17 Gluten Free Ideas with Candy Corn

Candy corn has been around FOREVER (since the 1880s, in fact), but if Pinterest is any indication, its popularity has been off the charts recently. Or if that’s not convincing enough, according to the National Confectioners Association, 25 million pounds of candy corn are sold each year! That’s A LOT of candy corn.

Most store-bought candy corn DOES contain wheat or made in a facility with wheat, but thanks to our friend’s at A&J Bakery, we can now enjoy this delicious treat again.  Plus right now it’s on sale, so go check it out here.

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 décor.This guide includes 20 of those ways. Each project is relatively easy to create, and I’ve added my own ‘hacks’ to make it even easier on you. You can bake some items from scratch or use pre-made gluten free items to whip things up even quicklier.

Idea# 1: Candy Corn Flower Cupcakes

These delightful cupcakes give a little feeling of Spring in the dreary days of Autumn. 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.  For the cupcake, I recommend using King Arthur’s Gluten Free Chocolate Cake mix or Betty Crocker’s Gluten Free Cake Mix.

Idea #2: 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.

For the pretzels, I recommend using Glutino Gluten Free Pretzel Twists.

Idea #3: Monster Popcorn Candy Mix

This is a super cute and creepy idea from In Katrina’s Kitchen. All you need is some popped corn, colored chocolate for drizzling, candy corn and Wilton candy eyes.

The original recipe includes Reese’s Puffs cereal, but I’ve removed that since it’s not gluten free. You might also find it easier to 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. I recommend using Wilton Candy Eyeballs.

Idea #4: Candy Corn Snack Mix

Here’s some fun the adults can have with candy corn.  Mix your favorite sweet and salty snacks with some candy corn and you’ve got a sweet and salty treat you guests are going to love.

Idea #5: Candy Corn Candle Holders

Show your love of candy corn with some colorful and easy-to-make décor. 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.

Idea #6: Candy Corn Cake Decorating

Candy corns can be used in all sorts of ways to decorate a yummy 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?

You can make an even more attractive design on a circular cake. Just work your way from the outside of the cake to the inside. I recommend starting with either the King Arthur Gluten Free Cake mix or the Betty Crocker White Cake mix for this cake.

Idea #7: Candy Corn Popcorn Balls

Here’s a cute recipe from About.com. All you need is some butter, mini marshmallows, vanilla and salt. And of course, some candy corns too. You can even put this together quickly in the microwave. Make sure you’re using gluten free vanilla extract and marshmallows. Kraft marshmallows are gluten free.

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.

Idea #8: For the Adults – 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! Start with a gluten free vodka like Ciroc or Boyd & Blair.

Idea #9: Candy Corn Wreath

If you’re looking for some beautiful Fall or Halloween decorations, then try this Candy Corn wreath, 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. 

Idea #10: Candy Corn Bark

This is a simple chocolate treat to put together quickly. All you need is 3 cups of chocolate chips, ½ cup crumbled Schar Chocolate O’s and 1 cup of candy corn. Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Add the Schar Chocolate O’s and ½ cup of candy corn to the chocolate and stir. Spread on a non-stick cookie sheet and then top with the remaining candy corn. Let cool completely and break up into chunks to serve.

Idea #11: 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.

Idea #12: 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.

Idea #13: Candy Corn Pizza

This delicious treat was made with Pillsbury’s gluten free cookie dough, but if you want to make the cookies from scratch go for it!  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. 

Idea #14: Handprint Candy Corn Turkey Art

Need to distract the kids while you prepare Thanksgiving dinner? Here’s a fun idea from Frogs and Snail and Puppy Dog Tail that little kids will love to make.. It’s like a traditional handprint turkey art, but glue on candy corns to make the colorful feathers.

Idea #15: Easy Candy Corn Turkey Cookies Kids Can Make

This is always a fun project for kids and adults alike. Make sure you have:

• Schar Chocolate O’s
• White frosting
• Glutino Pretzel sticks
• Wilton Candy eyes
• Candy corns

Just follow the picture below to make your awesome creation. 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.

Idea #16: Monster Cupcake

Here’s a super cute monster cupcake adapted from Parents.com. All you need is:

• Chocolate cupcakes (made from King Arthur Gluten Free or Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cake Mix)
• Chocolate frosting
• Candy corns
• 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.

#17: More Candy Corn Turkey Cookies

Not to be outdone, here’s just one more candy corn turkey treat to make a gobbly good Thanksgiving. All you do is make a batch of Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough, then take a chocolate chip cookie, frost it 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.

Who knew candy corn could be so versatile, hey? Try any or all these fun projects or use them for inspiration to create your own.

Have any other fun ideas to make with Candy Corn? Share them in the comments below!