The solution to all that leftover candy corn…

Homemade Butterfingers made with leftover candy corn!

Hi! Butterfingers anyone?! I have been OBSESSED with this homemade butterfinger recipe for longer than I care to admit, and I genuinely think it’s one of the most fun, most satisfying things you can make with a bag of leftover candy corn. Yes — candy corn! If you’ve got a sweet tooth and a pile of post-Halloween candy just sitting on your counter staring at you, this is your sign. Let’s make some magic! 🎃🍫

I’ve got more than enough leftover candy corn to make homemade Butterfingers for everyone. Yep. You read that right. Candy corn = homemade Butterfingers. Well, actually: candy corn + peanut butter + chocolate = homemade butterfinger candy bars. That’s it! Three simple ingredients. Honestly, I’ve been meaning to make these for the longest time every single Halloween season, and something always gets in the way — usually my husband, who is a certified candy corn junkie and cannot be trusted around a full bag.

So, in truth… I made this WAY before there was a possibility for candy corn leftovers. Otherwise, I might not have had the chance with my husband around! If you love peanut butter as much as I do, you’ve GOT to check out my Peanut Butter Truffles Recipe and my Peanut Butter Candy Corn Rice Krispies Treats — both are absolutely dreamy and use up Halloween candy like a dream!

What Makes This Homemade Butterfinger Recipe So Great

Can you REALLY make a REAL Butterfinger with candy corn and peanut butter? Honestly? Not exactly — and I want to be upfront about that! The texture is really chewy, more like taffy. It gets a little closer to the real thing if you refrigerate it, but it’s still not exactly the same as the original candy bar. The flavor is close though, and really, how can anything made with peanut butter and candy corn taste bad? The best part is that these use simple ingredients you probably already have, with no weird additives or mystery fillers you can’t pronounce. That alone is a huge win for this homemade candy situation!

Of the umpteen recipes I scoped out before making these, they ALL claimed to be just like a Butterfinger. And then when mine came out chewy instead of crunchy, I was genuinely irritated that not ONE of those sites mentioned that the inside isn’t crunchy like a Butterfinger. I mean… that seems like a pretty significant part of one of our favorite childhood candies! So I’m telling you now — chewy, not crunchy. Still absolutely delicious. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! 😄

Ingredients and Equipment You’ll Need

The ingredient list here is beautifully short. You’ll need your leftover candy corn, creamy or crunchy peanut butter (I love a crunchy peanut butter filling situation personally!), and chocolate chips for coating. To melt candy corn, you just pop it in a microwave-safe bowl in short bursts — it gets glossy and smooth really fast. Then you stir in the peanut butter mixture and press everything into a parchment paper-lined 9×13 inch baking pan. That’s basically the entire process! For equipment, grab a small bowl for mixing, a wooden spoon, and a dish towel to handle the hot pan. If you want to go the stovetop route, a small saucepan works perfectly too.

One thing I really love about this recipe is that it doesn’t require a candy thermometer or a double boiler method or anything intimidating like that. No hot sugar mixture to panic over, no medium-high heat drama, no granulated sugar boiling in a cup water situation in a medium saucepot — just melt, mix, press, and chill. It’s the easiest way to make homemade candy bars without any fuss! And when you melt chocolate chips over the top and let it set up in the fridge, you get these gorgeous big bars that look totally legit. 🍫✨

Tips for the Best Homemade Butterfingers

A few things I’ve learned from making these multiple times! First, line your pan with wax paper or parchment paper and make sure it goes up the sides — this makes lifting the whole slab out SO much easier. Once you’ve pressed the peanut mixture in and the melted chocolate layer is on top, tap the pan gently on a heat-proof work surface to smooth everything out. Let it come to room temperature briefly before moving it to the fridge. When it’s fully set, lift it out using the parchment paper and cut it into candy pieces or sweet bars — whatever size makes you happy! Use an oven mitt if the pan is still warm from the chocolate step. Store leftovers in a sealed container or airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week.

