Healthy Homemade Butterfingers (Printable)
Crunchy peanut butter bars dipped in dark chocolate for a wholesome twist on a classic candy favorite.
# What You'll Need:
→ Peanut Butter Layer
01 - 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
02 - 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
03 - 2 cups corn flakes, lightly crushed
→ Chocolate Coating
04 - 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (at least 70% cacao)
05 - 1 tablespoon coconut oil
# Directions:
01 - Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, ensuring the edges hang over the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the peanut butter and maple syrup. Stir constantly until melted and smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.
03 - Remove the saucepan from heat and gently fold in the crushed corn flakes until every piece is evenly coated with the peanut butter mixture.
04 - Transfer the mixture into the prepared baking dish and press firmly into an even, compact layer. Place in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes until set and firm.
05 - Set up a double boiler by placing a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water. Add the dark chocolate chips and coconut oil, stirring until completely melted and glossy.
06 - Remove the peanut butter slab from the freezer and lift it out of the dish using the parchment overhang. Cut into 12 even bars using a sharp knife.
07 - Using a fork or dipping tool, submerge each bar into the melted chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off before placing it onto a parchment-lined tray.
08 - Refrigerate the coated bars for at least 20 minutes, or until the chocolate shell is fully hardened and set.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- That shattering crunch when you bite in is almost identical to the real thing, but you actually recognize every ingredient on the label.
- Three ingredients form the core of the peanut butter layer, which means you can have the whole pan prepped before your oven would even finish preheating.
02 -
- If the peanut butter mixture sits off the heat too long before pressing into the pan, the corn flakes will continue absorbing moisture and the final texture will lean dense instead of airy and crunchy.
- Temper your chocolate patience by keeping the double boiler water at a bare simmer, because any steam or water droplet that hits the chocolate will seize it into a grainy mess in seconds.
03 -
- Use a fork to dip the bars rather than your fingers, because the chocolate coating will be dramatically thinner and more even when you let gravity do the work of dripping off the excess.
- Lightly wet your hands or spatula with cold water before pressing the peanut butter mixture into the pan, and it will not stick to your palms at all.