Easy DIY Candy Bars Recipe (Allergy-Friendly!)

This is a fun shortcut recipe that I came up with when sampling Enjoy Life’s Baked Chewy Bars. They’re snack-sized and just soft enough to provide a sturdy but tender base for nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free DIY candy bars! They’re the perfect treat for sharing during Food Allergy Awareness Week, don’t you think?

The process is amazingly simple, too. Stir some sunflower seed butter (I use a salted version, like Original SunButter) with a little bit of powdered sugar to stiffen the mixture and sweeten it just enough. Then unwrap the SunSeed Crunch Baked Chewy Bars (my favorite flavor!), and spread the sweetened seed butter onto the tops of each. It will seem rather thick, but that’s a good thing.

Finally, drop the bars into melted dairy-free chocolate. Since we’re talking candy bars here, I went for the Boom Choco Boom Rice Milk Chocolate Bars from Enjoy Life. Yes, dairy-free “milk” chocolate and it is SO good. Spoon the chocolate over top to coat, remove to a non-stick surface (see recipe below), and let set up. Just 15 minutes or so in the refrigerator and your gang is enjoying lower sugar, more wholesome, absolutely delicious, top allergen-free, “almost homemade” candy bars.

This post is sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods. Yes, it’s my job to make dairy-free candy bars at home and I’m not complaining one bit. I bet you’re happy I’m doing it, too! Enjoy these super easy, sun-buttery, milky chocolate, DIY candy bars today …

Special Diet Notes: Allergy-Friendly DIY Candy Bars

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, plant-based, and vegetarian. They’re close to vegan, but do contain a small amount of honey.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Easy DIY Candy Bars (allergy-friendly)

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

2 mins

Total time

17 mins

To make these better-for-you candy bars a little more authentic, I use Enjoy Life's dairy-free Ricemilk Chocolate Bars - they incredibly rich, smooth and creamy. But you can certainly use semi-sweet or dark chocolate for a lower sugar hit. Please note that the prep time does not include waiting for the bars to set up (just 15 minutes if you cheat and use the refrigerator).

Author: Alisa Fleming

Serves: 5 candy bars

Ingredients

¼ cup creamy sunflower seed butter (see below)
2 tablespoons powdered sugar (see below)
1 box allergy-friendly soft snack bars (I use Enjoy Life SunSeed Crunch Baked Chewy Bars)
3 1-ounce dairy-free chocolate bars (see below)

Instructions

Place the sunflower seed butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and stir to combine.
Remove the bars from their packages and spread the tops with the sunflower seed mixture.
Melt the chocolate for about 1 minute in the microwave on HIGH (do not overheat), whisking thoroughly until smooth, or using a double broiler method.
Place the bars in the chocolate and use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the tops.
Remove with a fork and place on a greased wire rack, wax paper, parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat to set up. Optionally place in the refrigerator to speed up the process (takes about 20 minutes).

Notes

Sunflower Seed Butter - I use an "original" seed butter like SunButter which is salted and contains a wee bit of sweetener. If using an unsalted seed butter, add a pinch of salt.
Powdered Sugar - I know corn is an issue for some people, but there are corn-free options available. I used Miss Roben's Powdered Sugar.
Chocolate for Melting - I use Enjoy Life Boom Choco Boom Ricemilk chocolate bars. As a "milk" chocolate, they are a touch softer than most semi-sweet and dark chocolates, and when melted, are fairly fluid for coating. If you opt to use dark or semi-sweet dairy-free chocolate, you may want to add just a smidgen (about ½ teaspoon) of coconut oil or shortening to the chocolate when melting to keep it from being too thick.