These no-bake healthy snickers bars layer almond flour shortbread, date caramel, roasted peanuts, and dark chocolate. Vegan, naturally sweetened, easy to make.
I made these for my husband who hates "healthy" desserts and he ate four in one sitting.
- Autumn K.
Jump to:
Bailey's Thoughts ...
A quick rummage through the pantry and then I'm in bed with the television on. Something on Bravo where someone is always, without exception, screaming about something that will be resolved and then unresolved by next week.
Joe scrolls his phone in quiet judgment. I pull the covers up and eat something chocolate.
This is genuinely the best part of my day.
I am not going to pretend that eating sweets in bed at 9pm is a wellness practice. I have considered becoming the kind of person who winds down with carrots and yogurt dip while watching a Ken Burns documentary.
I have considered it. I moved on.
These healthy snickers bars are the upgrade. An almond flour shortbread base, a thick layer of date caramel that tastes like the real thing, salty roasted peanuts pressed into the top, and a dark chocolate coating that snaps when you bite it. Flaky sea salt on top because of course.
These are ready. They live in the freezer in a stack, wrapped, waiting. About 30 minutes of actual work on a Sunday afternoon and then your future self gets a candy bar every night for a week. Joe still scrolls in quiet judgment, but he also eats two of them, so.
Ingredients + Substitutions
Almond flour: Almond meal works 1:1 (a little more rustic). Cashew flour, also 1:1.
Maple syrup: Honey or agave, 1:1. Brown rice syrup if that's what you have.
Coconut oil: Melted butter in the base. A neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed) in the chocolate.
Vanilla extract: Vanilla bean paste, 1:1. Or ½ teaspoon almond extract for a moodier vibe.
Medjool dates: Deglet Noor will work, but they're smaller and drier. Use about 25% more and soak for 15 minutes instead of 5. Please don't try raisins or prunes. I have, on your behalf.
Smooth peanut butter: Almond, cashew, or sunflower seed butter, 1:1. Regular (Jif, Skippy) or natural both work — use what you have.
Roasted peanuts: Roasted cashews or almonds, 1:1. If yours are unsalted, hit them with a pinch of flaky salt before pressing them in.
Dark chocolate chips: A chopped-up dark chocolate bar actually melts better. Semi-sweet chips if you want it sweeter.
Flaky sea salt: This is the move. Maldon if you can swing it.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Press the base: Press the almond flour mixture into a parchment-lined pan and freeze while you make the caramel.
- Blend the date caramel: Blend soaked dates with peanut butter, maple syrup, and salt until smooth and spreadable.
- Add caramel and peanuts: Spread the caramel over the chilled base and press roasted peanuts on top.
- Pour the chocolate: Pour melted chocolate over the bars, sprinkle with flaky salt, freeze until set. Slice bars and store in an airtight container in the freezer.
Top Tips
Soft dates only. If yours feel dry, soak 10–15 minutes instead of 5. Dry dates = grainy caramel. No amount of blending fixes this.
Slice with a hot knife. Run it under hot water, wipe dry, repeat between cuts. The chocolate layer slices clean.
Freezer, not fridge. This part matters. The caramel stays chewy and the chocolate keeps its snap straight from the freezer. Fridge bars go soft and sticky within a day. Learned the hard way.
Equipment
Food Processor: Required for blending the dates into smooth caramel. A high-powered blender works too, but you'll need to scrape down the sides more often.
8x8 Square Pan: For shaping the bars. A 9x9 works too, your bars will just be a little thinner.
Variations
Gluten-Free: Already is!
Nut-Free: Swap the almond flour for oat flour 1:1, the peanut butter for sunflower seed butter, and the roasted peanuts for roasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds. The flavor will shift, but you will still have a sweet treat.
Dairy-Free: Use a dairy-free dark chocolate brand like Enjoy Life or Pascha. Most standard dark chocolate chips contain milk, so check the label.
Vegetarian: Already is!
Vegan: Already is. See above note on the chocolate chips.
Feed a Crowd: Double the recipe and use a 9x13 pan. The bars will be the same thickness, you'll just get twice as many.
