Introducing our DREAM dessert for Halloween (and beyond)! A peanutty, caramelly, vegan chocolate bark studded with flaky salt. It’s like a sophisticated Snickers bar (!!), but words can’t prepare you for the magic of the first bite!
Even better? Minimal prep time, just 5 ingredients, and it keeps well in the freezer for easy snacking for weeks (or so we think…good luck keeping it around that long!). Let’s make candy, friends!
Inspiration
This 5-ingredient Snickers Chocolate Bark is inspired by our 5-Ingredient Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles and That Health Junkie’s seriously amazing Date Bark, which circled the internet this summer. Oh, and Snickers bars…and every other chocolate + peanut butter treat out there. Because no better flavor combination exists. There, we said it!
And because we can’t be trusted with an entire batch of chocolate + peanut butter anything, we wanted a chocolate bark that’s a little sophisticated and pretty enough to share with family and friends. Enter date caramel, a.k.a. nature’s candy, smooth magical bliss, the easiest caramel in the world, and every other glorious description you can think of!
How to Make Snickers Chocolate Bark
With a batch of date caramel around, it’s GO time! We begin by melting chocolate and spreading it into a thin layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Next, we add swirls of date caramel and peanut butter and do some artistry!
Then we sprinkle with chopped peanuts and flaky salt (measure those with your heart!) and place it in the freezer to set.
In just an hour’s time, you’ll be sinking your teeth into a chocolaty, caramelly, nutty masterpiece!
We can’t wait for you to try this chocolate bark! It’s:
Caramelly
Peanutty
Chocolaty
Salty-sweet
Crunchy
Easy to make
& SO delicious!
It’s a decadent (and necessary!) treat to keep on hand for all chocolate + peanut butter lovers! And crumbled into a bowl of Creamy Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream? Hubba hubba!
More Candy-Inspired Treats
- No-Bake Peanut Butter Cup Bars
- Easy Homemade Twix Bars (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
- 5-Ingredient Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles
- Almond Joy Stuffed Dates
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
5-Ingredient Snickers Chocolate Bark
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup date caramel
- 1 cup chocolate chips (we like half semi-sweet, half dark // ensure dairy-free/vegan as needed // we used Enjoy Life)
- 1/4 cup drippy salted peanut butter* (or other nut/seed butter such as almond butter or tahini)
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts* (or other chopped nut/seed such as almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, or pecans)
- Flaky sea salt (we like Maldon)
Instructions
- Prepare the date caramel and set aside 1/4 cup (70 g) of it (adjust amount if altering the default number of servings). You can store the rest in your fridge and enjoy it with apple slices or pretzels for a quick treat!
- Line a small baking sheet (~9 x 13 inches) or similar size dish with parchment paper. Use a smaller or larger dish if adjusting the default number of servings (and make sure it will fit in your freezer!). Set aside.
- Place the chocolate chips into a small microwavable bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between to prevent burning, until smooth and melted. You can also melt on the stovetop by adding chocolate to a small glass or metal bowl and carefully placing it over ~1 inch of simmering water in a small saucepan, then stir until melted.
- Pour the melted chocolate onto the baking sheet and use a spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it thinly and evenly over the baking sheet, staying about 1 inch from the edges.
- Dollop the date caramel around the thinly spread melted chocolate in ~1 tsp amounts. You want to disperse it evenly (~every 2 inches) as it can be hard to spread. Once dispersed, use the back of a spoon to spread it through the bark. Aim to get at least a little bit to each area, but some thicker parts are ideal and result in a caramelly surprise!
- Next, dollop heaped teaspoons of peanut butter onto the bark and use a knife to swirl it through! Let your inner artist shine! Finally, sprinkle with chopped peanuts (we used 1/3 cup) and flaky sea salt to your heart's desire!
- Place the bark into your freezer and freeze for about 1 hour until completely set. Once set, break the bark into smaller pieces.
- Store the pieces in an airtight container in the freezer for a few months (if it lasts that long!). It will also keep in the refrigerator, but we prefer the texture from frozen. The bark will become soft at room temperature, so it is best eaten straight from the freezer. It’s also delicious served on vanilla ice cream!
Video
Notes
*Inspired by That Health Junkie’s Original Date Crunch Bark and our 5-Ingredient Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Truffles.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 of 16 servings calculated with 1 healthy pinch flaky sea salt.
