Make one of your favorite candy bars at home with just 5 of the most amazing ingredients on Earth: dark chocolate, peanut butter, pretzels, caramel and peanuts!
Okay, I need to make this post short and sweet so you can make these candy bars ASAP!
They’re one of the best things ever created in my kitchen and I want your kitchen to have the same bragging rights!
They’re so easy, but it was a labor of love getting the recipe just right. I was on a mission to make a homemade candy bar similar to Take 5 candy bars, but even better, of course! More pretzel crunch, a thicker layer of peanut butter, extra peanuts, gooier caramel and a richer chocolate.
I tried them every which way I could until I got them just right. I tried layering the chocolate with the other ingredients in the pan, but definitely felt coating the bars in the chocolate is much better. I tried using caramel sauce, but melted caramel squares gives the bars that perfect gooey caramel layer. I tried crushing the pretzels, but the whole pretzels gives a perfect pretzel crunch in every bite.
It all starts with just 5 simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand…
The sweet and salty combo of these 5 ingredients along with the different textures each one contributes to the layers makes these homemade candy bars one of the greatest things I ever ate!
We’re talking salty crunchy pretzels, creamy peanut butter, roasted peanuts, gooey caramel…
That’s all coated in rich smooth dark chocolate…
They’re off the charts when it comes to how delicious they are!
The rave reviews from family and friends who have been my taste testers throughout this process had this to say about the finished product:
speechless.
gimme more!
wow!!
did you really make these?!
you should sell these!
these are unreal!!
mmmmm…
I can’t wait for you to make and experience them too! Enjoy!
xoxo,
- 70 snaps pretzels
- 1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups dry roasted lightly salted peanuts
- 2 (11 ounce) bags caramel squares
- 2 (10 ounce) bags dark chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet chips)
- Line a 9x13-inch rimmed baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Layer the pretzels snuggly in the bottom of the pan.
- Melt the peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds until of drizzling consistency. Drizzle peanut butter over pretzels. With a spatula, spread the peanut butter evenly to cover all of the pretzels.
- Sprinkle the peanuts evenly over the peanut butter layer and place the pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set.
- While the peanut butter layer is setting, unwrap the caramels. Place them in a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup water and melt in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Place back in the microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and continue to stir until caramel is smooth and of drizzling consistency.
- Drizzle caramel evenly over all of the peanuts. Place pan back in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Remove from the refrigerator and immediately cut into 2x2-inch squares with a sharp knife. Spread squares out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate (1 bag at a time) in a shallow microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. Remove and stir. Return to microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and continue to stir until all of the chocolate chips are melted.
- Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the candy bars from the freezer. Using a fork, dip the candy bars one at a time into the melted chocolate until each one is completely coated in chocolate. Make sure the pretzel layer remains on bottom. Remove and let excess chocolate drip off of the candy bar and the fork before placing on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining candy bars and remaining chocolate chips until all candy bars are coated. Place candy bars back in the refrigerator to set for at least 15 minutes before enjoying.
Hi Maegan,
I love, love your pictures…The recipe is simple and easy.
Thanks so much! I can’t get enough of these candy bars! 🙂
I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. I LOVE Take 5 bars, and this homemade version has my heart. I cannot WAIT to try these out!!
would I be able to use semi sweet chocolate chips?
Hi Christine! Yes, of course, as long as they’re good melting chocolate chips. Enjoy!
Yum!!! I love Take Fives. They are PERFECT combo in my opinion. I’ll have to try it out as soon as possible
they turned out great will make more soon
Did you use salted peanuts when you made these or unsalted? These look so good, can’t wait to make them!
Hi Helen! Great question! I used roasted lightly salted peanuts. Enjoy!
[…] Homemade Take 5 Candy Bars [x] […]
Can these be frozen a week ahead?
Hi Kasey! Yes, they freeze great. Just be sure to store them in a freezer safe container or baggie. Enjoy!
I’m not a fan of dark chocolate, would they taste as good with milk chocolate?
Hi Deanna! Yes, of course, milk chocolate would taste great too. Enjoy!
Hi! I was wondering why these need to be stored in the fridge. Thx so much!
