oh my goodness, Averie, these look awesome! I have a feeling these would be awesome a couple weeks after Halloween! Granted, I have no kids whose candy I can sneak away but those day after Halloween candy sales are my favorite! :) Storing this recipe away for then!
file it away for a rainy day!
OH gosh your killing me with these Averie! Oh and they have espresso, I know these will be perfect for after Halloween. I can just taste them they look so good!!!
That brownie is calling my name! LOVE.
How awesome are these? It’s like a surprise in every bite – what kind of candy bar will I bite into this time….FUN!
Yum, these bars look delicious, I made your apple and cinnamon muffins last week and loved them!
Thanks for telling me you made those muffins and love them! YAY! :)
I’ve seen your comments on Oh She Glows so had to come see what you do! :) First, let me say I LOVE food/cookie/bars/dessert stacks! Your photos rock! Your desserts make me wish I wasn’t vegan. lol I’ll have to see if I can make any vegan-friendly versions because they all look like blissful bites of yum stacked on top of tasty treats I want to eat. :)
I used to be vegan and am vegetarian now. Been one or the other my whole life.
Many of my recipes ARE vegan or you can easily adapt out the butter and use a flax egg for a real egg. I don’t call for any specialty or hard to find ingredients in any of my recipes so hopefully you can indulge in some things! For instance just last week I made 3 vegan recipes – https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/09/chocolate-peanut-butter-mocha-powerballs.html
https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/09/vegan-chunky-apple-cinnamon-muffins.html
https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/09/vegan-chocolate-chip-pumpkin-muffins.html
And then within each of those recipes, there are at least 10 links each to related recipes, many of which will be vegan. So you’re not out of luck, at all!
Thanks for stopping by and the nice compliments!
I’m exploring your blog better now and yes, see vegan options! Woot! I just started with this post and went from there. Thanks for the comment back, btw. I’d have a hard time swapping out that candy in the brownies, I think. I haven’t really discovered great vegan m&m’s etc. Unless I”m missing something? (Please tell me I’m missing something. lol.) I’ve only been vegan for a little over one year so am still learning the ropes!
Well you may not be able to get M&Ms but you may be able to get other things; you have to think creatively. Like oh I can’t get vegan this or that, but I can always use homemade chopped vegan peanut butter cups. The add-ins are secondary; it’s can I adapt this dough base, muffin base, brownie base to work for my needs. Then what you sprinkle on or into it become secondary. And yes, I do think all of these candies exist in vegan forms online from specialty shops – pricey and I dont know if it’s worth it, but if you just have to have a vegan snickers, you can probably buy one, somewhere.
Candy collecting is right. I’m trying REALLY hard not to buy up a ton of candy this year because we’re currently in an apartment where I know we won’t get any trick-or-treaters :( when previously I’ve always lived in a house that I know kids would be flocking to. But…you never know when those “fun” sized bags will jump into the cart!
those “fun” sized bags jump into my cart all the time too! Those seasonal flavors, or seeing something I havent had in years, it’s impulse buy city for me around Halloween so I really just have to try to not go to Target – that’s the worst for me! We also get like ZERO trick or treaters in my urban ‘hood.
Lady you have the monopoly on yummy desserts… go to site for me when I need something sweet.:)
You’re so sweet, thanks for that, Tracy!
A great way to use up tons of candy! I just want to eat one of these! Man they look good!
Oh wow — you weren’t kidding when you said these were “loaded”! Look at all that candy. I’ll just have to hoard all the Halloween candy for myself so I can make a few batches of these. Candy isn’t good for little kids anyway, right? In fact, I’m doing a FAVOR by saving all the candy for myself!
Thanks for sharing such a decadent-looking recipe!
Exactly to this :Candy isn’t good for little kids anyway, right? In fact, I’m doing a FAVOR by saving all the candy for myself!” — FOR SURE! :)
Now I’m officially craving brownies!
I have to admit Averie, I am kind of glad that I don’t live in your house. You are always making such delicious treats! They look fantastic :)
I have happy friends and neighbors. I have to donate things! :)