Candy Corn: A Love/ Hate Relationship

What’s your favorite fall or Halloween candy? While I thoroughly enjoy peanut butter cups, I can get those any time of the year. Once September rolls around, I’m ready to indulge in candy corn. That’s right, I’m one of those odd people who really like the taste of candy corn. However, a website made me feel not so odd when it stated (based on sales) that Michiganders have some mad love for candy corn.

Is Candy Corn Gluten Free? 

Of course, you need to verify the gluten-free status of the candy corn you use in these gluten-free white chocolate candy corn cookies. I prefer the Jelly Belly candy corn, as it is made in a gluten-free, peanut-free facility. Use their website to find it in a store near you. You can also order directly from Jelly Belly, or on Amazon. 

What about Brach’s candy corn? Their original candy corn doesn’t contain gluten as an ingredient. However, it is my understanding that there is the potential for cross-contact. In 2017, Brach’s launched a “Natural Sources Candy Corn” which was specifically labeled gluten-free. Unfortunately, it appears to be discontinued. For more on Gluten Free Candy Corn, see this post from Fearless Dining.

Gluten Free White Chocolate Chips

When it comes to white chocolate chips, Nestle and Guittard both mark their bags as being gluten free. The added benefit of Guittard Choc Au Lait chips is their preparation in a dedicated gluten free and peanut free facility. Also, they take as stand against child labor, which is so common in the cocoa industry. Should you need dairy free cookies, Pascha Chocolate and Enjoy Life Foods both make dairy free white chocolate chips.

Peanuts + Candy Corn = Delicious

I don’t know about you, but I love eating candy corn and peanuts together. The combo of sweet and savory lends balance to each other. I personally use Kirkland (Costco) peanuts, which are certified gluten free thru the Gluten Intolerance Group. 

When I tested the peanuts in these gluten free white chocolate chip candy corn cookies, I only used a small portion of dough. My “guess” is that one half cup of chopped peanuts might be enough for the whole batch of cookie dough. 

BUT I HATE CANDY CORN

I get it. Some people will never like Candy Corn. If you’d still like to make cookies with that orange and yellow mix-ins, I suggest adding Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s. How mu ch?  At least 1/2 cup? Maybe a whole cup? As many as your heart desires, I guess. 

Other Gluten Free Candy Corn Themed Desserts 

These other fun desserts have the same yellow, orange and white themed layers. What the Fork’s Gluten Free Candy Corn Pinwheel cookies would be a hit at any Halloween shindig. These Sparkling Candy Corn Cookies have just a hint of orange in them. Tired of cookies? Try these Candy Corn Pudding Parfaits from Butter and Bliss. 

Why We Add The Candy Corn On Top

In the past, I used to chop up the candy corn and add them to the batter. However, the picture above shows why I decided to change my baking methods. You’ll bake the cookie dough for about 8 minutes, and remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Then you’ll press 3-4 pieces of candy corn on top and bake for an additional 2-3 minutes. Just long enough to get them melty, but not a hot mess! 

Other Uses for Candy Corn

If you have extra candy corn, you can use it in this Halloween Chex Mix. Just make sure to use gluten free pretzels. (Such as Glutino or Savor by Suzie). These Candy Corn Peanut Bars from Julie’s Eats & Treats contain no gluten ingredients! (Reese’s PB Chips are gluten free.) I also use candy corn in my Thanksgiving Turkey Treats. Your family is sure to *gobble* them up. 

Print

Gluten-Free White Chocolate Candy Corn Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 18 cookies

Calories 303kcal

Author Margaret Clegg

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ c. King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free Flour Blend
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 c butter softened
• 1/4 c shortening
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp extract
• 1 egg room temperature
• 3/4 c. Guittard White Chocolate Baking Chips
• 1/2 c. gluten free candy corn
• 1/2 c. chopped peanuts optional

