35+ Creative Ways to Use Leftover Candy Canes
35+ Creative ways to use leftover candy canes or broken candy canes for crafts, activities, recipes and science experiments!
Christmas is well and truly behind us now, and if your house is like my house, you still have quite a few candy canes kicking around. We always seem to end up with loads of leftover candy canes when the holidays are over. The kids get them in their stockings, and as gift toppers, and from the bus-driver and teachers, and to be honest, we just don’t eat many of them. I never know what to do with leftover candy canes, so I usually just box them up and hang them on the Christmas tree the following year.
Last week, as I was packing up all of our Christmas decorations I got to thinking that there had to be things we could make with our leftover candy canes instead of simply stashing them away. I searched the internet and found a ton of recipes and crafts to make with our leftover peppermint sticks!
Candy Canes: via Shutterstock
I was delighted to find loads of fabulous recipes, craft ideas, and learning activities that we can use our candy canes for. I’ve put some of my favourites into this collection to share with you!
If you’ve been wondering what you can do with your uneaten candy canes, look no further!
35+ Ways To Use Leftover Candy Canes
Add a festive splash of flavour to your coffee with these chocolate and candy cane spoons – Spoonful of Sugar Designs
Turn leftover candy canes into Candy cane dust and sprinkle into or onto: drinks, ice cream, icing, cake batter… – Mama Loves Food
Candy coated swizzle sticks would be wonderful stirred into hot chocolate – Unfortunately, the Salt Tree blog doesn’t seem to be online anymore.
I’m filing this idea for next year. These chocolate dipped candy canes will make great gift toppers – Simply Kierste
Be still my heart! Homemade marshmallows with a cane cane coating? Yes please! – Playin With My Food
My son gave me a candy cane marshmallow pop last year after making them with his class, and they were delicious! – Liv Life
The kids will LOVE these adorable marshmallow/candy cane snowmen! – Baby Gizmo
Ooooh, drinks for the grown ups!
I might have drooled a little when I spotted these white chocolate candy cane steamers – Brown Eyed Baker
Rim your cocktail glasses with crushed leftover candy canes – Blender Babes
Candy cane vodka! Yep! You can make it yourself! – Shutter Bean
Decorate a vase with your leftover candy canes – Living Well, Spending Less
Use mini candy canes as place card holders when you’re entertaining over the holidays – Industrious Justice
I’m so making a candy cane wreath for my front door next year! – Crafty Morning
Whoopie pies are a favourite around here! Candy cane whoopee pies will be a huge hit with my gang! – Modern Parents Messy Kids
I have a feeling this candy cane chocolate fudge would taste devine – Crafty Morning
Candy cane-brownie trifle looks so elegant served in a wine glass, doesn’t it? – The Food Charlatan
Who would’ve ever thought to turn candy canes into gifts? I’d love to receive a jar of candy cane-hot cocoa mix – Free People
Candy cane sugar scrub would be a beautiful homemade gift to give to your spa-lovin’ friends – Pop Sugar
I’ve never made homemade soap before, but this gorgeous candy cane soap makes me want to give it a try – Crate and Barrel
Can you imagine how frosty and delicious a pepperminty candy cane milkshake would taste? – Bring Joy
The word “sinful” comes to mind when I look at this candy cane sundae – Momtastic
Would it be wrong to keep this candy cane fudge swirl ice cream all to myself? – Foodess
My older son is going to love this candy cane pretzel bark – Inside Bru Crew Life
Rice Krispie Square fans rejoice! Peppermint rice krispie squares just took your game to a new level! – Taste and Tell Blog
This peppermint-white chocolate popcorn is made for sharing, but you won’t want to! – Skip To My Lou
Turn this year’s leftovers into candy cane reindeer ornaments for next year – Crazy Paul
Melt your candy canes into sweet, little candy cane star ornaments for the Christmas tree – Almost Unschoolers
I love the simplicity of these clear glass candy cane ornaments – Fox Hollow Cottage
Candy cane donuts! And you thought donuts couldn’t get any better! – Marla Meredith
I LOVE fudge. I mean I REALLY love fudge. This candy cane fudge looks heavenly – Merely a Mouthpiece
I never would’ve thought of candy cane biscotti. I love biscotti almost as much as I love fudge! – Seed at the Table
Ok! Let’s have some fun with those leftover candy canes now!
Make candy canes dance with this cool experiment for kids – Inspiration Laboratories
How about a dissolving experiment with candy canes? It’s a 2-minute set up and great for all ages! – Lemon Lime Adventures
Did you know you can bend a candy cane? You totally can! Teach Mama will show you how.
Chocolate Chip and Candy Cane Bark – Totally delicious. So easy (only 3 ingredients), and it’s ready in minutes! – Happy Hooligans
Turn a package cookie mix into candy cane – sugar cookie bark. Oh man, it looks so good! – Tater Tots and Jello
Homemade sugar cookies with candy cane marshmallow topping might be my newest favourite cookies ever – The Girl Inspired
And lastly, I have 5 words for you: Peppermint Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies. Oh yeah. That’s right – The Girl Who Ate Everything
And if you still have candy canes kicking around in February, turn them into a Valentine’s treat for friends and family. Aren’t these candy cane heart suckers by The Idea Room cute?
Looking for more delicious holiday recipes?
Try our:
4-Ingredient Christmas Bark
Cinnamon Sugar Snowflakes
Black Forest Trifle
White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies
25 Delicious Holiday Breakfast ideas
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
