No Bake Homemade Vegan Snickers Bars (Paleo Option)
These delicious and easy no-bake Vegan Snickers Bars are a fun and healthier twist on a classic candy bar! Layers of chocolate, vegan nougat, caramel, and peanuts- the best! Refined sugar-free, gluten-free, full of protein, and with a paleo-friendly option!
Servings: 16 servings
Ingredients
Chocolate Layer
- 2 cups dairy free chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- Optional: Sea salt flakes for garnish
Nougat Layer
- 1¼ cup raw cashews soaked in boiling water for 10 minutes
- 3/4 cup pitted medjool dates
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Caramel Layer
- 1/3 cup peanut butter or almond butter, for paleo
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 3/4 cup chopped peanuts or chopped cashews, for paleo
Instructions
- Start by soaking the cashews in boiling water, and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Melt 1 cup of chocolate chips + 2 tbsp of coconut oil in the microwave or in a double boiler. Pour the chocolate into the parchment paper lined pan and spread evenly. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- While the chocolate is hardening, make the nougat layer. Drain the cashews then add to a food processor with dates, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Pulse crumbly and sticky.
- Pour the nougat mixture over the hardened chocolate and press evenly. Freeze for 5 minutes.
- Make the caramel layer by melting peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil in a microwave or double boiler and stirring together. Pour this over the nougat layer, then sprinkle with chopped peanuts evenly. Freeze for 5 minutes.
- Melt together the remaining 1 cup of the chocolate chips + 2 tbsp of coconut oil, and pour evenly over the caramel layer. Tilt the pan and use a spatula to move around the chocolate so it covers everything.
- Freeze for 30 minutes to 1 hour until completely firm. Remove from the pan using the parchment paper, then slice into 16 pieces. You can run a shark knife under hot water, then wipe it off before slicing to avoid cracks on the top chocolate layer. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Your grocery store should carry dairy-free chocolate chips in the baking aisle. If you’re unable to find them at your local store, this is the brand of dark chocolate chips that I love that's dairy-free and vegan. If you are trying to avoid cane sugar, I recommend these chocolate chips, which I've used in paleo baking many times with success.
- Chocolate chunks are also fine to use. If you have vegan chocolate bars, you can chop them up into pieces so you have 2 cups to use.
- You can use your favorite brand of peanut butter, and it doesn’t matter if you use creamy or crunchy. They'll both work well. If you’re making paleo Snickers bars, you can use almond butter as a replacement, and it'll work just as well.
- Chopped nuts add the perfect crunch to the center of these bars. However, if you are paleo, you can use chopped cashews as a replacement for the peanuts. If you’re using peanuts, be sure to use the unsalted kind instead of the honey-roasted ones.
- It will take about 30 minutes or less to prepare the ingredients and put them together to create these delicious vegan Snickers Bars. You’ll need to allow them to sit in the freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes to get firm, though I recommend a full hour for best results.
Storage Tips
- Store these vegan Snickers bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator to keep them fresh for up to one week.
- To freeze, place the bars in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar - makes 16 | Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 10IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 2mg