Description
Homemade PayDay Candy Bars are a sweet and salty no-bake treat made with a chewy nougat center and coated in roasted salted peanuts. These nostalgic bars are easy to make and taste even better than the store-bought version.
Ingredients
- 2 cups salted roasted peanuts, divided
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar (optional, for firmer texture)
Instructions
- Line an 8×8 or 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Spread 1 cup of salted peanuts evenly on the bottom of the pan.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and peanut butter together until smooth.
- Add mini marshmallows and stir until completely melted and combined.
- Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Add powdered sugar if using, and mix until incorporated.
- Pour the nougat mixture over the peanuts in the pan, spreading it evenly.
- Top with the remaining 1 cup of peanuts and gently press them into the nougat layer.
- Let the bars cool at room temperature until set, or refrigerate for 1 hour for faster setting.
- Once firm, cut into bars and serve.
Notes
Drizzle with melted chocolate for a twist on the original PayDay bar.Use crunchy peanut butter for added texture.Swap peanuts for sunflower seeds and use sunflower butter for a nut-free version.Add caramel or toffee bits for extra chewiness.Cut into bite-sized pieces for party-friendly treats.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
