Healthy Snickers
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My healthy Snickers recipe features layers of chewy nougat, gooey caramel, crunchy nuts, and rich chocolate. It’s everyone’s favorite candy bar recipe, just made wholesome.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you know my sweet tooth is legendary- especially when chocolate is involved!
As much as I love classic crunch bars and bounty bars, Snickers might take the crown as my ultimate chocolate fix (and my partner, sister, AND dad!). Between the gooey caramel, crunchy nuts, and thick chocolate coating, it’s a texture and flavor lover’s dream.
Naturally, I had to recreate them at home. After several rounds of testing (and numerous taste-testing breaks), I developed a version that utilizes simple, wholesome ingredients yet delivers the same indulgent experience. The best part? They come together with minimal prep and no candy thermometer.
Table of Contents
Why my homemade Snickers is the MVP
- Easy to make. For the numerous elements that go into making these bars, they come together effortlessly, and most of the time spent making them is spent patiently waiting for them to firm up in the fridge.
- Layered with flavor. There’s literally layer upon layer of rich and decadent filling.
- Better than the original. I’ve got nothing against a traditional Snickers bar, but for some reason, they just taste better when you make them from scratch.
Key Ingredients
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
- Almond meal. I recommend using almond meal, not almond flour, since we want the coarse texture from the skins to add a chewy bite.
- Coconut flour. One of my go-to flours for no-bake recipes, as it provides a nice, cakey texture and absorbs moisture well.
- Maple syrup. For essential sweetness and to bind the dry ingredients together.
- Milk. I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk will work.
For the caramel and chocolate layer:
- Almond butter. For the classic nutty filling. You can make your own or swap it for other nut butters, like peanut butter, if preferred.
- Maple syrup. To thin out the almond butter and add a caramelized sweetness.
- Coconut oil. Melted to add richness. Use refined coconut oil if you’re not a fan of coconut flavor.
- Chopped nuts. I used roasted peanuts, but any type of nuts, like cashews or almonds, will work.
- Chocolate chips. I used semi-sweet chocolate since the rest of the layers are already plenty sweet, and the subtle bitterness will balance out the other ingredients well. That said, you can also use dark chocolate if you prefer.
How to make healthy Snickers
Step 1- Mix. In a large bowl or a food processor, combine almond meal, coconut flour, and maple syrup.
Step 2- Set. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the fridge.
Step 3- Make the caramel layer. In a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop, heat the caramel ingredients until well combined. Whisk very well, as the coconut oil tends to separate.
Step 4- Add caramel layer. Pour the caramel mixture over the nougat. Sprinkle the bars with crushed nuts, then place them in the freezer to chill more quickly.
Step 5- Slice. Remove the bars from the pan and cut them into 18 bars.
Step 6- Add chocolate. Melt the chocolate chips. Moving quickly, use two forks to dip each bar in the melted chocolate until evenly covered. Once they are all covered in chocolate, refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened.
Pro tips and variation ideas
- Slice with a warm knife. For clean, bakery-style edges, dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and slice in one confident motion. This keeps the layers intact and prevents the bars from crumbling.
- Use a wide bowl to melt chocolate. A wide shallow bowl helps the chocolate melt evenly and makes dipping SO much easier. I like to melt the chocolate gently in the microwave in 20-30 second bursts, stirring between each, to avoid scorching.
- Choose good-quality chocolate. This is the star ingredients, so it’s worth using a high-quality chocolate bar. I like Lindt, Callebaut, or Ghirardelli for a silky-smooth melt and rich chocolate finish.
- Variation ideas. Swap the peanuts for roasted almonds or cashews (I use a mix of all 3 in my recipe video), use white chocolate, or sprinkle with crushed pretzels for a sweet-salty crunch.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely! To make vegan snickers bars, simply use vegan chocolate chips and dairy-free milk.
Yes! Swap the peanuts for sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or even crunchy rice cereal. Use sunflower seed butter instead of almond butter, and sunflower seed flour instead of almond flour. I tested a nut-free version for a friend with allergies, and it worked perfectly.
Yes, for keto Snickers, swap out the maple syrup for keto maple syrup and cover the bars with sugar free chocolate chips. Each bar will have less than 4 grams net carbs.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftover bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Transfer leftover bars to an airtight container and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let the bars thaw overnight in the fridge.
Healthy Snickers
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond meal
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup milk
For the caramel layer
- 1 cup almond butter
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 cup chopped nuts of choice
For the chocolate coating
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Spray an 8-inch brownie bar pan, square pan, or loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond meal, coconut flour, and syrup and mix until a crumbly texture remains. Slowly add milk until a thick batter remains.
- Transfer the batter to the lined pan and place it in the refrigerator.
- In a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop, heat the almond butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Be sure to whisk very well, as the coconut oil tends to separate quickly.
- Pour the caramel mixture over the chilled nougat layer. Sprinkle the tops with the crushed nuts and place in the freezer to chill faster.
- Melt the chocolate chips. Remove the set bars and cut them into 18 small bars or 12 large ones. Moving quickly, dip each bar in the melted chocolate until evenly covered. Once they are all covered in chocolate, refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened.
Notes
- Almond butter sub: Cashew butter, peanut butter, tahini, or sunflower seed butter.
- Leftovers: Keep in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for 6 months.
Unbelievable amazing I am going to make them no gilt thank you for sharing ❤️
Thanks so much Iris! It’s one of my favorites 🙂
I’ve not tried these yet but I have made some and they smell amazing (can’t wait to give them a taste once the chocolate is hard!)
The recipe was nice and easy to follow, but any tips on how to make the caramel without it separating for next time? Or is there an alternative for coconut oil that can be used at all?
Who sa: homemade snickers cannot be healthy hehe thanks.
Love these so much!
Can you use sugar free caramel Sunday syrup in place of making the caramel in the recipe?
I haven’t tried, but feel free to experiment and see.
These are amazing. They’re even great without the chocolate. We ended up freezing them much longer because they were still slightly soft and crumbly after a couple of hours. Once dipped, I still liked them best just out of the freezer! We found a sugar free keto maple syrup on Amazon and used that. Great recipe.
Thank you, Kara!
What size pan did you use?
It said 8 in brownie pan at #1 of the how to portion to make this recipe!