Instructions

• 30 minutes prior to making dough, remove egg and butter from the refrigerator, to bring to room temperature.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 
• In a large bowl, whip together softened butter and shortening. Next, add the white and brown sugars and cream with butter mixture. Finally, add vanilla paste (or extract) and egg and mix until creamy.
• Add dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda) to the wet ingredients, until thoroughly mixed. Use a rubber scraper to scrape sides of the bowl, to make sure all flour gets mixed in. 
• Lastly, add white chocolate chips (and chopped peanuts if using), and mix until thoroughly incorporated. 
• Use a cookie scoop to portion dough onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. I would make them no more than 1.5 tbsp.
• Chill dough balls for 2-3 hours. This helps deepen the flavor, and prevents excess spreading while baking. 
• After the dough has chilled, remove from the fridge and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart to prevent cookies from baking into each other.
• Bake for 8-9 minutes. REMOVE from oven and press 3-4 pieces of candy corn on top of each cookie.
• RETURN cookie sheet into the oven, and bake for 2-3 more minutes. NO more than 3, or you'll have a melty candy corn mess.
• Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Repeat process with remaining cookie dough.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 303kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 169mg | Sugar: 30g

** This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through those links help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

Originally Published Oct 2017

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My Favorite Cookie from Childhood

I am a veritable cookie monster. While I enjoy cake and pie, I gravitate towards cookies automatically. As a kid I LOVED the Keebler fudge stripe cookies. Doesn’t everyone have fond memories of sticking your pinky finger through the center, munching around the side? Oh how I’ve longed to taste them again since my Celiac Disease diagnosis.

Imagine my joy when  Goodie Girl Cookies created a gluten-free version of my childhood favorite! They even use purity protocol oats in these cookies, and a few of their other flavors. Thank you Goodie Girl for taking Celiac Disease and the gluten-free diet so seriously!

Thanksgiving Gluten Free Cookie Pilgrim Hats

Years ago, my aunt made the most adorable pilgrim hat treats. I vividly remember that year. I made amazing gluten-free sweet potato gnocchi and she cooked me my own Cornish game hen. Years have passed. However, I still remember the disappointment of not being able to eat the adorable treat she set on my bread plate. When I learned about the release of the Goodie Girl Fudge Striped Cookies, this was THE first thing I wanted to make.

Note About Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Minituares

They are super simple to make. Take one of the Goodie Girl Fudge Striped cookies and turn it upside down, so the chocolate side is showing. Unwrap a miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter cup and pipe a rim of frosting around the edge. (It is my understanding that the mini cups that are already unwrapped in a bag are not safe for those who have Celiac Disease. Make sure to get the ones you have to unwrap yourself.)

Then, attach the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup to the Goodie Girl Fudge Striped cookie. Pipe a small buckle on the hat and you’re finished! (Or skip the buckle. Supposedly that is not true, as buckles didn’t come into fashion until the 17th century. Check out the History Channel website for this and many other “Mayflower Myths.”)

Thanksgiving Gluten Free Fudge Stripe Cookie Turkeys

Turkey. Thanksgiving holds no item more iconic than turkey. On Pinterest, there are all sorts of sweet Thanksgiving treats that resemble turkeys. Some use chocolate covered cherries, like my fellow blogger at A Different Survival Guide did with her Fudge Striped Turkey Cookies.

Great minds think alike, as I also planned to use my Goodie Girl Fudge Striped cookies to make turkeys. However, I’m super cheap thrifty, and wanted to use the remaining peanut butter cups I had on hand. In addition, I thought using gluten-free pretzel twists as feet would be TOTES adorable. (If you’re concerned about stability, you could use another cookie as the bottom.)

If At First You Don’t Succeed …

Total confession. When I first tried these, I put the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in the oven on top of the pretzel. That literally turned into a hot mess. (For hilarious proof, check out my #PinterestFail on Instagram!) I finally found success by using melted Enjoy Life chocolate chips as the cement between my pretzels, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Goodie Girl Fudge Striped Cookies.

As I hate to throw anything away, I used my remaining yellow frosting to adhere the candy corn to the back of the cookie, as well as add a beak to the front of my “bird.” Admittedly, a few candy corn fell off, so you might want to use the melted chocolate to adhere those as well. I have to admit that I’m really happy with how these turned out.

Where To Buy Goodie Girl Fudge Stripe Cookies

Wanting to make these Thanksgiving treats for yourself? If you’re an online shopper, find them on the Goodie Girl Cookies website, Amazon and Vitacost. If you’re like me, and you actually like to go to the store, use their store locator to find them near you. They’re available at Kroger and Walmart.

**Goodie Girl Cookies compensated me for my time in recipe and photography creation. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This post does contain affiliate links. Purchases made through those links, or the Amazon search bar above, help support this blog with no extra expense to you. Thank you for your continued support!**

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