Ready to make a favorite candy bar at home…with just 5 ingredients?! These Homemade Vegan Butterfingers are crunchy and perfectly decadent! They're made vegan (no dairy!), soy-free, gluten-free, and even have a nut-free option so everyone can enjoy the deliciousness of a Butterfinger.
If you've peeked around my site at all, you know I LOVE making vegan versions of the treats that everyone is eating! Whether it's the Chocolate Chip Cookie Vegan Ice Cream Sandwiches (like a Chipwich!) I ate as a kid, Cream Cheese Frosting to top cookies and cakes, or Hot Chocolate Bombs for the holidays, as soon as I see a delicious dish I immediately start brainstorming and experimenting to make a version I can enjoy. This is especially true of candy bars...I probably add a new, homemade candy bar to my website with every Halloween that passes! Right now I'm absolutely head over heels in love with these Vegan Butterfingers. They have the perfect crunch and chocolate/nut (or seed!) butter combo that makes Butterfingers a universal fave...but I've created a version that's soy-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and can easily be made nut-free, too. Enjoy, and happy snacking!
Ingredients in Vegan Butterfingers
Making your own candy with only 5 ingredients is a little bit mind-blowing...especially when you consider just how long the ingredient list is on store-bought candy!
- Nut or seed butter - You can use peanut, almond or sunflower butter! I recommend creamy, unsweetened, and unsalted nut or seed butters in this recipe.
- Coconut sugar or maple sugar - This is how I kept thee Vegan Butterfingers free of refined sugar! Both maple and coconut sugars are made from natural ingredients that will sweeten your candy naturally.
- Vanilla extract - You have to have a splash of vanilla! It's the perfect mix-in with coconut sugar and nut butter.
- Unsweetened brown rice crisp cereal - I love Real Cereal's brown rice crisp! I've also found unsweetened crisp cereals at Sprouts or Whole Foods in the past that would work well in this recipe.
- Vegan dark chocolate chips - Hu brand is both vegan and refined sugar-free, so it's my favorite option for recipes like this one! It creates a totally indulgent treat that doesn't trigger my migraines. You can get the chocolate here and be sure to use code ELAINE20 for 20% off your order.
Nut or Seed Butter for Homemade Candy
Peanut butter is used in traditional Butterfingers, but if you have a peanut or nut allergy you can substitute any nut or seed butter for similar results. I love making my own Homemade Raw Creamy Almond Butter with just one ingredient...yup, almonds! Almonds are low in carbohydrates and high in protein. They also offer a good source of fiber, healthy fats, vitamin E and magnesium. And, they provide iron and calcium, so they add some awesome nutrition to your homemade Butterfingers!
The Best Vegan Dark Chocolate
Even though I eat totally vegan and refined sugar-free, I'm still a total chocoholic. I probably eat some form of chocolate every day! I usually rely on Hu brand chocolate for my favorite recipes, but I've also made Homemade Vegan Dark Chocolate, which is really fun and super tasty.
Naturally Sweetened Butterfingers
Even though these Homemade Vegan Butterfingers are sweetened, I did it without refined sugar! My favorite natural sweeteners are Pure Maple Sugar and coconut sugar. Pure maple sugar is made out of the sap from maple trees, and coconut sugar is made from coconut palm sap. The process of dehydrating and beating the sap into granules is similar for both coconut and maple sugar, and both have delicious, subtly sweet flavors.
These Homemade Vegan Butterfingers are vegan (no dairy or eggs!), gluten-free, soy-free, and can easily be made nut-free. They're also naturally sweetened and free of refined sugars! I love having this recipe on hand for holidays. If you make it, I hope you'll tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations, and don't forget to drop a review below!
More Vegan Homemade Candy Recipes
- Easy Healthier Homemade Crunch Bars (vegan + gluten-free)
- Dark Chocolate Avocado Truffles
- Homemade Almond Joy Bars (vegan + paleo)
- Easy 5-Ingredient Vegan Peppermint Patties (gluten-free + paleo)
- Copycat Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs (vegan, paleo, peanut-free option)
- No-Bake Almond Butter Chocolate Crunch Bars
- Vegan Almond Butter Cups (refined sugar-free + gluten-free)
- Easy Homemade Hanukkah Gelt (vegan + paleo)
- No-Bake Vegan Almond Butter Brown Rice Crispy Treats with Dark Chocolate Shell
- Homemade Chocolate Kisses
- Chocolate Coated Almond Butter Crunch Balls
Copycat Homemade Vegan Butterfingers
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Want to make a favorite candy bar at home...with just 5 ingredients?! Homemade Vegan Butterfingers are a crunchy, perfectly decadent dream!
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy unsweetened, unsalted nut or seed butter (such as peanut, almond or sunflower)*
- ¼ cup coconut sugar or maple sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups unsweetened brown rice crisp cereal**
- 1 ¼ cup vegan dark chocolate chips (I use Hu brand which is also refined sugar-free)
Instructions
- Stir together the nut or seed butter, coconut sugar (or maple sugar), vanilla extract and salt.
- Add in the brown rice crisp cereal and stir until fully incorporated. For a more authentic texture you can crush the rice cereal up in a bag before adding to this recipe. This step is entirely optional and it is delicious either way.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the filling. Roll into balls between the palms of your hands then shape into a rectangle and flatten slightly into bars. Place on parchment paper . If the mixture seems to be falling apart (this will depend on your nut or seed butter consistency) then freeze for 30 minutes until they firm up for dunking in the chocolate.
- Melt the chocolate then dip the bars to fully coat them in chocolate. Place on the parchment paper and freeze until the chocolate sets. Enjoy straight from the freezer or store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months.
Equipment
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refined sugar-free, vegan dark chocolate (use code ELAINE for 10% off)
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Notes
* Peanut butter is traditionally used in Butterfingers but if you have a peanut or nut allergy you can substitute any nut or seed butter for similar results.
** Here we are using brown rice crisp cereal in place of the traditional cornflakes. Cornflakes are not gluten-free and I'm also allergic to corn so this substitute works well for those with these same food allergy. For the most authentic Butterfinger texture you can smash the rice cereal to break it up a bit before adding to the mixture.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Freezer
Keywords: vegan gluten-free butterfingers
Tara says
Super easy recipe and happened to have all ingredients on hand! Made a batch and keep them in the freezer and have one each night. They hit the spot for a night sweet tooth but do find I can only eat a small amount at a time.
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Tara! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this one! Thank you for the five star review! Best, Elaine