Healthy Snickers Ice Cream Bars

Do you remember Snickers ice cream bars? If you’re a millennial or younger, you most certainly do! These ice cream bars were released in 1989, and needless to say, they changed the game! The nougat from the Snickers candy bar was replaced with cold, creamy peanut butter ice cream and the results were nothing shy of amazing. 

Like most delicious things from our childhood, we know that the ingredients in a Snickers ice cream bar are not the most nutrient-forward. But does that mean you can never enjoy a creamy, chocolate-coated, peanut-buttery bite again? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Healthier versions of this ice cream bar have been buzzing around the internet, so we thought we’d try our hand at it, using some of our favorite ingredients and brands. 

The original Snickers ice cream bar has ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, artificial flavor, and palm oil. Our recipe uses natural sweetener like honey or maple and HU brand chocolate which has very clean ingredients to keep the sweetness, without the nutritional sacrifice. 

Admittedly, this is not a one-for-one recipe. Meaning, this is not going to taste exactly like a Snickers ice cream bar. But, it may make you feel like a kid again, and we think that’s pretty cool.

About out ingredients:

• Full-fat canned coconut milk: This is essentially our substitute for cream and milk that would be the base for the Snickers ice cream layer. It is important to use full-fat coconut milk for ultimate creaminess.
• Nut butter: We used peanut butter to keep this as close to the classic as possible, but if you have an allergy, this could easily be substituted for another nut/seed butter of choice.
• Natural sweetener: We used maple in our recipe. Honey or agave syrup would also do the trick.
• Flavor enhancers: Vanilla extract and salt help balance the sweet ingredients in this recipe. A little goes a long way
• Peanuts: This is added to the second layer and gives texture and crunch to the bars. It also keeps them close to the authentic Snickers bar. If you are allergic or just don’t have these on hand, feel free to use another nut or omit entirely.
• Hu chocolate: If you haven’t tried Hu products, now is the time. Made from just organic cacao, unrefined organic coconut sugar, and organic fair-trade cocoa butter, this chocolate is about as clean as it gets. They also make chocolate bars in lots of flavors (our favorite is cashew butter raspberry) for yummy snacking!

Tips for making these bars

• These bars require mixing hot and cold which can be a recipe for disaster. After you cut each bar, put it back in the freezer to firm up while you let your melted chocolate cool. The chocolate should be runny but not piping hot when you coat these bars. The coconut milk ice cream base melts quickly, so dipping them in very hot chocolate will basically melt that layer off. Wait it out!
• Don’t skip on the parchment paper. This makes taking these bars in and out of the freezer mess-free. 
• If you’re a fan of the salty/sweet combo, you could also top these with a flaky salt (like Maldon) after you coat with chocolate for extra contrast. 

We think it’s so important to have snacks you feel good about available to you at home. You will be so happy to know these are waiting for you in the freezer! These Snickers ice cream bar dupes are so decadent, rich, and downright delicious, you won’t feel like you’re cutting any corners. 

“Nutritious eating” is a subjective thing. Here at The Nutrition Insider, we promote eating foods that have health benefits and make you feel good. Putting spins on familiar foods (like these Snickers ice cream bars) is our way of prioritizing health and enjoyment. Turns out you don’t need to choose one over the other. We think these bars will convince you of just that!

The only drawback we can come up with about this recipe, is that it does take time to set up each layer in the freezer. So, if you think you’ll be hit with a need for ice cream anytime soon (isn’t that all of us?), do your future self a favor and get these ready to enjoy. They should be stored in the freezer in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Enjoy!

Gluten and Dairy-Free Snickers Ice Cream Bars

A nostalgic snack with a whole-ingredient makeover! These Snicker ice cream bars are the perfect summer sweet treat.

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Prep Time 6 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Calories 468 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Ice cream layer:

• ¾ cup + 2tbsp full-fat canned coconut milk
• ¼ cup any nut butter (we’re using natural peanut butter)
• 2 tbsp of raw honey or maple syrup
• ¼ tsp salt
• Splash of vanilla extract

Peanut butter caramel:

• ½ cup of natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp of raw honey or maple syrup
• ¼ tsp salt
• peanut (for topping)

Chocolate coating:

• 6 oz HU Get Back To Human Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Instructions

 

• Add ice cream ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy. Pour mixture into an 8X5 loaf pan lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer for at least 4 hours.
• Mix together peanut butter caramel over the frozen ice cream layer. Top with peanuts. Place back into the freezer for at least an hour.
• Once frozen, remove from the freezer and slice into bars.
• Heat up chocolate until melted. Coat the bars in melted Hu chocolate. Place back into the freezer until the chocolate hardens.
• Remove from the freezer and enjoy!
• Store in the freezer in an airtight container or ziplock bag when not consuming.

Nutrition

Calories: 468kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 9gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 206mgPotassium: 445mgFiber: 5gSugar: 26gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 3mg

Keyword bars, dairy free, gluten free, ice cream, snickers

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