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Milky Way Cookies

posted by Liz Berg on November 1, 2023

These Milky Way Cookies are out of this world with a buttery, dark brown sugar base and chunks of candy bars!! They’re the perfect companion to a cold glass of milk.

After Halloween, there is often way too much extra candy in the house. Making Candy Bar Cookies is the perfect solution. You can bake and freeze them for later!

Two Milky Way Cookies chunks of Milky Way on a small white plate with a glass of milk.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 Ingredient Notes

3 Recipe Notes

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like

6 Milky Way Cookies Recipe

Why You Must Make

If you have leftover candy that you bought for Halloween or your kids collected way more candy than they’ll ever eat, try making cookies with the leftovers.
I love to cut up candy bars like Milky Way Bars to add to cookie dough. You can also mix in some chocolate chips or M&Ms to up the ante.
Too much sugary food in the house to finish a batch? Just freeze these for later in November when you need a cookie fix!

We have new neighbors who have only been in town for a few months. Last week they added a sweet baby boy to their young family. I’m exhausted just thinking about having a kindergartner, preschooler, AND an infant in the house. I knew dinner would be appreciated. First, I narrowed down the entree, then focused on what I’d bring for dessert. Milky Way cookies sounded perfect.

Ingredient Notes

Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Baking Soda, Flour, Salt
Dark Brown Sugar – Has extra molasses added for more caramel flavor. Regular brown sugar can be substituted.
Butter – Have it at room temperature for easy mixing. Salted butter is fine.
Eggs – Also, have them at room temperature for easy incorporation.
Vanilla Extract – Use real vanilla, never artificially flavored. Just read the label carefully when purchasing. I like the Nielsen-Massey brand.
Fun-Sized Milky Way Candy Bars – A 10.65-ounce package, each cut into 5 slices, then frozen. You may use fun-sized 3 Musketeers or Snickers instead.

Two Milky Way Cookies on a grey stone coaster on a wooden table.

Recipe Notes

I love taking a basic chocolate chip cookie dough and adding all sorts of delicious components: dried fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, or chopped candy. Anything with caramel or toffee is always at the top of my list. This time, I picked up a bag of mini Milky Ways.
There will be some melting and leaking of caramel from the chopped candy as the cookies bake, but that adds to their charm. I just call those misshapen ones “rustic.” Katie LOVED these, saying they were even better than chocolate chip cookies.
PRO-Tip: Freezing the candy bar slices before adding them to the dough will help them keep their shape a little better.
Use a cookie scoop to form rounds of dough to place on the baking sheet. Having all the dough balls the same size will help them be done baking at the same time.
Feel free to mix in some chocolate chips or M&Ms for a truly “loaded” cookie.
Make sure to have a big glass of milk as a chaser for these babies, they are rich and sensational. You’ll also love these Layered Chocolate Chip Cookies and this Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie.
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies don’t stick to the pan. It also helps make for easy cleanup.
PRO-Tip: If your cookies come out of the oven misshapen, you can use your spatula (coated with a bit of non-stick cooking spray if any caramel is involved) to reshape them. Make sure to do this while your cookies are still hot and pliable.
Garnish your cookies with some reserved slices of your Milky Ways. Just press them into the warm cookies when they come out of the oven. Do it carefully since the baking sheet will be hot.

Three Milky Way Cookies on white plate surrounded by empty Milky Way wrappers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is in a Milky Way Candy Bar?

Milky Way Bars are made of nougat, caramel, and a milk chocolate coating.

Why Are They Called Milky Ways?

You’d think these candy bars were named for the Milky Way galaxy, but there is no connection. They were advertised as “a double malted milk in a candy bar” with no mention of what drove the Mars company to choose the name.

Can Milky Way Cookies be Frozen?

Yes, just freeze in an airtight container and they will keep well for 3 months. You can also freeze dough balls for up to 3 months. Just freeze them on a sheet pan and when they’re fully frozen, put them in a freezer Ziploc bag. Make sure to date the bag with a marker.

You can also refrigerate the dough for 3-4 days. The container should be airtight and you should also press some plastic wrap across the surface so it stays soft.

Milky Way Cookies on a stack of white serving plates next to Milky Way wrappers and a glass of milk.

Photo Circa 2012