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Who doesn’t love a delicious Snickers bar? The combination of chocolate, peanuts, and caramel is simply irresistible. But did you know that you can make your own healthy version of the classic treat at home? This homemade Snickers recipe is gluten-free, made with almond flour and salted peanut crust, a creamy sweet filling made from coconut sugar, and topped off with some sea salt for an extra kick. It’s the perfect small and light dessert bite.
Healthy homemade Snickers with sweet caramel peanut filling
I have a HUGE sweet tooth. Everything from chocolate chip cookies to cherry pie to cake pops!
But I’m always trying to find healthier options for my sweet cravings.
So when Iโm craving something sweet, but want to avoid a sugar crash, this homemade Snickers recipe is the perfect dessert. Not only does it taste amazing, but it’s also gluten-free and made with wholesome ingredients. Plus, you can easily customize it with your favorite add-ins!
Really, you won’t be missing out on anything with this homemade version. The almond flour and salted peanut crust create the perfect crunchy base for the creamy sweet filling and chocolate coating. And to take it up a notch, don’t forget to sprinkle some sea salt on top!
Ready to dig in? Here’s how you can make your own delicious Snickers bars at home.
Ingredients needed
Making a healthy Snickers doesn’t have to be hard! Luckily, all of the ingredients were easy to find (some I even had on hand!).
Hereโs a bit more about what I used:
Crust
- Almond Flour: For this gluten-free crust, I used almond flour. This has a wonderful flavor and provides the perfect crunch to contrast with the creamy filling. You need 2 cups of super fine, blanched almond flour for this candy recipe.
- Maple Syrup: To sweeten the crust and give it a bit of stickiness, I used maple syrup in place of white sugar. You need 1/4 cup.
- Coconut Oil: This makes the crust extra crunchy and helps hold it together. Make sure to use virgin coconut oil, not refined. You need 1/4 cup melted. I used 1/3 cup of melted coconut oil.
- Peanuts: To add a bit of salty-sweetness to the crust, I added a handful of salted peanuts.
- Vanilla: A bit of vanilla extract adds a touch of flavor to the crust.
- Salt: Just a pinch is all you need!
Filling
- Coconut Sugar: For the sweet and creamy center of this Snickers bar, I used coconut sugar. This is a wonderful natural sweetener that provides a subtle caramel flavor. You need 1 cup of coconut sugar for this recipe.
You’ll also need coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt!
Chocolate coating
- Chocolate Chips: This recipe calls for 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips. I like to use dark chocolate chips, but you can also use semi-sweet.
- Coconut Oil: To help the chocolate chips melt and a bit of shine to the bars, I added 1 teaspoon of melted coconut oil.
- Sea Salt: For that extra salty-sweet kick, top these homemade Snickers with some sea salt!
Kitchen tools required
Hereโs a bit more information about what I used to make these gluten-free Snickers bars.
- 8×8 pan
- Parchment paper
- Large bowl
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Small bowl
For measuring, you will need 1 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, and 1 teaspoon.
How to make homemade Snickers
First, preheat the oven to 350ยฐF and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together all of the crust ingredients to form a dough. Flatten the crust dough into the prepped pan and bake for 18 minutes. After it’s done baking, let it cool.
Now it’s time to make the filling! In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add coconut sugar, coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt. Whisk everything together and bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium.
To thicken the sauce, boil it for 3 minutes or until it thickens, and remember that it will thicken further as it cools.
After pouring the caramel over the crust, sprinkle the salted peanuts on top and press them down into the caramel. Turn off the heat and freeze for 1 hour.
Next, remove from the freezer and cut into 12 bars, then freeze for an additional 30 minutes.
To make chocolate bars, microwave chocolate, and oil in 30-second increments until melted. Then, dunk each bar fully in the melted chocolate and place it on parchment paper or greased cookie cooling rack.
While the bars are still warm, sprinkle them with flaky sea salt. After that, chill the bars in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before eating and store them in the fridge.
Recipe Tips
Below are some common homemade Snickers questions. Donโt see the answer youโre looking for? Leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Can I use different types of chocolate chips?
Yes, you can experiment with different types of chocolate chips for this recipe. Try semi-sweet chips, dark chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips.
Can I use different types of nuts?
Yup. If you donโt have salted peanuts on hand, feel free to substitute them with other types of nuts like walnuts or pecans.
Is there a substitution for coconut sugar?
Yes, if you donโt have coconut sugar on hand, feel free to substitute it with brown sugar or granulated sugar.
Storing leftovers
These homemade Snickers bars will last up to 7 days in the refrigerator, making them a great make-ahead treat. You can also store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you liked this recipe, youโll want to try these!
Here are some of my favorite dessert recipes you should make next. Enjoy!
- Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups
- Healthy Reese’s
- Kitchen Sink Chocolate Bar
- Homemade Chocolate Fudge Recipe
- Chocolate Caramel Pecan Pie Bites
Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa
Healthy Snickers Recipe
Who doesn’t love a delicious Snickers bar? The combination of chocolate, peanuts, and caramel is simply irresistible. But did you know that you can make your own healthy version of the classic treat at home? This homemade Snickers recipe is gluten-free, made with almond flour and salted peanut crust, a creamy sweet filling made from coconut sugar, and topped off with some sea salt for an extra kick. It’s the perfect small and light dessert bite.
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch salt
- 1 cup salted peanuts
Filling
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- pinch salt
Chocolate coating
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tsp melted coconut oil
- Flakey sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease/line 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt until dough forms.
- Press dough flat into pan. Bake for 18 minutes. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium high heat, add coconut sugar, coconut oil, maple syrup, and salt. Whisk together. Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium. Let boil for 3 minutes or until sauce has thickened. It will also thicken as it sits.
- Turn off heat and pour caramel over crust. Sprinkle peanuts over top of caramel, pressing down slightly to ensure they are in the caramel. Freeze for 1 hour.
- Take out of freezer and cut into 12 bars. Freeze for another 30 minutes.
- Melt chocolate and oil in microwave in 30 second increments. Once fully melted, dunk each bar completely in chocolate. Place on parchment paper or greased cookie cooling rack.
- Sprinkle bars with flaky sea salt while still warm. Refrigerate 30 minutes before eating. Keep stored in refrigerator.
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Jenni says
We think these are a little too sweet, so we will probably cut the sweetners next time to 3/4 or 1/2. But they are very yummy and they turned out well, they stayed together and the consistency was great.
★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jenni, so happy you loved them! ๐
Nicole says
These are literally incredible. Making them again for a second time.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Nicole, so happy you loved them so much!! ๐
Martha says
As I was cooking the caramel layer, the oil separated and would not recombine. I ended up pouring it off. But then the caramel was quite solid and difficult to spread. Did I do something wrong?
Erin says
Hi Martha, hmmm you most likely over cooked the caramel which led to the separation and it becoming hard. Hope this helps for next time!
Avery says
These are delicious and flavorful! Great recipe!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Avery, so happy you loved them! ๐
Jean says
Is there something that can be substituted for the coconut sugar? Would granulated or brown sugar work?
Erin says
Hi Jean, either will work! Let me know which you use and how your bars come out!
Cynthia says
Hi! Can you sub the coconut oil? I hate the flavor it gives food, but really want to try this recipe! Thanks!
Erin says
Hi Cynthia, refined Coconut Oil has no taste. Make sure you are using refined and not unrefined, and you won’t have the flavor of coconuts.