12 Sweet Halloween Treats Inspired by Candy Corn

It's the Treat of the Season

Written by
Cathy Jacobs
A freelance journalist and avid home cook, Cathy Jacobs has more than 10 years of food writing experience, with a focus on curating approachable menus and recipe collections.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Cathy Jacobs
Updated 09/25/20
Candy corn orange jello shots

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Sweet and colorful candy corn is an iconic Halloween treat. Celebrate the spookiest season of the year with fun desserts for kids and boozy cocktails for grown-ups, all inspired by the you-either-love-it-or-hate-it treat. Sweetly nostalgic and utterly delicious, these candy corn recipes are the perfect way to get you and your family or friends into the Halloween spirit.

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  • 01 of 12

    Homemade Halloween Candy Corn

    Homemade Halloween Candy Corn

    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

    You may never go back to store-bought candy corn once you try this look-alike recipe. Made primarily of miniature marshmallows, these vibrant DIY Halloween candies have a softer texture and a sweeter vanilla flavor that's as downright addictive.

  • 02 of 12

    Candy Corn Popcorn Balls

    Candy Corn Popcorn Balls

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

    Sweet and chewy candy corn popcorn balls are unbelievably easy to whip up for any last-minute costume parties. Just melt together candy corn, marshmallows, and popcorn, then press together. It's really that easy. Store any leftovers up to two days in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

  • 03 of 12

    Sweet Pumpkin Party Dip With Candy Corn

    Sweet Pumpkin Party Dip With Candy Corn

    The Spruce Eats/Kristina Vanni

    Move over, chips and guacamole—there's a new party dip in town. This sweet, lightly-spiced pumpkin spread includes all your favorite pumpkin pie flavors, plus colorful candy corns, for a fantastic appetizer that's all treat and no trick. Serve with graham crackers or vanilla wafers.

  • 04 of 12

    Children of the Corn Cocktail

    Children of the Corn Cocktail

    The Spruce-Cara Cormack

    Named for an iconic 1980s scary movie, this sweet Halloween cocktail is ideal for nostalgic, grown-up Halloween shindigs. The madness begins with a homemade candy corn-infused vodka, which you can make in a couple of hours before the party. It's finished with a delectable cinnamon syrup, fresh lemon juice, and a splash of seltzer for a bubbly finish.

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  • 05 of 12

    Candy Corn Fudge

    Candy Corn Fudge

    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

    Bright squares of vanilla-flavored fudge tinted with the fall colors of candy corn make an eye-catching treat on your Halloween party dessert table. The festive treat is easy to assemble but needs time for chilling each layer, so plan ahead if you're expecting guests.

  • 06 of 12

    Candy Corn Orange Shooters

    Candy Corn Orange Shooters

    The Spruce Eats/Diana Chistruga

    Jello shots take on an entirely different look and flavor in these candy corn oranges. They're a fun boozy treat for grown-up Halloween parties and not as tricky to assemble and chill as you might think. They use real orange halves, so no special molds required.

  • 07 of 12

    Candy Corn Halloween Brownies

    Candy Corn Halloween Brownies

    The Spruce/Stephanie Gallagher

    Need a last-minute dessert for a Halloween bash or bake sale? These fudgy Halloween brownies with candy treats inside begin with a boxed brownie mix and are simple enough for novice bakers (or kids) to make. The topping of mini marshmallows, candy corn, and chocolate chips will remind you of s'mores, but you could add any favorite seasonal candies to dress them up.

  • 08 of 12

    Candy Corn Peanut Butter Bars

    Candy Corn Peanut Butter Bars

    Elizabeth LaBa

    You need only three ingredients—candy corn, peanut butter, and chocolate—to create these magical, bite-sized candy bars with an addictive crackly texture and bold peanut butter flavor. They make crazy delicious treats and are a clever way to use up leftover candy corn after Halloween night.

    Continue to 9 of 12 below.
  • 09 of 12

    Candy Corn Cocktail

    Candy Corn Cocktail

    The Spruce/Teena Agnel

    Celebrate the spooky season with this creative cocktail featuring kettle corn-infused gin, a citrus peel grenadine, and a garnish of sweet and chewy candy corns. It takes some time to prepare (you'll want to start the gin infusion the day ahead), but the effect on your guests will be worth it.

  • 10 of 12

    Chocolate-Candy Corn Bark

    Chocolate-Candy Corn Bark

    The Spruce Eats/Julia Hartbeck

    If you're a chocolate bark lover, you'll go batty for this insanely sweet and chewy Halloween bark studded with candy corn nuggets and crunchy rice cereal bits. It's easy to assemble and needs only 30 minutes in the fridge to set before you break it into pieces for serving. We dare you not to eat the whole batch at one sitting!

  • 11 of 12

    Halloween Graveyard Cake

    Halloween Graveyard Cake

    serts/Getty Images

    It's fun and easy to transform a prepared chocolate sheet cake into a spooktacular graveyard cake for Halloween parties. Crushed chocolate cookies form the dirt, a layer of pudding serves as earth, and vanilla sandwich cookies stand in for tombstones. Dress the top in candy corns, pumpkin candies, and other seasonal goodies for a show-stopping finish.

  • 12 of 12

    Peach Candy Corn Cocktail

    Peach Candy Corn Cocktail

    IZZE Beverage Company

    Delight adult guests at your Halloween party with this fun, layered vodka cocktail that is easy to make, using the same technique as a tequila sunrise. Simply drizzle some grenadine into glasses, top with shaken vodka, sparkling peach and pineapple juice, and finish with a generous layer of whipped cream, and candy corn garnishes.