Vegan Snickers Bars are an easy & delicious way to satisfy your candy bar cravings, without heading to the store. All you need is a few simple ingredients!
Why You’ll Love Them
They taste amazing. With layers of nougat, caramel, crunchy peanuts, and a chocolate coating, these homemade Snickers bars are just as satisfying as your favorite candy bar.
They are easy to prepare. Just stir a few ingredients together to make each layer, and press them into a loaf pan. No baking required! They set in the freezer, so the hardest part is simply waiting for them to firm up.
They are great for special diets. These Snickers bars are naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free, so they are a great option for those who can’t have the traditional version.
They are easy to customize. If you prefer a peanut-free option, you can easily make this recipe with almonds or cashews, instead. You can also skip the process of making your own chocolate coating, and use melted chocolate chips, if you prefer.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the best results, make sure your maple syrup isn’t cold from the fridge, otherwise it might cause the chocolate layer to thicken up. I like to measure that out early, so it can come to room temperature while I measure & mix everything else. The chocolate layer will be last to mix, anyway!
(If the chocolate layer does thicken, it’s still fine, but it will be slightly thicker to spread on the top.)
Update Note: This recipe was recently updated in 2023 to be easier, with less dishes to clean up. If you prefer using Medjool dates in the nougat layer, check out the original recipe, which requires a food processor for the first step.
How to Make Vegan Snickers Bars
1. Make the nougat layer.
In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir the mixture together, until it is thick and slightly sticky.
Prepare a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan by spraying it with oil, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom of the pan. (The oil will hold the parchment in place.)
Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, and press it evenly into the bottom. Then place the pan on a flat shelf in your freezer to firm up.
2. Make the caramel layer.
Rinse out the mixing bowl and dry it with a towel so you can use it again. Add in the peanut butter and maple syrup, and stir until they are evenly mixed. Depending on the texture of your peanut butter (use the all-natural version with just peanuts and salt) the consistency might thicken up, or it might be a little more runny. Either option is totally fine!
Remove the pan from the freezer and spread the caramel layer on top of the nougat. Then, sprinkle the roasted peanuts over that, and use your hands to gently press them into the caramel.
Return the pan to the freezer so the caramel can start to firm up.
3. Make the chocolate layer.
Rinse & dry the same mixing bowl, then add in the cacao powder, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Use a small whisk to stir the ingredients together, until a smooth & runny chocolate sauce is created. (If your kitchen or tools are cold, this may thicken up, and that’s okay, too.)
Remove the pan from the freezer, then spread the chocolate over the top. Sprinkle flaky salt over the top, if you like. Return the pan to the freezer so the Snickers bars can set, for at least 1 hour.
Note: This recipe is made much easier by only adding chocolate to the top. If you would prefer to have totally-covered chocolate bars, you can triple this chocolate sauce, and coat the bars on a wire cooling rack after freezing and slicing them. This will be messier, but it’s up to you! You can also use melted dark chocolate as a coating, if you prefer.
4. Enjoy!
Once the vegans Snickers bars are firm, use the parchment paper to help remove them from the pan. Slice them into 14 to 16 “fun size” bars, or you can cut them into even smaller squares for a bite-sized treat.
Store the homemade snickers bars in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. They will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks (with a softer texture) or in the freezer for up to 3 months (with a harder texture).
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the store-bought Snickers are not vegan because they contain dairy and egg.
Yes, of course! Check out my date caramel recipe if you’d prefer a fruit-sweetened option, but keep in mind that recipe makes a larger batch to make sure the dates will break down in a blender. You might have leftover caramel to enjoy in that case! Save the excess to serve with sliced apples or pretzels, or drizzle it over ice cream.
Yes, if you don’t want to use roasted & salted peanuts, you can use pecans, cashews, almonds, or any other option you keep on hand.
The nut butter adds creaminess to the vegan caramel sauce, while keeping the recipe simple, but you can use almond butter or cashew butter, instead. Whichever option you choose will change the flavor slightly, so make sure you enjoy what you pick!
Looking for more vegan candy recipes? Try Homemade Crunch Bars, Almond Butter Cups or Chocolate Peanut Butter Hearts for more ideas.
