This homemade Snickers bars recipe really satisfies. And knowing how to make your own Snickers at home from real ingredients is incomparably more satisfying than plonking down a ridiculous amount of money for the shrink-wrapped, store-bought candy bar that’s been sitting on the shelf for lord knows how long. So next time your craving for Snickers bars blindsides you, here’s your oh-so-satisfying fix.–Renee Schettler Rossi
Homemade Snickers Bars
Ingredients
- Butter, for the pan
- 8 ounces milk chocolate, (preferably Valrhona), chopped
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 6 ounces white chocolate, (preferably Valrhona), chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup salted peanuts, preferably Virginia peanuts
Instructions
- Line the bottom and sides of an 8 1/2-by-4 1/2-inch loaf pan with parchment paper or foil. Lightly butter the paper or foil.
- Place the milk chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water and stir until the chocolate is smooth and completely melted. Pour half the milk chocolate into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Set the rest of the melted milk chocolate aside. Place the loaf pan in the freezer until the milk chocolate is cold to the touch, about 45 minutes.
- After the milk chocolate in the loaf pan is cold and firm, make the caramel layer. In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar and water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear, about 1 minute.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and boil, without stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sugar begins to turn golden brown on the edges.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, gently and continually tilting the pan over the heat to swirl the mixture and ensure the color of the caramel is even, until the sugar turns deep amber. Immediately remove the pan from the heat.
- As soon as you pull the caramel from the heat, slowly and carefully add the cream, which may splatter and steam when it comes in contact with the hot caramel. Stir until well blended.
- Add the white chocolate and salt and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the peanuts and stir until blended. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Pour the slightly cooled peanut caramel mixture over the cooled milk chocolate in the loaf pan and spread it evenly. Freeze until cold and firm, about 45 minutes.
- Once the layer is cold, make the next layer by gently reheating the remaining milk chocolate over boiling water, pour it over the peanut caramel layer, and spread it evenly. Refrigerate or freeze for 20 to 30 minutes, until very cold.
- Using the parchment paper or foil pan liner, transfer the candy to a work surface. Peel away the paper or foil. Using a large knife, trim the uneven edges and cut the giant Snickers bar lengthwise into 1 1/2-inch-wide bars. Cut each bar into 9 pieces. Store your Snickers bars in a resealable container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (As if Snickers bars would last that long in plain view!)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
OMG! Have I died and gone to heaven? These homemade Snickers bars are unbelievably delicious.
I used Valrhona Jivara Lactee 40% milk chocolate for the base and the top and El Rey white chocolate in the filling. I did follow the recipe exactly, except that I chose to melt half of the milk chocolate at a time so I didn’t have to figure out whether I had poured half of the melted chocolate into the loaf pan. The peanuts that I bought were whole and I decided to leave them that way, which worked out just fine.
Caramelizing the sugar was surprisingly easy. The first step, dissolving the sugar in a bit of water, took about 4 minutes, then another 4 or 5 before it started turning golden, and another 4 for it to become deep amber. Make sure to pull it off the fire in time because it does continue to cook in the pan afterward and you definitely don’t want the caramel to burn.
The only suggestion I have to add to this recipe is don’t try to cut the candy into bars when it’s very frozen; let it warm a bit, otherwise the top chocolate layer will crack off. I imagine this recipe would also work with dark chocolate and almonds or pecans—you’d get a different candy bar but the results would still be delicious.
These Snickers bars were good and very easy. They had a wonderful creamy caramel flavor.
When cooking, my sugar dissolved within a minute or 2 and cooking goes quickly to reach that nice amber color, so having your cream ready at room temperature is important. I added my cream very slowly and didn’t have splatters but it did boil up quite a bit.
The bars cut very easily when I removed them—still a tiny bit soft—from the freezer. Living in Virginia you’d think I could find true Virginia peanuts, but I had to use Planters brand, leaving them whole. I placed the small squares on a platter and left them in the refrigerator until we were ready to serve them.
This Snickers bars recipe is definitely one I’ll make again. The extended family loved this bar. They all had seconds.
Although the process is involved, this can be forgiven for its inherent flexibility. For example, I didn’t chop the nuts—you don’t need to. I can see substituting other nuts such as cashews or pecans (but those might need to be chopped lightly). I used El Rey milk chocolate, but using other types of good chocolate and maybe even dark chocolate might also work. The caramel was soft and not so chewy that it sticks to your teeth. The flavors were delicious.
I’d get everything all together before starting because it just makes it easier. Since caramel is a bit tricky, you want to make sure you can just reach for what you need rather than scrambling for it. The times for making the caramel are good. By the way, I usually pour the water into the pan first and then pour the sugar straight into the middle of the pan. This prevents some of the sugar syrup from getting onto the sides and burning during the cooking process.
The joy that this simple candy brings to everyone that I’ve shared them with is amazing. I’ve had to make these homemade Snickers bars many times to supply my family and friends. Honestly, this is an easy, brilliant recipe that, after you make it once, you’ll be drawn back to time after time. As a matter of fact, maybe I should make another batch right now!
Are you kidding me? These have gone straight to the top of my MUST MAKE SOON list. As in, soon like this weekend. Wow.
Right?! That photo and this recipe had the very same effect on us, Mardi. You won’t be sorry. Let us know when you do….
Holy Trick or Treat! I think I actually slobbered on my keyboard—gorgeous photo and a recipe that I will definitely try!
You won’t regret making it, Kimberly. And we look forward to hearing from you when you do….
Amazing! I am a huge Snickers fan and caramel and chocolate are at the top of my addiction list. These are stunning! Who can come and make me a pan today? I really need these to fuel my move!
Jamie, these are such a cinch, you could do them with one hand while packing with the other. Well, not quite. But because they come together in various stages, you could easily take a break from whatever you’re doing to create an ooey gooey layer, then go back to packing, then come back to these, and then go back to packing, then…well, you get the idea. I look forward to seeing pics of caramel smudges on all your boxes.
Jamie thanks for sharing this with everyone, it sounds deliciously sinful. Think I would like to try it with dark chocolate though. The milk chocolate is a little too sweet for me. I’ll let you know how they turn out if I try them. Will probably make for a holiday party, not something I generally have around the house. Thanks again and happy packing.
Smart, very smart, Laura, to not have these hanging around the house on a regular basis….