Halloween candyI'm a non-discriminating candy fan. I love candy of all shapes, tastes, sizes (preferably King), and sugar contents. All in moderation, of course. Clearly, you can understand why Halloween is my poison. I become instantaneously overstimulated. I strategically stay away from the houses and apartments of friends with small children because, well, I may accidentally steal all of their candy, or just eat it on the spot, and then, well, they'll cry because it's all gone. I'm sorry. I just can't help it, I swear.

ANYWAY -- what better way to get amped up for the spooktastic holiday than with a little baking, right? Hell, if you start baking with candy now, you may be less tempted to eat an entire bag of fun-size Snickers in one sitting come October 31. OK, that's probably not true. But why not start the fun a few weeks early?! 'Tis the season to gain a few extra pounds!

Let's celebrate! Gear up for Halloween with these 20 candy-inspired recipes:

1. Halloween peanut butter and toffee candy bark from Bon Appétit

2. Twix cheesecake from Gingerbread Bagels

3. No-bake chocolate Snickers cookies from Pinch of Yum

4. Candy recycler blondies from Salon

5. Nestlé Crunch snowball cookies from Very Best Baking

6. Heath bar cupcakes from My Baking Addiction

7. Peanut butter cup fudge from Got Chocolate

8. Perfect Mr. Goodbar frosting from Food.com

9. S'more cookie bars from Hershey's Kitchens

10. Butterfinger cupcakes from Plain Chicken

11. Chocolate covered Twizzlers from Hand Coding

12. Pumpkin Raisinets cookies from Very Best Baking

13. 3 Musketeers cupcakes from Cookies & Cups

14. Poppin' popcorn brittle with M&M's from brightideas.com

15. Candy corn ice cream from We Are Not Martha

16. Hershey Kiss peanut butter blossom cookies from makebetterfood.com

17. Peanut butter cup cake from The Idea Room

18. Nutty white chocolate blondies from Chow

19. Milky Way balls from about.com

20. Skittles meringues from Real Simple

Ingredients:

  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup skittles


Instructions: 1. Beat egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Slowly add in the sugar, and beat until mixture forms stiff peaks.

2. Drop 2 tablespoon mounds of the mixture onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and top each mound with 3 or 4 Skittles candies. Bake at 200 degrees for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until dry.

Are you a candy addict, too? You can be honest.

 

Image via slgckgc/Flickr