The BEST Healthy Snickers Recipe (gluten-free)

These homemade healthy Snickers are the ultimate recipe to make for all Snickers lovers. They’re made with all gluten-free and vegan ingredients and these are the easiest healthier snickers recipe with a cookie base, caramel center with peanuts and covered in chocolate.

I cannot believe that earlier this year, my very first cookbook came out!

How flipping crazy is that?! It feels surreal to see you guys cook and bake from it everyday. And even crazier when I see the book in stores itself.

I am still so bummed we didn’t get to go on the book tour we planned for you guys – but hopefully one day I can travel to each of your cities and we can eat all of the paleo pop tarts and epic quesadillas and things together.

Today on the blog I am sharing one of my favorite recipes from the book. And one that you guys make over and over again – my vegan caramel candy bars! Aka “Snickers” except I cannot call them that in a book for copyright recipes 😉 These copycat “Snickers” are one of our absolute favorite recipes to make and keep in the freezer. They have a dreamy shortbread cookie crust. And they are topped with homemade caramel and crushed peanuts. Then coated in dreamy dark chocolate.

What can be better?

If you guys enjoy this recipe and all of the other ones from my blog, definitely check out my book if you are looking for 100+ new recipes you cannot find here on the blog. There are so many savory dishes in there too that we make for dinner all the time. It is almost a hidden surprise when you open the book and see how much variety there is with what to whip up!

Ingredients in these healthier Snickers bars:

• Medjool dates – softened in hot water for 10 minutes
• Vanilla extract – splash for flavor in cookie layer and the caramel
• Roasted peanuts, halved – roasted, salted is the classic way to go here
• Maple syrup or honey – either works for these bars
• Creamy nut butter – I use peanut butter most often as it’s my favorite and the creamier the better
• Chocolate chips  – you can really use any chocolate you want, milk or semi-sweet work but I prefer dark chocolate for these

How to make vegan snickers candy bars:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease an loaf pan with oil or line with parchment paper
2. In a large bowl, mix together the shortbread cookie ingredients
3. Add batter to the baking dish and press down firmly with your hands or spatula to form the large cookie crust
4. Bake in oven for 20 minutes then remove and let the crust cool for a few
5. While shortbread cookie bakes, make the caramel by adding the dates (sans water), nut butter and vanilla extract to a food processor and blend until fully combined
6. Once cookie layer is cooled, spread caramel layer on top
7. Press down peanuts on top of caramel layer
8. Add to freezer for 30 minutes then melt chocolate in microwave or over stovetop
9. Remove bars from fridge and cut into even bars (I remove parchment paper then cut into pieces on a cutting board
10. Pour chocolate on top and evenly spread across the bars then add to lined baking sheet and set in freezer for 1 hour
11. Enjoy!

FAQs and tips on making these healthy Snickers bars:

1. Can I use another type of chocolate? Yes! I usually use dark chocolate but really any chocolate can work. Semi-sweet, milk, your favorite!
2. What about nuts? Traditionally snickers have peanuts in them but if you are allergic or don’t have any, you can use another nut like pecans, walnuts or cashews.
3. Can I make these in another pan? An 8×8 baking dish also works. It will be thinner cookie part of the bar but still yummy. Watch the bake time as needed.
4. What is the best way to store this snickers? In the freezer! In a large ziplock or freezer-friendly bag. They stay good for up to 2 months but you will likely eat them all before that happens.

A few of my other favorite homemade candy recipes:

Healthy Homemade Candy Recipes (DIY Candy Ideas!)

The BEST Gluten-free Twix Bars!

Healthier Vegan 100 Grand Bars (gluten-free)

Copycat Peanut Butter Pumpkin Reese’s (vegan)