From a young age, I could never resist a candy bar or piece of chocolate. There was always a Kit Kat or Twix in my lunch box, a giant bowl of candy at Granny’s house when we visited (although I’m still scarred for life over the Almond Joy I ate without knowing what it was – if only ten year old me could know how much she would come to love coconut), and a box of Godiva in the pantry.
There are so many facets to and varieties of candy that you can never get bored, can never run out of options.
And then I became allergic to chocolate, so all those fun things were off limits. There are some white “chocolate” candies that have no actual cocoa in them that I can still enjoy, but most of those things I loved so aren’t an option for me.
Luckily I love to bake and create, and making candy is always a favorite because it is so fun to do. It’s relaxing and easy to make different layers and coat little candy bars, to see the stages of progression, to play with different flavor combinations and sometimes wind up with something totally irresistible.
That’s what happened with these candy bars. I can’t even believe how good they are and I made them.
They are everything I loved about all those candy bars growing up. There’s the smooth almond butter layer that’s a total upgrade from the inside of those peanut butter cups. Then there’s the crunch layer – this is the part I can’t get over. Like how did it even happen??? With the crunchy pecans, the melted and solidified carob chips, and just a few raisins, it’s like if a Crunch and Crackle bar had a baby.
Round things out with a super simple coating and you will love these bars and so will all the holiday guests around your house.
Homemade Almond Butter Crunch Candy Bars
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 24-36 bars 1x
Description
Creamy almond butter layered on top of crunchy pecans and coated in magic shell for a delicious treat that is grain, gluten, and refined sugar free.
Ingredients
Crunch layer
3 cups pecans, finely chopped
¾ cup raisins
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 ¼ cup carob or dark chocolate chips
Creamy layer
1 cup creamy almond butter (I love RX Vanilla)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
Coating
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 ½ cups carob or cocoa powder
Instructions
Make the crunch layer. Line an 8 inch square pan with parchment paper. Place coconut oil and chips in a medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until fully melted. Stir in the pecans and raisins until completely coated. Pour into the prepared pan and press firmly into an even layer. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to set.
Make the creamy layer. In a medium bowl (the same one if you wipe it out!), stir together coil, almond butter, and vanilla until completely combined. Spread over the set crunch layer, smooth into an even layer, and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to overnight.
Once set, remove the bars from the pan using the parchment paper and cut into candy bar shapes. Make the coating. In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the coconut oil. Stir in the carob or cocoa powder until completely combined. Using a fork, dip each bar into the coating, allow excess to drip off, and place back on the parchment to set.
Once set, candy bars may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
This candy looks so good! Glad that you came up with a recipe that gives you a chance to experience a candy bar from your childhood since you can’t have chocolate.
★★★★★
Thank you, Debbie!