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Sharing a healthier take on the classic Snickers Bar with my Easy Homemade Vegan Snickers. Layered with dark chocolate, creamy cashew butter “nougat”, salted peanuts, maple syrup-based “caramel”, additional dark chocolate, and finished with flaky sea salt. Every last bite of these Snickers is chewy, crunchy, sweet, nutty, hinted with caramel-like flavors, extra chocolatey, and so DELICIOUS. Absolutely nothing not to love about these homemade candy bars. Bonus? These Snickers bars are easy to make, require no baking, have no processed sugars, and are even gluten-free! Yes, and I promise you, they are GOOD!
Happy Friday guys, we made it to the weekend and I for one am very excited.
No emails, no work texts, just two chill nights, and a couple of days where we’re free to do whatever. I’m excited. And, I’m making this weekend even better with my healthier take on everyone’s favorite candy bar…the Snickers Bar! Over the years I’ve had fun recreating some of my favorite candies and/or childhood favorites. Ones that I wouldn’t necessarily eat today because I now know of all the junk they have inside.
Thus far, I’ve made homemade Twix Bars, Nutter Butters, and even Samoa cookies, but Snickers bars have long been on my list of candies to make. Well, today I am crossing them off my list. I’m very excited to share this shockingly simple and easy recipe with you guys!
Just in time for Friday night!
Growing up, hands down my favorite candy was Reese’s peanut butter cups, but, Snickers definitely would have been my second choice. My mom uses Snickers in her Death By Chocolate recipe that she reserves solely for Christmas Eve…and Christmas Eve only. So Snickers will always be somewhat of a special indulgence around here. We love the sweet, salty, and chewy bars.
But the homemade version is even better, and so much healthier.
the “nougat” layer
What is a Snickers Bar?
I think most of us probably know what is Snickers Bar is, but just to recap, it’s a chocolate-covered candy bar with a sweet and chewy layer of nougat, crunchy roasted peanuts, and sweet caramel. It’s a very, very sweet chocolate covered bar, and as we all know, it’s delicious.
There are a lot of recipes out there for homemade Snickers, but this is a little different. I wanted to create a bar that was easy to make and free of any overly processed ingredients or sugar. I wasn’t sure it was even doable. But after some serious rounds of testing, I feel like I came out with the perfect bar. I can’t say they taste identical to a Snickers, but these are pretty darn close, and regardless, they are DELICIOUS.
Making these Vegan Snickers is easy…
Start with the “nougat” layer. Nougat is a sweet filling very similar to marshmallows. It’s made with sugar or honey, roasted nuts, whipped egg whites, and sometimes chopped candied fruit. It’s very chewy and used in a lot of dessert recipes and bars.
For my “nougat”, I got a little creative. How I could easily replicate this layer without using eggs and sugar? Enter creamy cashew butter, coconut oil, and honey (maple if you’re vegan, but honey is best flavor-wise). Mixing these three ingredients together creates a creamy, sweet layer that tastes very similar to a classic nougat. Mix this layer up, then spread it out into a square baking dish. Add peanuts on top, then freeze until the layer sweetens up.
Absolutely nothing fancy. If you don’t often use cashew butter, you can use almost any butter or even tahini, but I like the flavor of cashew butter best. It’s neutral but creamy and buttery.
It is important to note that all nut butters are different, some are thick, some are oily. I typically use raw cashew butter, which gives the “nougat” a light coloring and the perfect flavor. If using a roasted cashew or almond butter, you might have darker colored “nougat”.
covering the snickers in chocolate
While the “nougat” layer sets up, make the caramel. This is not your average caramel, but it’s just as delicious. There are not one, but TWO caramel layers. The bottom layer is thicker and the top layer is much gooier.
For the first layer of caramel, I use maple for sweetness, coconut milk for creaminess, and peanut butter to thicken the caramel up enough to stay inside the bar, yet still leave you with a nice creamy and chewy caramel.
For the second layer of caramel, I simply use maple, coconut milk, and a splash of vanilla. This leaves you with a runnier, gooier caramel that’s a little messy, but so delicious.
Once the “nougat” layer is set, pour the first caramel layer over top, then freeze while you make the second layer. Pour that gooey caramel overtop, sprinkle with peanuts, then freeze until firm. You’ll only need to freeze them for thirty minutes or so. The freezing step is really just to help the bars set up quicker, to make them easier to cut through. It also makes them solid enough to dip into the chocolate, which is the final step. I like to use melted dark chocolate to cover each bar. Then I finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for that salty, sweet flavor combination.
