Candy corn is just a part of fall – there is no getting around it. But it is also one of those things that either people love or hate to eat.
Personally, I love them.
But knowing so many do not – I created a list of 17 ways you can use candy corn this fall. Whether you choose to eat them or decorate with them, there are ideas for everyone that area easy, fun and seasonal.
Candy corn has been around for a long time (since the 1880s, in fact), but if Pinterest is any indication, its popularity has been surging in recent times. Or if that’s not convincing enough, according to the National Confectioners Association, 25 million pounds of candy corn are sold each year.
The candies are a very sweet treat in themselves, but there are also plenty of ways to incorporate them into fun food items and even your fall home decor.
This guide includes 17 of those ways. Each project is relatively easy to create. You can bake some items from scratch or use pre-made items to whip things up quickly.
Candy Corn Flower Cupcakes
These delightful candy corn cupcakes are a perfect way to bring in Fall. Simply ice a cupcake with your favorite frosting.
Use chocolate icing for a contrast or try orange to keep with the candy corn color theme. Arrange the candy corns on the frosting in a flower pattern.
You can use a dot of frosting in the middle to finish your flowers or just let the frosting from the cupcake show through, like shown below. You could even do a whole cake with multiple flower patterns for an eye-catching design.
Candy Corn Chocolate Pretzel Bites
A twist on the super easy-to-make M&M Chocolate Pretzel Bites, these are perfect for a Halloween or Thanksgiving party.
Simply grab some mini pretzels (the twist kind) and put them onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Place a Hershey’s kiss in the middle of each pretzel.
Put them in 175° F oven for about 2-4 minutes, or until the chocolate has softened, but not fully melted.
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and top with a candy corn and press down. Allow to cool and serve.
Monster Popcorn Candy Mix
This is a super cute and creepy idea! All you need is some popped corn, colored chocolate for drizzling, candy corn and candy eyes.
First spread the popcorn on the cookie sheet, drizzle the chocolate and then place the candies where you want them.
If you mix the candy into the popcorn first, the candies sink to the bottom and you’ll also end up covering the candies in chocolate, making them harder to see.
Candy Corn Snack Mix
There are a number of recipes out there to create your own salty snack mixes from scratch, but we’re using a little rice cracker mix and a nut mix here.
Mix in the some candy corn and you’ve got a sweet and salty treat you guests are going to love.
Candy Corn Candle Holders
Show your love of candy corn with a colorful and easy-to-make home decor accessory.
Simply take a small glass candle holder or container, fill it with candy corn and top it with a tea light. It’s a perfect, yet simply centerpiece to a Fall dinner table.
Candy Corn Cake
Decorating candy corns can be used in a variety of ways to decorate a cake. You can add multiple flowers like we put on our cupcakes earlier in this guide or just use candy corn as small accents in your decorating.
Or why not go all in with this attractive design? Just work your way from the outside of the cake to the inside for a great look that will make a wonderful accent to any fall dessert table.
Candy Corn Popcorn Balls
Here’s a cute candy corn recipe that the kids will love.
You could do this with popcorn, as shown below, or make a Rice Krispies treat instead. All you need is some butter, mini marshmallows, vanilla and salt and of course, some candy corn.
You can even put this together quickly in the microwave. Just mix the popped corn and candy corns together in a bowl. Prepare the marshmallow mix according to instructions and mix thoroughly. Then, with greased hands, form into balls and let cool.
Candy Corn Wreath
Here’s another beautiful Fall or Halloween decoration, if you can bear to sacrifice this candy because once you make the wreath, you can’t eat it.
Use a glue gun to place the candy corns in a circular pattern around a plain foam wreath. Repeat until any visible spots on the wreath are gone. Hang and enjoy.
Candy Corn Bark
This is a simple chocolate treat that you can put together fairly quickly.
All you need is 2 cups of chocolate chips, 1 cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup Rice Krispies and 1 cup of candy corn.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 2 separate bowls.
Add the Rice Krispies and cup of candy corn to the chocolate chips and stir. Spread on a non-stick cookie sheet and then top with the remaining candy corn.
Drizzle the white chocolate chips and swirl with knife. Let cool completely and break up into chunks to serve.
Creepy Candy Corn Popcorn Hands
This is a creepy little party treat or decoration and all it requires is a plastic glove, candy corn, some popped corn and a string or elastic.
Start by placing one candy corn to each glove tip and then fill the glove with popcorn. Tie off the end of the glove, so the popcorn doesn’t spill out.
Candy Corn Covered Pumpkin
Here’s a cute little pumpkin idea. It’s a bit more labor-intensive than carving a pumpkin, but has much more colorful results.
Just use a glue gun to attach the pieces and leave the pumpkin blank to make the face shape, if you’d like. This piece can last several years because even though the candy corn may not be suitable to eat, it will still look good to display.
Candy Corn Pizza
This is based on a Pillsbury favorite recipe, but you can top the pizza however you’d like.
Make a large chewy chocolate chip cookie your crust. Spread peanut butter on top of the cookie and top with chocolate chips, candy corn and drizzle with frosting. Cut like a pizza and enjoy.
Handprint Candy Corn Turkey Art
Need to distract the kids while you prepare Thanksgiving dinner?
Here ís a fun craft that ís like a traditional handprint turkey art, but glue on candy corns to make the colorful feathers. It’s a fun idea that little kids will love to make – just be sure to stay close as these candies can be a choking hazard!
Candy Corn Turkey Cookies
This is a fun project for kids and adults alike using Double-Stuf Oreos, White frosting Pretzel sticks, Candy eyes, and Candy corns.
Break a pretzel stick in half and carefully push the sticks inside the cookie to form the legs. Do the same with 5 candy corns up top to form the feathers. Use 3 small dollops of icing on the top of the cookie and add the candy eyes and a candy corn for a nose.
If you don’t have candy eyes, do a dollop of white frosting with a black icing dot in the middle.
Candy Corn Monster Cupcake
Here’s a super cute candy corn monster cupcake that’s easy.
All you need is: Chocolate cupcakes, Chocolate frosting, Candy corns, and Candy eyes.
Frost the cupcakes and insert candy corns in a pattern to make it look like the cupcake has spikes. Add the eyes and you’ve got yourself a cute and creepy treat.
Another Candy Corn Turkey Cookie
Not to be outdone, here’s just one more candy corn turkey cookie to make a gobbly good Thanksgiving.
Take a chocolate chip cookie and frost with chocolate or vanilla frosting along the top. Top this frosting with candy corns to form the feathers. Use frosting or candy eyes for the eyes and another candy corn to make the beak.
Candy Corn Vodka
If you can’t get enough candy corn flavor, you can now add it to your vodka and cocktails.
To make candy corn vodka, simply add equal parts vodka and candy corns in a mason jar. Close the jar, shake and let sit for 3 hours before straining.
Use it in your favorite vodka cocktail. It tastes great with pineapple juice!
So there you go! 17 amazing ways to use candy corns – whether you want to eat them or decorate with them. If you have any other suggestions or have used some of these ideas, please share them in the comments!
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