Make-Ahead: These are made for it. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Eat straight from the freezer or let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Storage
These are made for the freezer. Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Eat straight from the freezer or let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly.
FAQ
Good eye. In the photo at the top of this post, I sliced the bars first and spooned chocolate over each one individually. It works and looks pretty, but it's fussy. Since then I've tested pouring the melted chocolate straight onto the whole pan before slicing, and that's my go-to now. Cleaner, easier, same end result. Either method works, so use whichever you prefer.
Closer than you'd expect. The date caramel is the magic ingredient. It has that same chewy, sticky pull as the original, and the salty roasted peanuts plus dark chocolate hit the same flavor notes. They're not identical (no recipe made from whole foods will be), but they scratch the same itch.
Related
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Similar
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Recipe
No-Bake Healthy Snickers Bars (with Date Caramel)
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Description
These healthy snickers bars layer almond flour shortbread, thick date caramel, salty roasted peanuts, and a dark chocolate coating with flaky sea salt on top. No-bake, naturally sweetened, and made for the freezer. They taste shockingly close to the real thing.
Ingredients
Base
- almond flour, 2 cups (200g)
- maple syrup, 3 tablespoons (60g)
- coconut oil, 3 tablespoons (42g), melted
- vanilla extract, 1½ teaspoons
Date Caramel
- Medjool dates, 12 ounces (340g), pitted (20-24 dates)
- smooth peanut butter, ⅓ cup (85g)
- maple syrup, 2 tablespoons
- water, 2 to 4 tablespoons
- salt, ½ teaspoon
Peanut Layer
- roasted peanuts, ½ cup (70g)
Chocolate Coating
- dark chocolate chips, ½ cup (85g)
- coconut oil, ½ teaspoon
- flaky sea salt, for topping
Instructions
Make and press the base: Combine almond flour (2 cups), maple syrup (3 tablespoons), melted coconut oil (3 tablespoons), and vanilla extract (1½ teaspoons) in a bowl and mix until it comes together. The mixture should feel slightly crumbly but hold its shape when pressed between your fingers. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides. Press the base evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan and transfer to the freezer for 15 minutes while you make the caramel.
Make the date caramel: Soak pitted Medjool dates (12 ounces) in hot water for 5 minutes, then drain. Add the dates to a food processor with smooth peanut butter (⅓ cup), maple syrup (2 tablespoons), water (2 tablespoons), and salt (½ teaspoon). Blend until completely smooth, adding more water a splash at a time if needed. The mixture should be thick but spreadable.
Assemble the layers: Spread the date caramel evenly over the chilled base. Sprinkle the roasted peanuts (½ cup) over the top and press them gently into the caramel so they stick. Melt the dark chocolate chips (½ cup) and coconut oil (½ teaspoon) together in 30-second intervals in the microwave, stirring between each, until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate directly over the peanut layer and tilt the pan to spread it into an even coating. Sprinkle immediately with flaky sea salt before the chocolate sets.
Chill and slice: Freeze for 3 to 4 hours, until the bars are fully set. Lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into 16 bars or squares with a sharp knife. For the cleanest cuts, run the knife under hot water and wipe dry between slices.
Notes
Soft, fresh Medjool dates are the most important ingredient in this recipe. If yours feel dry or hard, soak them for 10 to 15 minutes in hot water instead of 5. Dry dates won't break down into smooth caramel and you'll end up with a grainy texture no amount of blending can fix.
You can also pour the melted chocolate over individually sliced bars instead of the whole pan if you prefer that look. Both methods work, but pouring over the pan before slicing is faster and cleaner.
Most standard dark chocolate chips contain milk, so if you need these to be fully dairy-free or vegan, look for a brand like Enjoy Life or Pascha. Smooth peanut butter works whether it's natural drippy style or regular shelf-stable (Jif, Skippy), so use whatever you have.
Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Eat straight from the freezer or let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften slightly.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Time in Freezer: 4 hours
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 21.1 g
- Sodium: 97.3 mg
- Fat: 11.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.1 g
- Protein: 4.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0.3 mg
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