Easy Healthier Butterfingers
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Published Oct 26, 2020, Updated Oct 07, 2022
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These healthier Butterfingers are made with only six simple ingredients. They’re crunchy, peanut-buttery and taste like the real deal.
To say I’m excited to share this recipe would be the understatement of the year. Isaac loves Butterfingers so I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to make an upgraded version. I originally made full-sized Butterfinger bars, but they were super rich so I decided to make mini Butterfingers instead.
I don’t know about you, but I love a good bite-size treat.
These upgraded treats are made with only six ingredients. The recipe does take a little patience as certain parts need to set in the freezer, but I promise the wait is 100% worth it! Plus, it doesn’t get much better than homemade Butterfingers.
Healthier Butterfingers Ingredients
- organic corn flakes – There are a few organic corn flake options on the market. Look for Barbara’s, Arrowhead Mills or Nature’s Path.
- drippy peanut butter – make sure to use drippy/runny natural peanut butter. I used Crazy Richard’s.
- maple syrup – I’ve only tried this recipe with maple syrup, but I assume it will work with honey as well.
- molasses – this is optional, but recommend if you have it on hand because it helps give this recipe that well known Butterfinger flavor!
- chocolate chips – I love Lily’s chocolate chips for a low-sugar option and Enjoy Life chocolate chips for a dairy-free/soy-free option.
- coconut oil – this is used to help make the melted chocolate thinner, which makes it easier to dip the Butterfingers. You can skip it, but your melted chocolate will likely be pretty thick. I recommend using refined coconut oil if you don’t want any coconut flavor!
How to Make Homemade Butterfingers
Crush cornflakes – Place cornflakes in a small lunch-size plastic bag and crush into small pieces. I used the bottom of a glass jar to pound/crush the flakes.
Heat peanut butter – Heat the peanut butter, maple syrup and molasses (if using) over low-medium heat. Stir until the mixture is combined – don’t overheat or you’ll risk scorching the peanut butter! After the ingredients are combined, remove from the heat and stir in the crushed corn flakes.
Make bites – Spoon the coated cornflakes into a silicone ice cube tray, filling each cavity about halfway full. Place the ice cube tray in the freezer for the bites to harden. This took about 2 hours for me. If you don’t have a silicone ice cube tray you can simply spread the mixture evenly over a parchment lined baking sheet. Let set in the freezer and then chop into small squares.
Melt chocolate – Once the bites have hardened, place the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between each. It shouldn’t take longer than 1-2 minutes total for the chocolate to melt.
Coat candy – Pop the frozen bites out of the ice cube tray and place each into the melted chocolate. Use a spoon to coat until completely covered. Let excess chocolate drip off and place the chocolate covered candy on a platter lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all pieces are coated. If some of your bites start to soften during the process, pop them back in the freezer.
Freeze – Place the tray of bites back into the freezer to let the chocolate harden. Once chocolate has set, it’s time to enjoy!
How to Store Healthy Butterfinger Bites
I recommend storing these bites in an airtight container in the freezer. They should last 1-2 months… but I bet they’ll be gone in a week! Ha! I recommend enjoying them straight from the freezer so they’re nice and crisp.
More Healthy Treats to Try:
- Chocolate Covered Snickers Stuffed Dates
- 5-Ingredient Healthier Peanut Butter Cups
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites
- Pillowy Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- No Bake Almond Cookies
- Coconut Crunch Donuts (Hostess Copycat)
- Healthy Almond Joy Bars
Be sure to check out all of the dessert recipes on EBF!
Healthier Butterfingers
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups organic corn flakes
- 3/4 cup drippy peanut butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon molasses, optional
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Crush cornflakes: Place cornflakes in a small lunch-size plastic bag and crush into small pieces.
- Heat peanut butter: Add peanut butter, maple syrup and molasses (if using) to a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Heat, while stirring until the mixture is combined. Don’t overheat or you’ll risk scorching the peanut butter.
- Once well combined, remove from heat and stir in crushed corn flakes.
- Spoon coated cornflakes into a silicone ice cube tray, filling each cavity about halfway.
- Place ice cube tray in the freezer for bites to harden for at least 2 hours.
- Melt chocolate: Once bites have hardened, place chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl and melt in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring between each. It shouldn’t take longer than 1-2 minutes total for the chocolate to melt.
- Pop bites out of the tray and place on platter lined with parchment. Dip/coat each into the melted chocolate, one at a time. Use a spoon to coat until completely covered. Place chocolate covered candy back on the platter lined with parchment. Repeat until all pieces are coated.
