This vegan snickers recipe is THE BOMB – rich and decadent with a creamy layer of homemade date caramel and crunchy peanuts! These healthy snack bars taste just like the ‘real thing’! They’re also super easy and fun to make. No added refined sugar or oil. Gluten-free option included. Jump to Recipe
I got some homemade Vegan Snickers over here! Is anyone interested? I thought so! Now, these are completely made from scratch – vegan date caramel and all. But don’t you worry, making your own candy snack bars is actually pretty dang easy.
Not only is this peanut snickers Bars recipe easy, but making your own vegan candy bars is also a guarantee that there are no preservatives, artificial colors, or any questionable ingredients in your and your kids’ sweet treats. The shortbread peanut cookie layer instead of nougat has a few ingredients and is customizable, topped with date caramel and chocolate.
And who wouldn’t want a homemade Snickers Bar that is actually good for you?
Ingredients:
Oh yeah, and did I mention you only need basic vegan pantry staples – all-natural plant-based ingredients, to make these gems?
This vegan snickers bar recipe also only requires about 20 minutes of work on your end, and if you use chocolate that’s sweetened with coconut sugar (like I did), they are also refined sugar-free!
- Smooth peanut butter – the good stuff, all-natural without added nasties. Check if your peanut butter is already salted or not. If it is, you can skip the salt in the recipe.
- Maple syrup – for adding sweetness without having to load up on refined sugar.
- Dates – Medjool or regular pitted dates, soaked in water. We need these to make our vegan date caramel layer. Snickers without caramel? I don’t think so!
- Flour – all-purpose will do the trick just fine. You can use gluten-free all purpose or oat flour.
- Plant-based milk – coconut, oat, or almond milk for thinning out the batter for the crust and get the desired smoothness for the caramel layer. Depending on the initial texture of your nut butter, you might need slightly less or more.
- Baking soda – your raising agent.
- Chocolate chips – because it would not be a snickers bar without chocolate right? Make sure your chocolate chips are vegan.
Tips and Substitutions:
- If you are allergic to peanuts, you can use other nut butters such as almond butter, sun butter, cashew butter, or mixed nut/seed butters as well. Same goes for the whole peanuts in the bars. Obviously the final result will taste different, but it will still be delicious.
- These bars are actually fine at room temperature and will not melt or anything. For long-term storage, I would recommend placing them in the fridge or freezer so they last longer. If you store them in the freezer, let them defrost for a few minutes before serving.
- Note that not all peanut butter is created equal. Plenty of brands you’ll find on grocery store shelves are loaded with unnecessary oils and sugars, driving up the calorie count of these babies unnecessarily. Check the ingredient list.
How to make this Vegan Snickers Snack Bars recipe:
Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F (176C) and line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment.
In a bowl add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and non-dairy milk and warm in a microwave for half a minute.
Whisk well to combine. Add the rest of the dry ingredients, so flour, baking soda and salt, and mix well
Press this mixture into the parchment-lined pan and even it out.
Soak the dates in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain the dates and blend them with the rest of the ingredients listed under caramel until smooth. You can use any high-speed blender or a food processor.
Press the peanuts into the cookie layer
then top it with the blended caramel mixture and bake the base for 30 minutes.
Top with the chocolate chips and bake for another 5 minutes, then spread out the melted chocolate chips with a spatula to cover the caramel evenly. You can also use the double-boiler to melt the chocolate and drizzle all over instead.
Cool completely and freeze for a few hours and slice, then store refrigerated for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.
MORE SNACK BARS AND BITES FROM THE BLOG
- Carrot Cake Bites – They taste like Carrot Cake! you all have been loving them. GF
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Balls with Rice Krispies/Oats– Cannot get any better than pb and chocolate. GF
- Seedy Chocolate Snack Bars – no dates! GF
- Golden Sesame Balls – Because turmeric GF
- Mojito Energy Balls – so fresh and zesty! GF
- Blueberry Muffin Energy Bites – these snack balls Taste like blueberry muffins. GF
Vegan Snickers Snack Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Cookie Layer
- 1/2 cup (129 g) smooth peanut butter Or use almond butter or cashew butter for peanutfree
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) maple syrup
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) non-dairy milk such as almond soy, oat or coconut milk
- 3/4 cup (90 g) of flour ,I use all-purpose. Use gf flour blend of choice or oat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/3 tsp (1/3 ) salt adjust based on peanut butter is already salted or not
Caramel Layer:
- 1 (147 g) heaping cup of soft dates
- 2 tbsp (30 g) of peanut butter or almond butter
- 1/8 tsp (1/8 ) Salt
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) nondairy milk
- 1 tbsp of shredded coconut optional
Topping
- 3 to 4 tbsp roasted peanuts
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup (45 g) vegan chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (176C) and line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment.
- In a bowl add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and non-dairy milk and warm in a microwave for half a minute. Whisk well to combine. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix well
- Press this cookie layer mixture into the parchment-lined pan and even it out. Soak the dates in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain the dates and blend them with the rest of the ingredients under caramel until smooth, you can use a blender or a food processor.