Vegan Snickers Bars
Ingredients
Nougat Layer:
- 1 ¼ cup blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil , melted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Vegan Caramel:
- ¼ cup all-natural creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Peanuts:
- ⅓ cup roasted & salted peanut halves
Chocolate Coating:
- ¼ cup cacao powder
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup , at room temperature
Instructions
- Lighty spray a 9×5-inch pan with oil, then line it with parchment paper. (The oil helps the paper stay in place while you work, but it won't touch the bars.)
- To prepare the nougat layer, add the almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt to a large bowl. Mix well, then transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and press it evenly into the bottom. Place the pan in the freezer to chill while you make the next layer.
- To make the caramel layer, stir together the peanut butter and maple syrup, until very smooth. Pour the caramel over the nougat layer, and use a spatula to spread it out.
- Sprinkle the peanut halves over the top of the caramel, making sure they are distributed evenly throughout the pan. Use your hands to lightly press them into the caramel. Set the pan in the freezer while you make the final layer.
- To prepare the chocolate coating, mix together the cacao powder, coconut oil, and maple syrup. This works best if the maple syrup isn't cold from the fridge, so the mixture will stay pourable. Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the chocolate topping over the top. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the entire top of the peanut layer, and sprinkle the top with flaky salt, if you like.
- Place the pan in the freezer to set until the bars are totally firm, at least 1 hour. Slice into 8 rows, then cut each bar in half to create 16 "fun size" candy bars. For a smaller, bite-size treat, cut the 16 pieces in half again to make 32 small squares. These bars are very rich, so you don't need much!
- Homemade Snickers Bars need to be stored in the fridge or freezer to remain solid. They will soften at room temperature and, as a result, will be messier to eat. Keep in mind that the caramel layer will not totally firm up, so it might spill out the sides as you bite into these bars. You can store these in an airtight container for up to 3 months in the freezer, if you don't eat them all before then.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try these Vegan Snickers Bars, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them.
These look so perfect! Especially with Halloween coming up. Pretty sure the vegan alternative looks better than the regular anyways. Yum.
These look so pretty and delicious. Meghan, you really do have a special flair for coming up with healthy & delicious treats!
Hope your family is doing great! Thanks for still continuing your blog and creating awesome new recipes despite this very hectic time in your life.
Thank you so much for this recipe! Snickers was my favorite candy bar until I gave it up, because I was sure it was such an unhealthy choice – esp. for my blood sugar! But the fiber from the dates and the protein from the almond butter nougat, alongside a healthy salad, will make this hypoglycemic happy :0). This recipe is so brilliant (esp. the coconut flour in the nougat) & so “makeable”!
Can you substitute anything for the coconut products? I am just not a fan of the taste/texture! Thanks in advance!
Oh my goodness, these look AMAZING! Thank you so much for posting this recipe, Megan. You are such a talented chef!!! 🙂 Snickers used to be my FAVORITE until I stopped eating things like that… I also loved Kit Kats and I’m trying to perfect a Kit Kat recipe, but it’s not turning out so good… Do you have any wafer recipes??? 🙂
Thanks for the great recipes and inspiration!
~Sparkle
I would be so grateful for a Waffer recipe too, we are gluten free and vegan and loooooooove Waffers, it’s so hard to find them gf and vegan without the junk in it. I don’t mind making it:)
cant wait to try this recipe … these look fantastic!
Oh, those sound perfect. I’ll definitely make some after my second batch of the freezer almond fudge is gone. I found that recipe (and the blog) only last week, and that’s already the favorite candy for me and my husband, therefor the second batch.
I love how the ingredients are vegan and raw and the end result yummy, but as a bonus surprise is that they work so well (as a small treat) for my husband who’s a meat eater, and on a diet which is high in fat and protein, low in carbs. 🙂
these look AMAZING!!!! Snickers was a big hit growing up 😉
These are absolutely genius! So stoked to make them. Thanks for sharing lady!
