Healthy Snickers Bars
I believe it was Halloween several years ago that I created this recipe for. I wanted to make a vegan version of some kind of popular chocolate candy bar… and when I searched online for the most popular chocolate bars, Snickers bars were in the number one spot!
This recipe uses healthy ingredients like dates, cashew butter, oats and peanuts to make these Snickers bars a better-for-you version than the generic candy bars, and the chocolate chips used are dairy free. A very small amount of coconut oil is used just for mixing with the chocolate chips, and then they’re melted together.
These Snickers bars are assembled with a nougat layer on the bottom, then a caramel mixture made from blended dates with water, and then chopped peanuts pressed on top. The layers are kept in the freezer until hardened, and then cut into bars and dipped in the melted chocolate with coconut oil. The bars are then returned to the freezer until they’re firm and the chocolate is solid again. This is a no bake recipe, and way easier to make than you may expect!
Whether you’re vegan, avoiding dairy, looking for a cruelty free alternative or just wanting a healthier option, this recipe for Healthy Vegan Snickers bars is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. It’s a fun little project you can do with your kids, other adults, or by yourself… they’re just fun to make and even more fun to eat! I’ve shared these with friends and family and they’ve passed the taste test of even non-vegans! You would never know they don’t contain any dairy at all.
Because they freeze so well, they can be kept in the freezer for up to a couple of months and enjoyed frozen, or you can thaw them for a few minutes first.
Dates: Dates can be purchased with or without the pit, but even pitted dates often have some pits in them that are overlooked in the manufacturing process, so I always cut mine in half to check before I consume them. In this recipe, the dates are blended with water to create a caramel sauce, so be sure to check for pits before you blend these!
Cashew Butter: You can also use the more cost-effective and widely available peanut butter, but just be aware that the taste will be different. More like a Reese’s cup, but who’s complaining about that?
Oat Flour: Oat flour is easily made by pouring dry oats into a blender and blending until it reaches a fine powder consistency. If you prefer, almond flour is a good substitute.
Sea Salt: Enhances all of the other flavors, and you may also sprinkle sea salt on top of your Snickers bars once they’re done being made and before you freeze them for an even more pronounced salted chocolate flavor.
Peanuts: I use raw, unsalted peanuts, but for this recipe you may use roasted and salted peanuts. If salted peanuts are being used, though, you may want to reduce the amount of added sea salt in this recipe.
Chocolate Chips: Dairy-free chocolate chips are easier to find than you may imagine. Some widespread brands that are typically easy to find include Simple Truth Organic, Enjoy Life, and even Nestle Tollhouse has a plant-based chocolate chip option now.
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is a wonderful oil to use in chocolate recipes because it hardens as it cools, so it will keep your Snickers bars firm. For this reason, I don’t recommend substituting the coconut oil with another kind of oil.
Ingredients
1 C dates
½ C water
¼ C cashew butter
½ C oat flour
¼ tsp sea salt
½ C chopped peanuts
8 oz chocolate chips
1 T coconut oil
Instructions
1. Make the date caramel by blending 1 C dates and ½ C water in a high speed blender until smooth.
2. Add ¼ C of the date caramel and all of the cashew butter to a pot and melt together on low heat, stirring often. Once melted, stir in the oat flour and sea salt.
3. Press the mixture evenly into a parchment lined baking dish so it’s evenly covering the bottom of the dish, ideally making this layer about ½” thick (the dish I used is 6.5”x8.5”).
4. Spread the unused portion of the date caramel on top of the cashew butter mixture using a spatula.
5. Sprinkle chopped peanuts on top, and press them into the date caramel with a spoon if needed.
6. Freeze for about an hour, until everything is firm to the touch.
7. Remove the dish from the freezer and use the parchment paper to pull the Snickers base from the baking dish. Cut into bars of desired size. Since these aren’t being baked, you can cut them into any size you would like, or even double them up to create extra thick Snickers bars! Just take note that thicker bars will need to be frozen for a longer amount of time.
8. Melt the chocolate by combining the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a shallow bowl, then heating in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring each time to prevent burning. If you don’t have a microwave, you can use the double boiler method on the stove: Add water to a saucepan, you only need about 1” of water or enough to cover the bottom. Bring to a simmer, then place your bowl of chocolate and coconut oil over it. The bowl must be wider than the pot so it sits on top without falling inside. Keep the heat low, and stir the chocolate and coconut oil often until they are melted together.
9. Dip the bars in melted chocolate using tongs or two forks, then transfer each chocolate-covered bar to a parchment lined baking sheet. You may optionally sprinkle on additional sea salt for an extra salted chocolate taste.
10. Freeze for an additional 45 minutes or until the chocolate has hardened. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to enjoy.
Stefanie is the founder of Life, Veganized, and a passionate vegan and animal advocate. She creates vegan recipes for all palates and resides in Los Angeles with her adorable puggle, Zeus.