The family’s verdict? Not exactly a Snickers Bar, yet close enough. But most importantly…beyond good!
A few tips for success…
Tip one, use full-fat coconut milk and only use the cream, discard or save the coconut water for another use. You’ll want to use just the cream to ensure your caramel sets-up nicely and is still creamy, and not runny.
Tip two, make sure the bars are thoroughly chilled before dipping them into the chocolate. This is probably my biggest tip. If the bars are frozen, the chocolate will quickly set-up and be easier to work with. Trust me, freeze the bars, then dip them through the melted chocolate.
Tip three, if you want a thick chocolate-coated candy bar, dip your bars once, re-freeze until set (which will only take a matter of minutes), then dip into the chocolate again. This is not NEEDED, but it sure is a good idea. Double the chocolate is always best.
Tip four, keep these Snickers bars in the fridge. When left at room temperature, they get a little soft and then become messy while eating.
What do these Vegan Snickers really taste like?
A Snickers bar, but 2.0.
These are definitely not an exact replication, but they have the same flavor profiles. The biggest difference is that these bars are made minus any processed sugars, unhealthy fats, and instead of a sugar-induced headache, these will leave you feeling your best. Like you were able to indulge a bit, but without all the sugar and processed ingredients.
I love keeping these in the fridge for an afternoon snack or late night dessert. They’re that perfect salty, sweet, chewy, and crunchy candy bar that satisfies all your cravings.
OK ok, and lastly, I have to ask, what’s your favorite candy? Is it a Snickers? Or is it something else that I need to try and recreate?
Looking for more homemade versions of your favorite desserts? Here are a few to try:
Healthier Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Healthy…ish Homemade Samoas Cookies
Homemade Chocolate Fudge Pop Tarts
Homemade Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Lastly, if you make these easy Homemade Vegan Snickers, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Homemade Vegan Snickers
Servings: 16 Snickers
Calories Per Serving: 379 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cashew butter or almond butter (I use raw cashew butter)
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup (I like to use honey)
- 4-6 tablespoons coconut flour or almond flour
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for topping
- 1 1/2 cups real maple syrup
- 3/4 cup canned full fat coconut milk, use only the coconut cream, no water
- 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- 1 cup roasted peanuts
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
Instructions
- 1. Line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper. 2. To make the "nougat" layer. In a bowl, melt together the cashew butter, 1/4 cup coconut oil, and 1/4 cup honey/maple in the microwave until combined, about 30 second to 1 minute. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, 4 tablespoons coconut flour, and salt until combined. The mix should be creamy and drizzly, but if it feels too runny, add 1 tablespoon flour. Spread the mix into the prepared pan. Sprinkle 2/3 cup peanuts overtop. Freeze until firm, about 20 minutes.3. In a medium pot, combine the 1 cup maple syrup and 1/2 cup coconut cream and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 8-12 minutes or until thickened to a caramel like sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and the 1 teaspoon vanilla. Let the mix cool slightly, then pour over the "nougat" layer. The caramel should begin to stiffen. Freeze while you make the gooey caramel layer. 4. Working with the same pot, combine 1/2 cup maple and 1/4 cup coconut cream. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 7-11 minutes or until thickened to a caramel like sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour the sauce over the first caramel layer, then sprinkle 1/3 cup peanuts over the caramel. Freeze 1-2 hours, until the caramel is firm. 5. Cut into 16 bars. Freeze 15 minutes. 6. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave until melted and smooth. Let cool 5 minutes. Cover/dip each bar in chocolate, return to the freezer to let the chocolate set up, about 10 minutes. Keep stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
So yummy! Just made these, my middle layer seized and my 3rd layer is still gooey, but they are so good! Will tweak what I did, my error, recipe is perfect!
Thanks
Hey Lynda,
I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have the best week. xTieghan
Super yummy! But I couldn’t get the caramel to set up (I froze for an hour) so I ended up with a crazy, sticky mess when I tried to dip in chocolate. Not sure where I went wrong
Hey Amy,
So sorry you had issues with the caramel, I am wondering if it needed to be cooked a bit longer? xTieghan
These shouldn’t be labelled as “vegan” if there is honey in the recipe (despite many vegan alternatives that could be used).
Hey Charlie,
If you read the recipe, you will note that I state honey OR maple syrup, making these vegan:) I hope you love the recipe and have the very best week!! xTieghan
Look so yum.- they made me think…my favourite local “healthy” cafe sells the most amazing choloate “bar”. It has a very thin (maybe 0.5-1cm) layer of crunch…maybe buckwheat groats/almond, (not too sure!) and its a bit salty. Then the next layer is a thick solid cashewy caramel and its about 6cm thick and has chopped nuts thru it. Then the top layer is an indulgent rich creamy ganache about 0.5-1cm thick. Similar flavour profile to this by the sounds.