Christianne says
I usually groan when I read reviews that have altered the recipe as intended and then give them a rating. And now I’m doing it myself. I really fancied a snickers (which is how I came across this recipe), but do not have a blender or food processor to make the date caramel so I used thick date syrup. I believe a snickers should have creamy milk chocolate so i used some Callebaut milk chocolate feves, and instead of the peanuts wnd flaky sea salt, I still had a big bag of salted peanuts lying around. Not your recipe as intended, but definitely made with the spirit (I hope). I’m making this for the second time in two days. What a treat!
Your modified version sounds lovely, Christianne! Thank you for sharing! xo
Alyssa says
This is so delicious. I made a couple batches to give to coworkers for the holiday season as gifts…and brought the other batch to a holiday party.
And this morning…I ate some for breakfast…it has protein from the nuts and peanut butter…that’s my excuse!
Yum, yum, yum!
Thanks for this scrumptious…and easy…recipe!
Whoop! Love everything about this, Alyssa. Thanks so much for sharing! xoxo
Patricia Villella says
Love this recipe – so easy and has all my favourite things on earth: peanut butter, caramel, chocolate and peanuts. Stored it in the freezer and treated myself whenever I felt like something sweet. Needless to say it didn’t last long. Thanks for another amazing recipe.
All our favorites too – did we just become best friends!? 😜 We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Patricia! xoxo
Nathalie says
Huge hit in my non-vegan office today! Thank you!
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear it, Nathalie. Thank you for sharing! xo
Tami says
Always find the best recipes from you!! I love that you are leveling up the date bark recipe, I am here for it! apparently, everyone shares that one. This is such an easy recipe to make. The swirly mix of the date paste and nut butter is 100% divine!! I made this for work for Halloween and it was a hit! Stores in the freezer wonderfully. Thank you Dana!
Aw, YAY! Thank you so much for your sweet words and lovely review, Tami! xoxo
MiMi T says
Another amazing recipe from Minimalist Baker! The only thing I changed was to use medjool date syrup instead of making the date caramel. I swirled the syrup in a bit more than if I had made the caramel. If you are making the date caramel, try to find Medjool dates, as the flavour is so much better and sweeter than regular dates. If you live in the US, the medjool dates are often hard at first, but will usually soften a bit with the humidity. Also, don’t think that the whitish haze on them is mold, this is normal. We live off the coast of Africa, so they are so good and fresh here!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
The Vegan Goddess says
This is delicious and definitely replicates the taste of Snickers in a healthier way.
Our oven needs a new heating element so it can’t be used until the repairman replaces it. So, this fit our need for a non-bake dessert. I had all the ingredients and it was quick and simple to make.
I lined a square glass baking dish with parchment paper but don’t know if the paper was necessary. I will try it without paper next time.
Thanks for another great recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for another lovely review! The parchment will prevent it from sticking. We think it would stick to a glass baking dish.
Laura Rust says
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Corelia says
I’m sure this recipe is really good but I have a “simpler” alternative for those who are interested!! I’ve done it a million times and it never fails to please:
-cut a bunch of dates in half and stick them all on a baking sheet (no grease required) so that their edges overlap just slightly (they should all be sticking together in a single layer, and this will be the base of the snickerdoodle)
-spread almond/cashew/peanut butter on top so that you can’t see the date layer beneath (it doesn’t have to be perfect though)
-sprinkle chopped almonds/peanuts (I like it the best with almonds but it doesn’t really matter)
-melt some dark chocolate on the stove (double boiler method is easiest) with a bit of coconut oil mixed in, and once it’s melted spread it over top of your creation
-freeze for 15-20 minutes and you’re golden! I like to break the snickerdoodle bark up into bite-sized pieces for ease. :)
It might sound complicated, but it never takes more than twenty minutes start to finish (not including the chill time). It’s also incredibly decadent & indulgent, and no-sugar too!! :)
Hi Corelia, Thanks for sharing! That sounds like date bark which is the concept we based this recipe off. Super tasty! This version is a little more effort, but we think the result is very worth it! We hope you give it a try :)
Jen says
Can I make this and store it in the freezer for a couple of weeks? (Thanksgiving prep!
Yes! It keeps well in the freezer. Just transfer to a sealed container so it doesn’t pick up any freezer smells. Enjoy!
Kriti Aggarwal says
What a amazing recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Aw, thank you so much, Kristi! xoxo