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Easy Candy Corn Sugar Cookie Bars: Best Fall Dessert

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These Easy Candy Corn Sugar Cookie Bars are soft, buttery, and packed with nostalgic candy corn sweetness. Press the dough into a pan for a perfectly uniform bake with golden edges and a thick, soft center—ready in about 30 minutes with no chilling or rolling required.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 cup (about 150g) candy corn
  • Optional: a pinch of flaky sea salt (e.g., Maldon) for serving

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once during this process.
  3. Add the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat on low until just combined. The mixture might look slightly separated; that’s fine.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed after each. Stop as soon as the flour disappears. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
  6. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan. Use a spatula or lightly floured hands to press it into an even layer, reaching all four corners.
  7. Sprinkle the candy corn evenly over the top of the dough. Gently press each piece in about ¼ inch deep—do not push them all the way down.
  8. Bake on the middle rack for 18-22 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and the center should look set but still soft. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
  9. Cool the pan completely on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour. The bars continue to set as they cool.
  10. Once completely cool, use the parchment overhang to lift the entire slab out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into squares with a sharp knife—12 large bars or 24 smaller ones. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for neat edges.

Notes

Don’t overbake—pull the bars when the center still has a slight jiggle. Use fresh candy corn; stale candy corn can become rock hard. For best results, let the bars cool completely before cutting. These taste even better the next day. For a dairy-free version, use plant-based butter sticks and check candy corn labels. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.

Nutrition

Keywords: candy corn, sugar cookie bars, fall dessert, Halloween dessert, easy cookie bars, soft sugar cookies, candy corn recipe

Find it online: https://sparklespoon.com/easy-candy-corn-sugar-cookie-bars-best-fall-dessert/