Holy Moly.. These look ahhmazingg. Thank you soooo for posting this!! Will definitely have to try this one of these days
Hi, just wondering if the dark chocolate chunks contain sugar. Thanks
O. My. Goodness. These look SO YUMMY!!! Can’t wait to make this. Thank you so much 🙂
you use coconut oil or flour in many of your recipes. for those of us who are allergic to coconut, what would be a good substitute?
Go with out it. Or use raw sesame seed oil. But coconut oil has the hardening consistency,
Well done!!
Oh my god! I made this last night and it’s so delicious!! thank you so much for this fab recipe!
I’ve been craving some real chocolate, but as I’m on a dairy and gluten and pretty much everything else diet, it’s out of the question, but I will make these today. You are a life-saver!!
Wow these look delicious. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes. I wish I had the time to make them all. I try to make something once a week. I really want to make these, but they seem time consuming- can some one mail me some, please? 🙂 (dead serious too) I wish some one would open a bakery filled with these type of treats. I’d be a constant customer!
I made this tonight using pecans as well. They are so rich and delicious, I can’t imagine eating more than one of the fun size in one sitting. Totally what I needed for my sweet tooth craving, thank you so much!
Heaven….
adding a scoop of chocolate whey into the equation……
Inspiring me to be creative
You are a genius! Thank you:)
Hi Megan. This recipe looks INSANE especially since my husband loves Snickers and I would love to recreate it in a healthier version. I can’t wait to try this recipe! One question though; I have all the ingredients on hand except for the 1 tbs of coconut flour. What can I substitute in place for the coconut flour?
Just found your blog and I am LOVING IT! Now I just have to decide what to make first… ; ) Well done! Looking forward to reading it more often!!
I’ve actually always thought that the flour less peanut butter choc blondes were a good GF and healthier alternative to snickers, they taste so similar but I’ll have to try these too.
Genius! I love Snickers and since going Paleo can’t have them. I can’t wait to try this recipe and the Twix bars too. I made your Paleo chocolate chip cookies and added 1/2 cup pumpkin this past weekend and they were a hit! I am so happy to have found your blog. Thanks 🙂
Hi Megan – I love your recipes and have made quite a few of them – this one is currently sitting in the freezer but question: HOW DO YOU COAT THE BOTTOM?!?!?! when i picked them up, they all stuck on my finger and if i were to try and coat, it lost its shape… any tips??
I made these last night – YUM! My favorite part hands down is the ‘caramel’. I didn’t realize how delicious dates were, but this tricky little combo here totally satisfies my craving for caramel – sweet, smooth, and slightly salty. I had quite a bit leftover to use for dipping apple slices into, and I plan on making quite a bit more. 🙂
Thank you for this awesome recipe!
This is my first recipe of yours that I have tried. My husband (a very picky eater) is in love with these. Seriously, he said these beat anything you can buy at the store. We completely avoided store bought Halloween candy this year, and ate these instead. My only complaint is that they are insanely addictive. The caramel never hardens and it melts in your mouth. Thank you for this recipe!!
My family love the vegan snickers! Yum!
What are the calorie breakdown on these Vegan snicker bars per serving?
I love this recipe. I make it around once a month for my partner and friends but have noticed the amount in your nougat part of the recipe seems to be off. It comes out quite runny gooey and never is as much as you have in your photos.
Did you use a double batch and maybe more flour.
I am curious to know 🙂
The photos always show the recipe exactly as written– so the photo you see above is the way it works when I make it. Photos don’t always show size accurately, though, so that maybe why my nougat looks like a larger quantity. As noted in the recipe above, the caramel does make a double-batch, so I only use half of the caramel with this amount of nougat. (It’s just impossible to make a smaller batch of caramel in my blender using dates.) So, you could double the amount of nougat if you want to use all of the caramel to make Snickers bars, or you can use the excess caramel as a dip for apples!
I just made it and noticed the same. I’m in Europe but I’m using American cups for American recipes but could you maybe weigh the amount of almond butter you use? For me 1 cup of almond butter was around 90 g which was definitely less than you used. Other than that it was delicious. 🙂
I meant 1/2 cup is 90 g as stated in the recipe.
