Nobody’s gonna lay a finger on my Butterfinger. Remember that old slogan?
Well there’s truth to it with these because I wanted to hoard them.
I always loved Butterfingers as a kid and they’re still a gas station favorite treat for me. However, I’ve never made a single recipe that uses Butterfingers in the almost 5 years I’ve been blogging.
It was high time to change that.
As an aside, I have a recipe for Homemade Butterfingers. Ready in 1 minute in the microwave and they’re made with peanut butter and candy corn that are melted together, then topped with chocolate. So easy and taste eerily close to the real thing. If you have extra candy corn, make that recipe, stat.
But back to these bars. No-bake Cereal Bars are one of my favorite things to make. You can’t go wrong combining peanut butter, sugar, cereal, and chocolate in the microwave, with some candy bars tossed in to complete the elegant ensemble.
They may not be the height of classy, but boy, they sure taste ridiculously good and you can’t beat no-bake.
According to Nestle, Butterfingers are gluten-free and since all other ingredients used are gluten-free, you’re looking a gluten-free dessert that comes together in minutes.
If you want to keep the bars vegan and gluten-free, replace the Butterfingers with Peanut Butter Cups, since the Butterfingers are the only non-vegan ingredient used.
Ironically, there’s no butter or buttery spreads used in these very buttery-tasting decadent bars.
They have the same base layer as Chocolate Peanut Butter Kit Kat Crunch Bars and the Chewy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cereal Bars have, except there’s cocoa powder stirred in. It gives just the right amount of chocolate intensity to stand up to the bold peanut buttery, caramely sauce that glues together the cereal to comprise the base layer.
After making the base, I melted chocolate chips and peanut butter together and spread that over the top.
A couple baking tips. I like melting 1 cup of chocolate chips to 1/4 cup of peanut butter. The peanut butter helps prevent the chocolate from scorching as easily. And it helps prevent the chocolate from setting up too firm and prevents it from cracking when sliced.
Then I sprinkled on crushed Butterfingers. I used 7 Fun-Size candy bars, and I simply squeezed them in my palm before unwrapping them to find orange flakes and chunks. They crush very easily so don’t squeeze to hard or you’ll have orange dust.
Finally, I melted another quarter-cup of chocolate chips for a final drizzle. I did this to help ‘set’ some of the Butterfinger crumbly bits, and as a happy accident, the drizzle gives the bars a Halloween-ish look.
Biting through each of the layers is a texture lover’s dream. They’re firm enough so they’re not a gooey mess, and the texture is dense and exceedingly chewy, yet soft.
The chewy and dense chocolate-peanut butter base with crispy cereal for texture is a great contrast to the the firm yet soft layer of chocolate-peanut butter, and the abundance of crunchy, salty-and-sweet Butterfingers.
It’s a requirement that you’re a chocolate + peanut butter fan for these because that flavor combo is what they’re all about.
And of course, you have to be a Butterfinger lover.
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Chewy Chocolate Peanut Butter Butterfinger Bars
Ingredients
Base
- 1 heaping cup creamy peanut butter, use Jif, Skippy, or similar; do not use natural or homemade peanut butter
- ½ cup light corn syrup, light-colored, not lite
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened natural cocoa powder, Dutch-process may be substituted
- 3 cups Rice Krispies
Topping
- about 1 cup crushed or diced Butterfinger
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter, use Jif, Skippy, or similar; do not use natural or homemade peanut butter
- ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, for drizzling
Instructions
- Base – Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine peanut butter, corn syrup, sugars, and heat on high power for 1 minute to melt.
- Stop to stir. Mixture will be on the granular side, this is okay.
- Return bowl to microwave and heat for 1 more minute on high power.
- Stir in the vanilla.
- Stir in the cocoa powder
- Stir in the cereal.
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan, packing it down firmly with a spatula and smoothing the top; set pan aside.
- Topping – Crush or dice the Butterfingers. I squeeze them in my palm before unwrapping them. They crush very easily so don’t squeeze too hard or you’ll have orange dust; set candy aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup chocolate chips, peanut butter, and heat on high power for 1 minute to melt.
- Stop to stir. Chips may not be completely melted. Return bowl to microwave and heat in 15-second bursts until mixture can be stirred smooth; 15 seconds is likely all they’ll need.
