Snickers Protein Bars
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These healthy Snickers protein bars look and taste like the OG candy bar, but they’re ACTUALLY good for you. Each bar packs over 15 grams of protein.
My family knows I have a fascination with Snickers (hello, Snickers cake!), and when I first saw Snickers protein bars in the stores, my jaw just about hit the floor!
Then…I looked at the back of the package. They pack almost as many calories as a regular Snickers, and they don’t even have that much protein. After a few trial runs (some too crumbly, some too soft), I nailed the texture so that they chew just like the real thing. I decided to make them from scratch (adapting my OG homemade protein bars), and now they’re my family’s favorite protein bar.
Table of Contents
Arman’s tips before starting
Press the nougat firmly into the pan. This is the biggest mistake I made when testing these bars. Any gaps or air pockets can make the base crumbly, so I press it firmly to really pack it down.
Chill between layers. If the caramel is too soft when you add the chocolate coating, everything can start to blend together. A quick chill helps create those clean Snickers-style layers.
Thin the chocolate if needed. I like a thick chocolate coating, but if you prefer a thinner shell, stir one tablespoon of melted coconut oil into the melted chocolate. It makes coating the bars much easier, too.
Use a wire rack for the chocolate coating. I place the bars on a lightly greased wire rack before pouring the chocolate over them. It helps the excess drip away and gives a more even coating.
Key ingredients
For the nougat base:
- Coconut flour. This is my favorite no-bake flour to use. It keeps the base thick and gives it a chewy bite, but with no coconut flavor.
- Protein powder. I tested this with vanilla whey, pea, rice, and casein protein; casein and pea worked best for the chewy texture without drying out. For brand, I swear by my Optimum Nutrition- It’s the one I use it in EVERY recipe with protein powder here.
- Pure maple syrup. My preferred sticky sweetener, especially in this recipe. I also tried honey and had equally delicious results.
- Water or milk. The amount of liquid will vary depending on the thickness of your protein powder. I usually add an additional 1-2 tablespoons of water or unsweetened almond milk if my nougat layer is too crumbly.
For the chocolate and caramel layers:
- Peanut butter. For added richness and healthy fats. I always try to use creamy peanut butter with no added sugar.
- Maple syrup. For sweetness and to bind the ingredients.
- Coconut oil. I tested this recipe with and without coconut oil, and while you don’t HAVE to use it, it will help firm up the batter and give it a more ‘traditional’ texture.
- Chopped peanuts. Finely chopped for some crunch.
- Chocolate. I like to use vegan chocolate chips, but use whichever you prefer. In terms of store-bought options, I love using Lindt 70% or Enjoy Life chocolate chips.
How to make Snickers protein bars
Step 1- Prep. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
Step 2- Nougat layer. Combine the nougat ingredients in a large mixing bowl until the batter is thick (adding liquid as needed). Press it into the lined pan and chill.
Step 3- Caramel layer. Microwave the peanut butter, syrup, and oil, then whisk until smooth. Pour over the nougat and sprinkle with crushed peanuts. Freeze until firm.
Step 4- Chocolate layer. Melt the chocolate until smooth. Remove the bar mixture from the freezer, cut into bars, and dip each into the chocolate. Chill until firm.
Storage instructions
To store: Leftovers can be stored at room temperature, covered, for up to 1 month. If the kitchen is warm, refrigerate them so the chocolate stays firm.
To freeze: Place the Snickers bars in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to 6 months. Let them thaw overnight.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely. I’ve made these with almond butter and sunflower seed butter with great results. Tahini also works, though it gives the bars a slightly different flavor.
I don’t recommend it. The protein powder helps create the chewy nougat texture and gives the bars structure. If needed, you can experiment with powdered peanut butter or a little extra flour, but the texture won’t be quite the same.