I loved this recipe! Such an easy and fun thing to do! And it tasted like heaven. So much better than the original snickers.
Thanks for sharing! xoxo
Hi Megan! I really like your blog and this recipe was totally AMAZING!! Everyone in the house loves it. I want to share this recipe with everyone so they also can have a part of this wonderful taste haha, and I was wondering if I maybe could write a post on my blog about this recipe, borrow some Pictures that you’ve taken and then link to your website??
Hugs and kisses, Saga!
Yes, you’re welcome to share a photo on your site with a link back to the full recipe.
Dear Megan,
thanks a lot for so many great recipes! Do you think you could make an alternative to Bounty as well? 🙂
Thanks
Toni
Perfect recipe. Everyone loved it – except for one person who doesn’t like coconut and could taste the very, very subtle flavour of coconut oil. You can avoid that by replacing coconut oil with other oil and coconut flour with (best roasted) ground almonds. But even me, a very picky and critical taster, loved it and couldn’t taste dates, coconut, whatever.
My nut butter was mostly almond butter but with 2 tbsp peanut butter, and the nuts I used were obviously roasted peanuts!
My nougat was kind of runny, it wasn’t dough consistency. It was the same consistency as the almond butter out of the jar. which was a little bit runny but very thick
Did you use coconut flour? It’s super-absorbent and should create the dough consistency when thoroughly stirred in, but you can always add a little more if you need it to be thicker!
Hello, I just wanted to tell you that this recipe simply rocks. I have made it multiple times, and it is definitely make-at-home-treat staple in my house. I double the recipe and keep a stash in the fridge. So easy, so delicious! Thank you!
I made these today, with some adjustments, and they are super yummy. Thank you so much for this recipe. I can’t wait to let my son taste it tomorrow after school!
Hi! 🙂
Thank you so much for this great recipe (healthy snickers, like forreal…..) and all the steps that you wrote out for us with pictures!!
I made them yesterday for my birthday party today… THEY TASTE WAY TO GOOD, omygosch!! 😀
Have a wonderfull day.
Love
Lindsey
Mine tasted like PB Snickers because I used PB instead of almond butter. They are amazing! Thank you for a great recipe.
I made these with your recipe about 2 years ago. I didn’t have a blender (just an immersion blender) and they were such a hassle to make. BUT THEY TASTED AMAZING. Seriously, an amazing treat. Well, my husband and I just got a blender and one of the first things I did was scour the web for the recipe. I absolutely can’t wait to give these a shot again with the right equipment.
I really want to save this to my Pinterest! Do you have a Pinterest button?
hy:) Can I use peanut butter instead of almond butter?
fairly excited totry out this recipe!! I’ve a non vegan friend over for dinner tomorrow and these bars will be the glamorous end of my vegan gourmet dinner for him 🙂 thanks for sharing!
I’ve made these several times and love them. To keep costs down, I use peanut butter and peanuts in place of almond butter and pecans. I also layer the nougat, caramel, and nuts in silicone baking cups and freeze them. I then pop them out and coat with chocolate. Thanks for the flexible and very tasty recipe.
Oh my God I just made this and I may never eat a Snickers again??? My nougat had the perfect consistency but I think I could have spread it a little thicker. anyway 10/10
Hi! 519kcal for serving?
So good!! Just made them and can’t believe how amazing they taste! Thanks so much!!
Made these tonight. They were AMAZING!! In my opinion, they tasted more like a dark chocolate peanut butter cup with nuts, but in any case were totally addicting!!
It mentions there are 253cals per serving. Is that for 1 full bar or for 1 fun size bar?
Thank you! 🙂
WOW!! These REALLY taste like Snickers! YUM!! I made them last night exactly as your recipe and they were much easier than I thought. I used melted Lily’s Chocolate Chips for the topping and they came out perfect!! Thank you for another amazing recipe. I still make your almond meal chocolate chip cookies almost every day!!!
I’m going to make these for my birthday!! I’m finishing up a Whole37 the day before I turn 37 haha. Thank you for the great recipes. I love seeing your blog posts show up in my inbox!
Ooh, perfect! I hope you love them, and happy early birthday!!