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!
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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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I made these last week and completely forgot the sugar. They taste perfect without it. I took one to a coworker and his response was, “Holy shitballs!!! How are these healthy??” I think he liked it.
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I just made these. Man, Katie, you did it again! They are so delicious. So far I’ve made about 8 of your dessert recipes. I have loved every single one of them. Amazing!
Hi Katie! I made these last friday and still have them in the fridge, I just transferred them to the freezer. Are they still good? Or would you suggest throwing them out? There is no mold or anything on them!
I just made these…oh my God Katie!!!!
Girl, you re not kidding around !!! These have got to be my favorite out of your blog so far ! This is the best healthy dessert recipe I have tried so far!!! They are so good it’s unreal !!!!! Thank you so much for sharing these gorgeous desserts with us , so grateful I fund you !!! ??????????????????
Wow those look even better than the post! I love the stack 🙂
Jason
These look incredible! I’m going to have my 13YO make them this summer. He’s looking for new things to learn how to bake.
Found your butter finger recipe by accident. I made 1/2 to see if I needed to twik it. I used almond butter & stevia in place of sugar. My husband LOVED them. Saw other recipes made w candy corn, JUNK. ? would never made it. I’m an herbalist so don’t use sugar. Thank you, Donna Weber
How long will this mixture last in the fridge? I’m assuming quite some time because there is no water based ingredients. I’d like to make as gifts, but didn’t want to make these too far in advance of it is only going to be good for a couple weeks. Anyone know if these will last 5-6 weeks??
Help! What am I doing wrong? I love all your recipes and thought my kids would love this! We have a nut allergy so I tried it with Wowbutter (soy butter), however, the consistency was very powdery. Just tried it again with sunbather and it’s the same way. In the recipe you say to heat over medium heat, but in the video you say low heat. I’m only using syrup. Should it just be low heat? Really want to make these! Thanks for your help!
Can I use straight wheat bean?
What is wheat bean?
I think she meant wheat bran, and probably no!
These butterfinger bars were unbelievable! Absolutely delicious – I made exactly as the recipe described and even my husband couldn’t believe how delicious they were. I love all your recipes Katie, but this one is so good that I had to comment about it. Try it – you won’t be disappointed!