- Pour chocolate mixture over base, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
- Working somewhat quickly so that chocolate doesn’t begin to set up, evenly sprinkle Butterfingers over the chocolate. I prefer a fairly densely covered surface; add candy according to preference. Set pan aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl (same one just used to melt the chocolate and peanut butter is fine; don’t need to wash it), place 1/4 cup chocolate chips and heat on high power for 1 minute to melt. Stop to stir. Chips may not be completely melted. Return bowl to microwave and heat in 15-second bursts until chocolate can be stirred smooth, 15 seconds is likely all they’ll need.
- Using a spoon, evenly drizzle chocolate over the top of bars.
- Cover pan with a sheet of foil (to prevent fridge smells), and place pan in fridge to set up for at least 3 hours, or overnight, or until layers are completely set before lifting bars out with foil overhang, slicing, and serving. Before slicing, allowing bars to come to room temp for 15 minutes will make slicing much easier. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Adapted from Chocolate Peanut Butter Kit Kat Crunch Bars, which were adapted from Chewy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cereal Bars
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Fan of Butterfingers? Chocolate and peanut butter? Favorite no-bake bar recipe?
they look better than butterfingers!
If Butterfinger Bars are GF that means they’re “healthy,” and if they’re healthy then it’s okay to eat at least half a batch of these bars…right? Excellent. ;)
Exactly! Which is why I always love when people automatically assume that vegan or GF is automatically healthy. Well, a jar of chocolate-peanut butter is both. So that means I get to have all the jars I want, right! :)
Are the any substitutions for corn syrup?
I’ve tried to use honey and maple syrup and they don’t work nearly as well. I have not tried brown rice syrup and it could be viable. Agave, definitely no. Unless you are allergic to corn, I would just use the corn syrup and view these as a special treat :)
I haven’t had a BF in forever but these bars are the perfect excuse to stock up!
omg, I never even thought about butterfingers being gluten free-how cool!! These bars look so crunchy and yummers!
I never would have guessed they are but good old google and some research said they are!
These are damn good looking dessert bars, Averie! Butterfingers were my favorite growing up! My Dairy Queen order? A medium chocolate blizzard with butterfingers. Oh man, so good. I haven’t had one in years though! These bars bring back some nostalgia!
I love baking with butterfingers, but I don’t do it nearly enough. And they are on super sale this week at target. I have to stock up!
My DQ order was a Heath Bar Blizzard but sometimes I would get Butterfingers!
All candy everywhere seems to be on a super sale…makes it way too easy to end up with way too much! :)
Oh my yum! There is something so deliciously addicting about butterfinger and I have a feeling these bars are just as addicting, if not more! You must have either really great will power or wonderful friends who are willing to keep taking baked goods from you. :)
I have plenty of friends and neighbors. Nothing goes to waste. After I’ve had my share, off it goes. I need to fit into my clothes! :)
These look amazing. Love Butterfingers!
PB cups are vegan?? That’s life changing!! Of course these look incredible!!! :)
Seriously, Butterfingers are GF??? Where have I been? Well, that confirms it… I will be making these in the near future! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe, it looks delectable!
I would have never guessed it actually. But according to everything I could find – they are!
Butterfingers rule! and this recipe is amazing!
THESE…Halloween heaven …in bar form!!!…Butterfinger was ALWAYS my absolute favorite thing to receive in the trick-or-treat bag….that and Heath Toffee Bars and…and…Chick-O’-Sticks!!!!!…Do you remember THOSE?!…Or am I simply that aged of a woman!!!…Something about that crispy, crunchy…peanut-ery thing goin’ on….I am a complete and utter sucker for it every time! Thank you for this holiday appropriate offering Averie!
Glad you like them!
You must keep boxes of rice krispies in your pantry too :) These bars look awesome. I love butterfingers!!
I have a jumbo box of them on hand at all time :) Along with at least 6 huge containers of PB :)
Wow! These look great and will be a hit in my household since everyone here loves butterfingers!!
I have always wondered why butter fingers are not used more often. I only discovered them this year and I am hooked(even got my shipment from the USA coming in).
I love the krispy and chewy nature of these bars, and that frosting and topping is drool worthy! Only you can make a treat like this pop in pictures.
That’s amazing that you have to order them (ugh) but also so cool that you love them enough to order them! Thanks for the photo compliments :)
These look really delicious and your photos are AMAZING!!! Xx
Thank you – I appreciate it!