Would absolutley lovvve if you could invent a recipe for this during healthy January!…keep in touch & thanks gor the inspo! From “down under”?
Hey Robin,
Thanks so much, I hope you love this recipe! Let me know if you have any questions! xTieghan
Made these and they were delicious. Tip though, have applying the last layer of Carmel And before the chocolate. Freeze for at least an hour, 30 minutes was not enough. When I went to cute them, things got messy.
Hey Jessica,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
Great flavor profile! Only things I would note is that while all my layers set, the nougat is definitely more crumbly than chewy. I used almond flour, if that’s an issue. Also the second layer of caramel I let cook too long so it set very quickly and I couldn’t get the peanuts on fast enough – solution was to make another half portion of the 2nd caramel and drizzle on top to coat and adhere the peanuts. But overall deeeelicious!
Hey Jessica,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
I love Tieghan’s recipes so much that I had to try this. Snickers was always my fave chocolate bar growing up. I’ll admit, this is similar but doesn’t taste exactly like a Snickers bar.. but I LOVE it. It tastes homemade with love, and includes all of the things I loved about Snickers growing up, except I know where the ingredients come from and I enjoy that it’s healthier! The recipe is really easy to follow and I’m so excited to revisit them from the freezer tomorrow. And maybe share with my family.. we’ll see.
I did cut them into smaller pieces, which required a bit more chocolate. I also would prefer more caramel as I think my second batch cooked down too much and it could use a doubling.
This will be a go-to recipe for me for sure. Thanks Tieghan ♥️
Hey Amanda,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
Can you use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate?
Hey Mairi,
Yes, that will work just fine! I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Unbelievable! So delicious!! Big fan of this recipe ?
Hey there,
I am thrilled you liked the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a go! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
These didn’t work for me 🙁 And took soooooo long. Followed the recipe exactly as written except I didn’t have coconut cream so substituted with heavy whipping cream (as Tieghan suggested). The noughat layer never froze (even when left in the freezer for longer than recommended). The 1/3 cup of peanuts didn’t adhere at all to the last caramel layer so when I took it out of the freezer to cut, all the top peanuts (1/3 cup) just scattered everywhere. I would highly recommend pressing firmly the remaining 1/3 cup of peanuts into that last caramel layer in hopes that they will stay put (but this isn’t written in the directions). When I went to cut into 16 bars (after leaving in freezer much longer than 30 min as suggested), It was a squishy mess and the whole thing sort of broke apart when I tried to cut. So disappointed as these took most of my afternoon (with expensive ingredients). The taste is there but this is sort of a “crumble” of a snickers bar…… sigh.
HI! I am so sorry you had so much trouble with the recipe. What brand cashew butter did you use? Can you give me some details on how you made the nougat layer? It is so hard to know what happened without having more info.
Was the caramel good to go? You just had trouble with the nougat layer, right? Really hope I can help and again, so sorry for the trouble! Thank you! xTieghan
Unfortunately my caramel never set!! I only used the cream from the coconut cream too…. very strange. Although… the caramel soupiness tasted delicious!
Hey Leah,
So sorry about this, I am thinking the caramel was not cooked long enough. Let me know how I can help for next time! xTieghan
Could you use regular flour, instead of coconut or almond?
Hey Sulaiha,
Sorry you want to use almond or coconut flour for this recipe as it is not safe to eat raw flour. I hope you love the recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
LOVE the recipe! I just wanted to point out the ingredients say 2 teaspoons of vanilla whereas the recipe actually calls for 3 – One in the nougat and one in each caramel sauce. I am honestly surprised I noticed since I am terrible at reading recipes thoroughly! I typically get to a point in the recipe where I realize crap- I needed that?! I absolutely love every single thing you create!!
Hey Brittany,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Sunday:) xTieghan
So excited to try these! Can regular flour be used for this recipe?
Hey Erin,
Sorry, you won’t want to use that because it is not safe to eat raw flour. I hope you enjoy the recipe. Let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
MY granddaughter is allergic to peanuts. Can almonds or cashews be substituted for peanuts. Also sunflower butter for peanut butter? She has missed eating snickers so would be a great Valentine surprise!
Hey Susan,
Yes, I think these substitutes would work well for you. I hope you enjoy the recipe! xTieghan