Hi Kristan! I created this recipe during the hottest months here in Dallas, so I had to store them in the refrigerator. I should have noted that they just need to be stored in a cool, dry place. I’ve updated the recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Very close to our family candy recipe for P2C2 (Pretzel (sticks crushed), crunchy Peanut butter, Caramel and milk Chocolate). We’ve been making this for Christmas since the 70’s, but have never thought to try it with dark chocolate.. 🙂
Yessss! 24 bars would cost $4.80 ( pack of 5 for $1) at the store. Take 5s are my new favorite so, after while it would be considered a *luxury* item. This recipe will be saving so much money, mostly because I won’t be sharing. Thank you!! I honestly was going to find the ingredients and throw it in a bag and call it trail mix.
[…] Homemade Take 5 Candy Bars from The Baker Mama […]
How many pretzels go into each bar? I’m guessing 3? But 2 would only have 2 because of starting with 70 pretzels, right? And should I just spread the peanut butter over the top pretzel in the stack? Will it ooze down into the others?
Hi Katie! It depends on how you cut the bars as to how many pretzels end up in each one. If scroll through the post, you can see step-by-step pictures on how to make them. I hope this helps. Enjoy!
These look seriously incredible! Take 5 bars are one of my favorites and yours look even better than the store bought ones!
Thanks Aimee! I wish we lived closer and I’d bring you a whole batch to enjoy as you snuggle that new baby boy. Congrats, friend!
These are AMAZING!! I have made them several times and I can’t get enough. All of my family and friends love them too and they can’t believe I made them. Hands down a favorite recipe.
These are awesome!! My mother’s favorite candy bar that I can now make for her whenever she’s visiting!
Awwww it looks delicious! I have to do it!
Best! 🙂
I wouldn’t recommend using natural peanut butter – I think it made the bars too sticky and hard to handle. I had trouble with the chocolate. The chocolate doesn’t seem to drip off at all and each bar ended up having 1/2 cup of chocolate on them. I ended up “frosting them” on 2 sides. but these are a sticky delicious mess.
Hi Nancy! I agree not to use natural peanut butter. The thicker the peanut butter, the better. What brand of dark chocolate chips did you use? Sounds like you might need to use a better melting dark chocolate chip or that the chocolate chips were over melted causing the chocolate to be too thick. Happy you still enjoyed them though!
can I make it with out having the paper? i just have the pans?
Hi Kaylee! You’ll need to use something to be able to lift the bars from the pan and cut them into squares. Do you have foil or plastic wrap you could use? If not, you could try spraying the pan with non-stick cooking spray and hope that when you cut the bars in the pan, they cut and lift out of the pan easily. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
I looked up the take 5 candy bar and it is made with milk chocolate. So I will be using milk chocolate
Instead of dark chocolate.
Sounds great, Heather! Enjoy! 🙂
Can these be made with a layer of chocolate on the bottom? I’m thinking that would be easier than dipping.
Hi Mar! Absolutely. I’ve seen a few people make them with a layer of chocolate on bottom and then a layer on top instead of dipping them. The bars just won’t be completely coated in the chocolate. Or you could layer chocolate on bottom and then cut them as instructed and lay them on a rack with a pan underneath before pouring the chocolate over each one so that the chocolate flows down and around each bar and coats it. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Can I substitute heavy cream or condensed milk to the caramel’s instead of water to soften the caramel’s
Hi Ernst! Yes, but I don’t think I would recommend using 1/4 cup as I usually just use a few tablespoons of heavy cream or condensed milk when I use it to melt caramels. Water works great though. Enjoy!
I made these using almond bark instead of chocolate chips and they came out great! How do you think they would come out if I just melted the caramel and peanut butter together to save a step? Maybe even mix the peanuts in? Just curious and trying to be a little lazy, but I was scared to try it the first time. I made a double batch and took them to work and they are crazy about them!
Hi Jan! That’s so great to hear. Yes, I think you could definitely try melting the caramel, peanut butter and peanuts together if you’re okay with them not being in layers. No doubt they would still taste great! Enjoy!
I gave these a try and the taste is delicious, but the carmel is far too watery when you add 1/4 cup of water. It never fully hardened even in the freezer. After about 1 minute at room temperature the carmel was oozing all over the place which made it almost impossible to dip in chocolate. The carmel even runs in the freezer.
Oh goodness, Katie! That certainly shouldn’t be the case. I’m trying to think what might have gone wrong as I make these all the time and that has never happened. Did you use caramel squares? Did you use a liquid measurer for the water? You should be able to easily drizzle it, but once it’s set, it should remain chewy.