- Press the peanuts into the cookie layer then top it with the blended caramel mixture and bake for 30 minutes. Top with the chocolate chips and bake for another 5 minutes, then spread out the melted chocolate chips with a spatula to cover the caramel evenly. Alternatively, use the double boiler to melt the chocolate , mix in 1 teaspoon coconut oil , and drizzle all over instead.
- Cool completely and freeze for 1-2 hours and slice and then store refrigerated for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.
Video
Notes
- If you are allergic to peanuts, you can use other nut butters such as almond butter, sun butter, cashew butter, or mixed nut/seed butters as well. Same goes for the whole peanuts in the bars. Obviously the final result will taste different, but still, it will be delicious!
- These bars are actually fine at room temperature and will not melt or anything. For long-term storage, I would recommend placing them in the fridge or freezer so they last longer. If you store them in the freezer, let them defrost for a few minutes before serving.
- Note that not all peanut butter is created equal. Plenty of brands you’ll find on grocery store shelves are loaded with unnecessary oils and sugars, driving up the calorie count of these babies unnecessarily. Check the ingredient list.
Nutrition
Jillian
I think it tasted good, but for me the cookie layer was dry and crumbly, and my chocolate layer cracked horribly. I did put some extra chocolate in there, so maybe that’s why. I can’t figure out why the cookie layer didn’t work out though. Thanks for the idea and making it sugar free.
Richa
Oh no. You def need a thinner chocolate layer as it’s just chocolate and it will crack if it’s thick as you’ll need to apply more pressure to slice. For using more chocolate add in 2 tablespoons of non dairy milk while melting so that it doesn’t harden into too solid and stays slightly soft,
The bottom maybe have gotten over baked if the oven was running hotter or maybe the nut butter wasn’t moist enough. Add in more nut butter and a tablespoon applesauce to help
Donna
I made these yesterday they are excellent. Definitely will be making them again.
Richa
Yay
Carlotta
Amazing ! Thanks for the recipe. Some bites felt a bit too dry and some not, maybe I didn’t make my layers even. Everybody liked it! I am also considering using the delicious peanut-dates caramel for other things !
Nancy
OMG! Amazing! This will be on a regular rotation. I need to make a second batch and freeze them because this batch definitely won’t last long! Thank you, Richa!
Richa
Yay
Lucas
It was very good! I will definitely make again with some kind of variation. I would either replace the peanuts with pretzels or insert a layer of raspberry jam.
Vegan Richa Support
Awesome ! mmmmmm sounds yummy
Meredith
Is it possible to use buckwheat or almond flour instead of gf all purpose or oat?
Vegan Richa Support
almond flour will work
Payal
Hi richa
I have a question do we actually put this snicker bars in freezer or inthe refrigerator for few hours you have said to put in freezer will it not become very soft if we take it out .
Richa
The freezing is to help it said quickly and make it easier to slice. Once you slice them you can keep them in the refrigerator for up to five days. They don’t become soft the are hard enough like cookie
Pooja
Mouth Watering recipe. Looks delicious thanks for sharing:)
Vegan Richa Support
Thank you Pooja!! I hope that you try it
Sylwia
I just made them – soo good! The only thing I changed is adding a bit of vanilla ekstract to the caramel layer and mixing oat and rice flour for the base. Definitelly will make them again. Thank you for the recipe, Richa! <3
Kristen
These are delicious! When I put the chocolate on top, it kind of all mixed in with the date caramel layer, so they don’t have that layered look, but I don’t care, because they are so yummy. Also, I used oat flour for the cookie part. Worked great.
I never liked dates until I tried a few of your recipes. Thanks!
Richa
Yay! Yes it does get a bit mixed. You can double up on the date layer for thicker layer . It’s so good!
Kristen
I take it back- once it was really set up in the freezer, the chocolate and caramel layers were very distinct. Making more today. LOL
Ryan Matzen
These are very good! Thanks much!
Leena
I made these soon after receiving the email alert; they’re fantastic! I love that the recipe was created with simple ingredients. Thank you!
Richa
Awesome!
Paul
It looks healthy and delicious. I will definitely try this recipe.
Dia
Can we replace napoleon syrup with honey or anything else
Dia
I mean maple syrup typo error
Richa
1/4 cup Sugar plus 2 tbsp non dairy milk
Dia
Thanks I have couple of questions you mean total 4 tbsp milk for cookie layer with sugar and I have some almond butter I can use it in caramel layer or it is necessary to use both layer with one butter .can I use normal chocolate for top layer don’t have chocolate chip am even confuse with this process it’s after baking and den cool and freezing .thanks
Dia
Hey Richa I will b making it in couple of days ..it will b good help if you reply
Paqui
Hola.
Yo quisiera saber si puedo elaborar sin el microondas. Gracias.
Vegan Richa Support
HOla Paqui, si puedes calienta y mezcla el jarabe de arce con mantequilla de maní y la leche no láctea en una cacerola pequeña durante un par de minutos a fuego medio a medio alto hasta que estén bien combinados
jayne gill
I’m trying this one out today 😊
Richa
Yay