Some things just feel like non-starters. Time travel, for instance. Finding something on Netflix to watch in less than 5 minutes. Landing on Mars? For those with dairy allergies and restrictions, candy bars also feel like non-starters.

But if astronauts can dare to dream about the cosmos, perhaps it’s time to ponder the possibility of dairy free candy bars.

To be honest, I am (fortunately!) not the first to consider this. Recently, Hershey’s created their own Plant-Based Oat Chocolate Confection. So hopefully, we will continue to see more and more options on the mass market.

But if you’re looking to enjoy a variety of dairy-free treats, you may still have to DIY a few. Luckily for us, we are also not complete pioneers here, and can test and build upon the innovations that have come before us.

Hypothesis 1: We can create a dairy-free version of the candy classic, the Butterfinger.

Hypothesis 2: Our DIY Butterfingers will be crispy, chewy, chocolatey, and peanut butter-y.

Hypothesis 3: And, in fact, it will be easy to do at home with everyday ingredients!

Method

Recipe Source:

Healthy Butterfingers from Chocolate Covered Katie

Dairy-Free Modifications:

None needed! This recipe is naturally free of any dairy. Just check the ingredients on your supplies, which will include:

1) Maple syrup (for alternatives, see the original recipe)

2) Molasses (see recipe for notes, I just added more maple syrup)

3) Sugar (for alternatives, see the original recipe)

4) Peanut butter, or favorite alternative

5) Corn flakes

6) Salt

7) Chocolate for topping (the recipe author even has an alternative for this as well, which is helpful if you cannot find dairy free chocolate chips. I used my standby from Trader Joe’s, and still recommend Enjoy Life brand as well).

Procedures

For the full recipe, please see the OG recipe. As usual, I just present my notes on the process.

First, you will boil your sweeteners briefly on the stove.

2. Next, add in your peanut butter, followed by your cereal. It’s kind of like making rice crispy treats.

3. Freeze in a container. Once partially frozen, top with melted chocolate, then continue to freeze. Can you catch my math error in scoring?

4. Freeze more, cut into pieces, and enjoy! Keep any leftovers in the freezer.

Results

Yummmmmmm…

We enjoyed these as a dairy free Halloween treat, and continued to enjoy them for (not that many) days after!

Conclusions

Butterfingers are self-described as: “Crispety, crunchety, peanut buttery bar covered in a rich, chocolatey coating”. Our results demonstrate that indeed, our DIY, dairy-free version indeed matched the product description! And we were able to create them with everyday pantry items, so both of our hypotheses were wholeheartedly supported.

Until Butterfinger decides to make a dairy free version, I recommend Chocolate Covered Katie’s recipe for a homemade version.

What is something you have been writing off as a non-starter? Consider this your call to do some research and give it a try! There’s a good chance they’ll be peanut buttery, chocolatey, crispy, and crunchy too!

Dairy Free “Butterfinger”