If you want to get extra cute with it, pop the candy pieces into a ziplock bag and crush them up with a rolling pin for a fun topping on ice cream or brownies! You can also sprinkle some salt flakes over the top of the chocolate before it sets — that classic combination of sweet and salty is absolutely chef’s kiss. The number of servings you get depends on how large you cut your bars, but a standard pan yields about 16–20 pieces, which is a great way to feed a crowd or fill a treat box! 🧂🍬

Vegan and Allergy-Friendly Swaps

Okay, so if you’re into plant-based living or just trying to make a healthy homemade butterfinger version, I have good news! These vegan butterfingers are an amazing option for anyone avoiding dairy or animal products — just use dairy-free chocolate chips and double-check your candy corn brand. For those who need a nut-free swap, you can use sunflower seed butter or pumpkin seed butter in place of peanut butter — both work beautifully in this kind of texture-forward candy recipe. Just note that if allergies are a concern, always check for traces of nuts on your packaging. Sunflower seed butter gives these a slightly different flavor, but it’s still a super-easy sweet treat recipe that candy lovers will devour! And if you’re curious about more delicious vegan recipes and amazing meals for plant-based living, check out resources like wfpb recipes communities — so much inspiration out there for delicious sweet treats without compromise. You can also grab a copy of the plantyou cookbook or use the plantyou planner and interactive meal planner platform for amazing weekly menu ideas and weekly dishes built around wholesome, delicious meals! 🌱

A Note on the “Other” Butterfinger Method

You may have seen the more elaborate homemade version that involves corn syrup, maple syrup, and an actual candy thermometer — where you combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and a cup water in a small saucepan, cook it to the hard crack stage over medium-high heat, then fold in a vanilla-baking soda mixture and a maple mix before stirring in peanut butter. That process gives you more of that crunchy cornflake mixture-style texture (some versions actually fold in half of the cornflakes at this stage for extra crunch, using the contents of the cornflakes box to mimic the flaky layers of the original candy bar). You pour it all into a very large metal bowl, fold it around, then press it into a reusable liner or parchment-lined pan. You can adjust the shape of the tin to get big bars or smaller bite-sized candy pieces. Some folks also add vanilla extract and coconut oil to the chocolate coating for extra gloss. That method is legit and produces something much closer to butterfinger bars from the store — but it’s also a LOT more involved. The candy corn version is our shortcut homemade version, and for a super-easy sweet treat recipe that requires zero savoury cooking skills, it genuinely delivers! Whether you use corn syrup or candy corn, these are a favorite treat this time of year. 🍂

Make These With Your Kids This Halloween Season

Can we talk about what a fun bonding activity this is?! Making homemade butterfingers with your kids is genuinely one of my favorite things to do this time of year. The entire process is hands-on in the best way — melting, stirring, pressing, waiting (okay, the waiting is hard!), and then cutting into those gorgeous sweet bars together. It’s an interactive experience that makes the end result taste even better, I promise. My kids love being in charge of pressing the peanut butter mixture into the pan and drizzling the melted chocolate on top. Total chaos, total joy. Also, it’s a great way to use up candy that might otherwise just sit in a bowl until February. And for even more Halloween inspiration, check out Swanky’s BEST Halloween Desserts and my Best Swanky Halloween Desserts Recipes — there are SO many good things over there! And if you’re a peanut butter obsessive like me, you absolutely need to try my Ultimate Peanut Butter Popcorn Recipe next — it’s one of my all-time favorite candy-adjacent snacks. This kind of situation is exactly why I love Halloween baking season so much. 🎃❤️

Despite the texture not being 100% identical to the original — this recipe is delicious. And fun. And so easy! It does taste remarkably similar to a (chewy) Butterfinger, especially considering the simple ingredients being used. Hit the stores today and buy out all of that clearance candy corn (or use up the stash of leftovers I’m sure your husband isn’t gobbling up with reckless abandon) so you can make these yummy Butterfinger copycats! And honestly? This is one of those homemade candy situations where you’ll wonder why you didn’t try it sooner. Go make them. Right now. You have to! 🙌🍫

Right this way for more ways to use up that leftover Halloween candy…

Peanut Butter Snickers Cookies