- Freeze: Place bites back into the freezer to let the chocolate harden and enjoy!
- Storage: Bites keep best stored in the freezer in an airtight container. They should last 1-2 months. Enjoy straight from the freezer.
Video
Notes
- If you don’t have a silicone ice cube tray you can simply spread the mixture evenly over a parchment lined baking sheet. Let set in the freezer, chop into small squares and then dip each in chocolate as described above.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Corn flakes are not something I would eat. What can be used instead? What about rolled oats? Are they too wet?
Well then don’t make this recipe.
I tried the recipe with crushed brown rice crisps as well. They still give the bars some crisp and will work if you’re okay with those!
Oh. My. Goodness!
Do you think corn chex would work instead of cornflakes?
I haven’t tested it, but I would assume so! 🙂
I plan on making these tonight. Would rolling them into balls rather then using an ice cube tray work?
Wow! LOVE these, I think they’ll be one a favourite in our house xx
Can’t wait to hear what you think, Hannah!!
My husband got his hands on these while they were chilling in the fridge and says “what are these? They taste just like Butterfingers!”
Haha! Love it. 🙂
Do you think rolling these into balls before freezing would work in lieu of ice cube trays?
Totally!
So delicious. We couldn’t stop eating them!
Woo!! So glad you these were a hit!!
OMG!!! This is the most delicious treat I’ve made this year. My husband walked by and then came back twice. He ate three in a row and then I had to hide them. The little crisp from the cornflakes is amazing and the molasses adds such depth in flavor. These are a keeper. Thank you Brittany!!!
Ahh yay!! So glad these butterfingers were a hit!! Thanks so much for making them and for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me. <3
These came out amazing! Texture is totally right on to Butterfingers. I was so happy to make a double batch of these to share with friends!
Yay!! So glad these turned out for you, Suzanne! I’m pumped you loved them. 🙂
The hardest thing about these is not eating them all in one day. So easy and so delicious, will be making often!
omg, I know right?! It’s easy to eat them all in one sitting. So pumped you loved these, Maggie!!
NEW obsession!!! Absolutely perfect treat I can’t wait to enjoy all week. Thanks for the recipe!
Woo!! I’m so pumped you loved these, Sherry. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me. 🙂
I made these tonight, and wow! Super delicious! I couldn’t find organic plain corn flakes, so I bought organic honey corn flakes and just cut back a bit on the maple syrup. These will prevent me from picking junky Halloween treats out of my son’s bag!
Woo!! So glad these butterfingers were a hit! Thanks for giving my recipe a try and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it, Julie. 🙂
These are really delicious. Having a toddler doesn’t afford me big chunks of time where I can complete a project so these are actually perfect. I can do a bit, chill, revisit, chill, finish. Very nice.
Woo!! So glad you loved this recipe, Janelle. 🙂 Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
This is some next level creativity, here, Brittany! Tastes absolutely incredible & I love that it’s not orange! Thank you so much for such a fun treat!
Ahh thank you, Jennifer!! I’m so glad you loved these. 🙂 Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. As always, I appreciate it!
I’ve wanted to make these since the minute I saw them posted on Instagram and they did not disappoint! I had all ingredients on hand (used a different bran flake) and they came out absolutely delicious! The texture is perfect with a little crunch- thank you!
So pumped you loved these butterfingers, Kaitlyn!! Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
These are some sort of genius wizardry. Taste exactly like butterfingers with minimal ingredients/steps/clean up. I’ve made them 3 times in two weeks. WOW!! YUM!!!
Aww you’re too sweet!! SO glad you loved these butterfingers, Lila. I appreciate you making them and coming back to leave a comment + star rating. <3
I tried them, and wow they are delicious! Thanks for the recipe x One question though, I found them to be extra hard when I ate them directly from the freezer, as you suggested. Why do you think this happened?
Hey Karen – they’ll definitely be hard coming straight from the freezer. If you’d like them to soften up a bit, I would let them thaw for 1-2 minutes before eating.
WOW these are dangerously good! I melted the PB, maple syrup, and molasses in the microwave for 2-15 sec intervals instead of using the stove. My husband was eating the peanut butter mixture out of the bowl with a spoon so my bites are really small, haha! I will be making this over and over. Thank you so much for the amazing recipe.
Woot woot!! So glad this butterfingers were a hit!! Thanks so much for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Huge hit!! I made these for my kiddos and when asked how they tasted, the response I got was “they taste even better than butterfingers!” I’ll be making these again! Thanks for your amazing recipes (especially desserts) that I feel awesome feeding to my family!!
