To say “Halloween is going to be different this year” would be a vast understatement. 2020 should have had the perfect day of things that go bump in the night; Halloween is on a Saturday and there will be a full moon, so it seemed it’d be a spooky season for the ages. And then, well, COVID happened, and suddenly we’re not sure whether we’re even going to hand out candy. Unfortunately, that also means less candy for parents to sneak from their kids’ trick-or-treat bags. Yes, it’s a bummer for the adults, too!
Thankfully, DoorDash has come to our rescue with an epic promotion—and they’ve revealed the type of candy that’s most stolen by parents.
The Candy Parents Can’t Resist Is…
DoorDash’s survey of 1,000 parents found quite a few interesting Halloween tidbits, including that 84% of parents admit to stealing their kids’ Halloween candy (which means 16% of ’em were lying). What candy was most taken? This’ll likely come as no surprise, but the title of most stolen candy goes to Snickers, with 26% of parents saying that’s their Halloween treat of choice.
Coming in at second and third were Twix and M&M’s, with 16% and 15% of parents sneaking them out of trick-or-treat buckets.
The DoorDash survey found grown-ups are sad about the changes to Halloween this year, too. In fact, 88% of parents said they’d miss at least one major form of celebrating Halloween this year. Fifty-five percent said they wished they could attend a party, and 51% wished they could take kids trick or treating (there’s less candy to snag without it, right?). More than half of them said they’ll celebrate Halloween this year by staying home and watching scary movies, decorating their spaces, dressing up or handing out candy.
For the parents who are feeling sweet-treat deprived, DoorDash and Mars Wrigley are running a promotion. Parents can get a free bag of candy by opening the DoorDash app, selecting DashMart and finding the ‘Parents Only’ bundle. Then, enter code PARENTS at checkout. Since this is only available in areas where DashMarts are located, the rest of us will have to find another way of getting our Snickers.
A miniature candy bar is hidden inside these fun pops. Colored frosting and candy faces make these addicting cookie pops the perfect Halloween treat. —Martha Hoover, Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Get Recipe
Every Halloween, I'd have a batch of these cookies waiting for my kids when they came home from school so they could decorate their own. Eventually, they started bringing friends home to join in the fun.
Get a head start on these buttery Halloween cookies by shaping and chilling the homemade dough ahead of time. When you're ready, just slice and bake the tricolor treats. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
I've been making these Halloween sugar cookies for about 40 years—first for my children and now my grandchildren and all their friends, too. I make about 20 trays a year to give away to trick-or-treaters. —Pamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia
Kids can help make these perfect fall cookies by dipping the baked cookies in caramel and nuts. It's a fun food craft for all of us. —Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
Cast a sweet spell over your Halloween party guests by making a pumpkin patch’s worth of treats. It’s easy to use this basic meringue recipe spiced with pumpkin flavor to scare up fun cookies. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Peanut butter, candy corn and macaroons are three of my favorite things, so I combine them all to make one magical sweet that's perfect for Halloween. —Jeanette Nelson, Bridgeport, West Virginia
They're alive! Each year when the Halloween invites start coming my way, I create a little treat to bring. These cute cookies bring a lot of life to every party. —Philia Kelnhofer, West Allis, Wisconsin
Pac-Man was my favorite video game when I was growing up. For a party, I decided to get creative and shape my go-to sugar cookies into the ghosts from the game. —Jamie S, Regina, Saskatchewan
The recipe for these pleasantly spiced pumpkin cookies won a champion ribbon at our local county fair. These are a family favorite, and everyone enjoys the soft cakelike texture. —Robin Nagel, Whitehall, Montana
The Taste of Home Test Kitchen turned cute meringue cookies into these whimsical kisses, perfect for Halloween. With just 15 calories, each little treat can be enjoyed guilt-free! —Phyllis Schmalz, Kansas City, Kansas
Through all the years I've been baking, I’ve never come across a pumpkin cookie recipe that you can actually cut out with cookie cutters. (Most I’ve found are drop cookies.) Each bite tastes just like pumpkin pie—delicious! —Marion Kearley, Ladner, British Columbia
Turn classic cookies into a platter of autumn leaves. Make them in solid colors, or combine pieces of tinted dough for a multicolored effect. — Darlene Brenden, Salem, Oregon
These soft cookies are almost like little pieces of cake. With chopped pecans sprinkled over a confectioners’ sugar frosting, they’re a pretty addition to a dessert table. —Bev Martin, Hardin, Montana
All eyes will definitely be on these adorable cookies when they're set on any buffet table. I created them for my son's kindergarten class for Halloween. —Sherry Lee, Columbus, Ohio
Whenever I visit friends in Lutsen, Minnesota, I make sure to buy maple syrup there because I think it's even better than in Quebec. These delicious cookies can be decorated with sprinkles but they're just fine as is.—Lorraine Caland, Shuniah, Ontario
Just in time for harvest, here are some delicious drop cookies, plump with dates, pumpkins and nuts. The old-fashioned cream cheese frosting will remind you of Grandma’s kitchen.—Eunice Stoen, Decorah, IA
I make these cookies for all occasions. In the spring, I cut them in flower shapes and insert a lollipop stick in each to make a bouquet. Using candies, food coloring and a wild imagination, try your hand at this Day of the Dead version. —Kristine Fossmeyer, Huntley, Illinois
This pumpkin and chocolate cookie has a special feel that makes it perfect for a holiday dessert table. If you don’t have a pastry tip, use a freezer bag to pipe the buttercream into the cookie cup. It works well for me. —Laura Milanowski, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
These apple peanut butter cookies are great for fall gatherings. They're crisp on the outside and soft inside. —Marjorie Benson, New Castle, Pennsylvania
I came up with these cookies as a treat for my kids’ class parties. Not only do they look cute, but they are also delicious.—Starrlette Howard, Ogden, Utah
This unique treatment for meringue travels well, too! You will certainly get requests for the recipe, and folks will be surprised at how simple it is! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
My kids start begging me for these cakelike sandwich cookies as soon as autumn arrives. I haven't met a person yet who doesn't like these fun treats. —Deb Stuber, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
These cookies have become somewhat famous at the school our children attend. One year, I made more than 150 of these "fingers" for their classroom Halloween parties.—Natalie Hyde, Cambridge, Ontario
There is nothing like seeing my friends almost melt to the floor when they bite into something I made. These cookies never fail to elicit oohs and aahs. —Amber Taylor, Lenoir City, Tennessee
Emily adores both food and writing, so combining those passions as a writer for Taste of Home makes perfect sense. Her work has also appeared in Birds & Blooms and on TV Insider. When she’s not eating peanut butter straight from the jar, you'll find her running or birdwatching. Emily is currently a journalism graduate student at the University of Missouri.