Snickers Protein Bars
Video
Ingredients
For the nougat layer
- 1 cup coconut flour
- 1 cup protein powder
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 cup milk of choice * See notes
For the caramel layer
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons peanuts chopped
For the chocolate coating
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line an 8 x 8 square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the coconut flour, protein powder, and maple syrup and mix well. Add the milk of choice and mix until a thick batter remains. Transfer into the lined pan and refrigerate.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil and microwave in 20-second spurts until warm. Whisk together until smooth. Pour the caramel over the top of the nougat base. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top. Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes, or until firm.
- Remove from the loaf pan and cut into bars. Melt your chocolate chips and dip each Snickers base in the chocolate until evenly coated. Refrigerate until the chocolate has firmed up.
Very nice! Kids loved them too.
However I just watched the video of them being made and its different to the recipe you’ve written. There’s different ingredients added into the base layer. Which is better do you think?
Cheers
Hi Edel, so glad you liked the recipe! Since making the video we decided to try and create a cleaner version of the bar by cutting back on some of the peanut butter and sweetener, which is why we tested a version without those ingredients in the base. Both versions are delicious though!
Can you taste the maple? I think I’d rather use honey since I don’t like maple but when I made vanilla creamer, it called for maple syrup and I couldn’t really taste it…. ? Curious!
Hi Lydiah- I totally hear you. For a creamier, whatever sweetener you use will be quite overpowering, unless it’s straight sugar. For these snickers though, I’d recommend maple over honey, as honey is SUPER overpowering (which is fine if you like the flavor of honey!). I don’t taste the maple in these bars at all 🙂
🙂
Thanks Lucy!
I swapped out a few ingredients: maple for manuka honey: peanuts out for pistachio: FHC (flax seed, hemp & chia) for protein and oat milk to combine. Turned out brilliant! Thanks for the recipe!!!
I love to hear that, Te Aroha! LOVE that you used pistachios!! They are having quite the moment aren’t they!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a lovely review and sharing your tweaks 🙂
Wish you would put sugar grams on recipes if you could. Some of us with diabetes would love to make some of these recipes, but need to know sugar counts. I do make many of your recipes as it is, but could make more and share with more people.
Rosalie
Hi Rosalie, we’re working on converting our all recipes to include metric weights. Hopefully soon!
SO DELICIOUS! I love these homemade candy bar recipes.
These are amazing.
Also, it said to see notes regarding milk of choice. But I see no notes about milk. I used almond milk.
Hi there, almond milk is perfectly fine! The note on milk is just to point out that depending on the protein powder you use, you may need to add a little more or less to get the right consistency.
I make these every week now! Such a delicious treat.
Milk of choice says “see notes” but the notes don’t reference milk… any advice? Thanks!
Hi Alison, that “see notes” reference is directed to the “additional milk of choice” section. Basically, depending on the type of protein powder you’re using, you may need a little more milk to ensure the layer isn’t crumbly.
Wow on photo this looks just like Snickers. I must try it as I love Snickers so much.
changed the coconut flour for almond flour (doubled) and the maple syrup for honey since thats all i had in hand, they are absolutely perfect. they remove the weird aftertaste my protein powder has, so i really liked the recipe! gonna share it with my gym friends!
So wonderful to hear Valery, thanks so much for sharing!
I ended up using unflavoured protein powder (small mistake!) so added more maple syrup (I used your keto syrup recipe – awesome!) and man, you got the texture pretty spot on. I used natural peanut butter too, so not so much chemicals and sugar, again needed extra syrup. It’s much less sweet than I’m sure your original recipe is, but I love it.
I need to try this. Usually I always buy Snickers or something with peanuts. I never made some recipe with peanuts before.
Wow they look like normal snickers. I must try it.
Hi,
Can I use Vitafiber powder instead of maple syrup?
I haven’t tried that before but you are welcome to experiment and see!
What can I use instead of coconut oil?
Hi Jackie, you can use a 1:1 swap for butter or vegan butter if you don’t have any coconut oil 🙂