Crispety, crunchety, deliciously peanut buttery homemade healthy Butterfingers!
Healthy candy bars that defy all logic
As if by magic, the homemade Butterfingers have that exact same toffee-like crunch of store-bought peanut butter Butterfinger bars!
Yet these are whole-grain, high in iron, vegan friendly, and completely free of high-fructose corn syrup. It’s one of those recipes you really have to try to believe.
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Homemade vegan Butterfingers
The inspiration for these healthy butterfingers came from a dollar-bin cookbook that I saw at the fabric store a few weeks back.
The book recipe, which yielded an 8×8 pan just like mine, called for a full 1 cup of sugar, 3/4 cup of corn syrup, and 1/3 cup of shortening!
Yes, 3/4 cup of corn syrup in addition to the cup of sugar…
It was basically screaming for a healthy makeover!
Leftover Chocolate? Make Chocolate Truffles
Healthy Butterfinger recipe video
Screaming so loudly that I had to get to work on the challenge as soon as I got home.
Luckily, this is one of those recipes that turned out perfectly on the first try – they really do taste like actual Butterfinger candy bars!
If you’re looking for a healthy or vegan dessert that will impress even the most skeptical or pickiest of eaters, these healthy Butterfingers are definitely the recipe to try on all your friends.
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In the years since I first posted them here on the blog, it’s become one of the site’s most popular recipes.
Readers often write in to tell me that even their health-food-hating dads, moms, brothers, sisters, girlfriends, or boyfriends love the bars too!
Healthy Butterfingers
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave (For keto, try these Keto Candy Bars)
- 1 tbsp regular or blackstrap molasses – Or omit and increase agave to 1/3 cup
- 3 1/2 tbsp sugar, unrefined if desired, or additional maple syrup
- 1 cup peanut butter or allergy-friendly sub
- 1 1/2 cups bran flakes or corn flakes, or another flake cereal (56g)
- 1/8 tsp salt, plus a little extra if using unsalted pb
- optional topping: 2/3 cup chocolate chips or 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil mixed with 1/4 cup cocoa powder and vanilla stevia drops or liquid sweetener to taste
Instructions
- Notes: Honey works, but it’s not for strict vegans and will also add a slight honey flavor. Corn syrup will also work, and commenters have said brown rice syrup works as well. If subbing out the molasses, the bars will taste less authentic but still delicious. Almond butter or Sunbutter work, or use peanut butter for the flavor that most closely resembles real Butterfingers.Homemade Butterfingers Recipe: Combine first three ingredients in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil on medium heat. Boil about a minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Add the peanut butter and salt, and stir until it makes a paste. Add the cereal and stir very well to coat, partially crushing the cereal flakes as you stir. Make sure the flakes are very evenly coated. Press into an 8×8 pan—either lined with wax or parchment paper, or greased very well—and freeze until completely hardened. (Cut into bars while only somewhat frozen, or thaw the block a little before cutting.) If you wish to cover in chocolate (they’re good even without it), you can cover them at any time—either pre-cutting or post-cutting. Simply melt the chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth, or mix the coconut oil with the sweetener and cocoa. Then spread over the bars with a spatula and re-freeze to harden. Store in the freezer for optimum “snap.”View Nutrition Facts
Notes
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Hey Katie: Hi from The Great White North,eh?! 🙂 I was surprised to see corn syrup in your Healthy bars above. Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t corn syrup one of the “bad” sweeteners? GMO laden and high glycemic from what I understand??? Thanks so much 🙂
She says in the recipe that you can use maple syrup or agave.
These are freaking amazing. I replaced agave with honey and xylitol with coconut sugar. I went the coconut oil/cocoa route for the topping and added a little vanilla and coconut sugar. Oh my, so so good.
Is the nutrition info for using sugar or artificial sweetener?
Katie’s recipes don’t call for artificial sweeteners.
I thought I have seen xylitol and stevia as ingredients in other recipes….but maybe I have been getting my blog readings confused lol!
I just tried these- so good! I would have liked more of a crunch though. Maybe I should invest in a candy thermometer or just boil the mixture a bit longer, and/or try a different flaked cereal, and/or use a bit less peanut butter. What combinations has everyone else tried? I used the options; corn syrup, sugar, and Great Value Raisin Bran (I picked out the raisins). The way I did it is still really good, I will have no problem eating them all 😉
I made these a little while ago and just ate one. The resemblance is uncanny! Although I think added more than 1 tbsp of molasses, still good though. I’m wondering why add the cereal? I added corn flakes and it does give another good crunch, but the candy itself is pretty crunchy to me. Love you for the recipe!
I made these today. These are fabulous and easy to make.
Made these healthy butterfingers last week and they were a HIT!! My boyfriend doesn’t care for sweets, so when I told him what I was making he didnt seem to care too much..however, after he found out they were practically made of only chunky peanut butter and a small amount of sugar…hewas amazed!!! =) he was the one that cleared the pan in 3 days and offered them to every guest! Highly recommend this desert!
Has anyone made these gluten free? What cereal flakes did you use and how did they turn out?
This is my new favourite recipe of yours. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them since I finished the last batch. Going to make more tonight. Awesome job!
I made these butterfingers when i prepared some christmas-baking-presents for my friends. They are all enthusiastic about it and i have to share your page with them… ;))
Hi Katie. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this recipe three times, but I have to admit I wasn’t feeling chocolate yesterday, so… I came up with a Chick-O-Stick version! Basically, just replace the chocolate coating with that of toasted shredded unsweetened coconut. Although I didn’t think to toast the coconut until it was already worked into the top, at which point I threw it under the broiler, I’m sure one could pre-toast the coconut and it would turn out fine. A must try variation to this amazingly delicious treat! Thanks for the work.
Why am I not surprised that you would come up with something this awesome? JP will be so happy to know he can enjoy one of his favorite candy bars while still being healthy 😉 Thanks again Katie!
I seriously don’t know how you do it this stuff is better than crack (at least I imagine so) I love your recipes. I am mildly gluten intolerant and severely lactose intolerant and recipes not only accommodate that and are healthy but also taste fantastic!!!! Thank you
Butterfingers are my favorite candy, but I may never eat them again because your recipe is waaayyy better!! Thanks for this genius idea and all the other great recipes on your blog!!
OK, my mouth is watering! How can I modify for GF? I am going to try brown rice corn chex…ideas?
Yes, those will work.
That’s what I used because I’m GF too, and it worked out amazingly awesome.
These are like CRACK! Love them!