Oh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Erica!! I’m pumped these were a hit with your kiddos. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
Easy and love that you only need a couple ingredients. These taste surprisingly like the real thing and my husband is obsessed to!
So glad these were a hit! Thanks for leaving a review, Rafaela. 🙂
Um, these are amazing. 1000 times better than the store-bought ones. My husband who thinks he doesn’t like peanut butter wouldn’t stop eating them. Guess I’d better make some more!
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m glad they were a hit!! Thanks for the review, Rebekah.
These are pure gold. So delicious and so easy to whip up. I did need twice as much chocolate to fully coat but might have just been the chocolate chips I used (I did use the coconut oil). I like these better than butterfingers and agree with eating them straight from the freezer!
Ahh yay!! So glad you loved these, Heather. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it. 🙂
These are amazing. I LOVE all types of chocolate candy anything, but the store bought ones are full of artificial junk! These were so easy to make and are amazing with or without chocolate. I only know this because I grabbed one out of the freezer before they set. I couldn’t wait! Haha!
So glad you loved these, Breana! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Amazing!! I did some meal prepping on Sunday and made these and your chocolate cookie dough ball and white chicken chili. I need to purchase your cookbook.
Woo!! I love hearing that. 🙂 I don’t have a cookbook yet, but I do have a 6-week meal plan and a Salad Every Day ebook and Fit With 5 ebook.
These are my favorite to make! Everyone loves them and always asks me to make more. So delicious and easy to do too! Thank you for this recipe and cool idea!
Woo! This makes me so happy to hear, Jamie! I really appreciate you coming back to leave a comment and star rating as well!
These look amazing!!! My only issue is that I can’t have corn products since I have celiac. Do you know of any substitutions for cornflakes that would work well in this recipe?
Hey Anneke – I’m not sure what a good substitute for the corn flakes would be.
They look so good! But I also cannot have corn (or grain for that matter). I wonder if there is any other option?
Mmmm, I’m not really sure what would be a good substitute, unfortunately. 🙁 I would say bran flakes but those contain wheat.
These are delicious!
Yay! So thrilled you enjoyed these butterfingers, Kelsee! Thanks for the review :).
In response to the question above about a replacement option, I used Heritage Flakes by Nature’s Path Organic. It uses khorasan wheat, oats, spelt, barley, millet and quinoa? Are those celiac friendly?
Whoa. These are even better than the original. Everyone went nuts for them. THANK YOU!!!
Woo!! I love hearing this, Dana! So glad everyone enjoyed them! Thank you so much for the review. I really appreciate it!
So dang good! I made these on Halloween night because my sister was bringing her kids over to trick or treat and I knew there were going to be too many temptations that don’t fit my diet. I didn’t read the whole recipe before I started so I didn’t realize you are supposed to freeze the inside part for two hours before coating. I only froze them for about an hour and it still worked! I also didn’t have an ice tray so I just put globs on parchment paper on a baking sheet. Still worked well also! Everyone who tried them loved them. Will be making again!
I honestly wish I could give these more than 5 stars, they are that good! As a Butterfinger lover I prefer these now over the original. Super easy to make, I can’t recommend them enough!
Woo! Love to hear that, Kylie!! Thank you so much for your review and star rating, I really appreciate it!
Made these for my dad for Father’s Day. He loves butterfingers, but doesn’t need all the sugar and fat from the candy. These are amazing!! Can’t wait to have him try them tomorrow! To me, these are better than the original butterfinger
Yay! Glad it was a success, Kelly. Thank you for leaving me a comment and review, I so appreciate it!
where do you get organic corn flakes ?
I like the Nature’s Path organic fruit juice sweetened corn flakes, which I can usually find at my local Kroger and Whole Foods.
These sound amazing. BUT, if they taste as good as they sound and look, how can they possibly last 1-2 months in the freezer????!!!!
haha, I feel you! They never last that long over here!
YUM! I found generic bran flakes at local grocery store and these turned out absolutely delicious! Super easy, super fast. The dough is very easy to work with so rather than pressing into individual molds next time, I might just roll into balls and dip half in chocolate. Thank you for the inspiration!!!
Excellent! I am so glad this recipe turned out great for you, Tammy! Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I so appreciate it!
These are super easy to make with ingredients I mostly had on line.
Can I just microwave all the ingredients together then add the cornflakes instead of heating on the stove?
Hi Yvonne! I am so glad you had these ingredients are loving this recipe. You can totally add these ingredients to the microwave and then add the cornflakes, no problem. Hope you enjoy! Thanks for your review + star rating, I appreciate it!