Homemade Raw Mars Bars Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate Caramel Bites

It’s time to bring back Mars Bars. Who’s with me?

I recently rediscovered my Raw Mars Bars after noticing they were one of the most shared recipes on my site, so I updated this post with fresh photos while keeping the same decadent recipe everyone loves.

Those layers of chocolate and nut-butter goodness deserve to be seen.

HEALTHY AND WHOLESOME INSPIRATION

On a 2018 trip to Australia I was struck by how fresh and wholesome the food felt. Raw desserts made with nourishing ingredients were everywhere, and I loved that you could indulge in treats that also packed some nutrition.

These Raw Mars Bars were inspired by a dessert I tried at a Melbourne café called Serotonin Dealer. The memory of that flavor stuck with me, and I replicated it using real, accessible ingredients.

RAW MARS BARS BLISS

I love sweets and enjoy reimagining classic candy using better-for-you ingredients. If you have my cookbook, you may have noticed the extensive sweets section — dessert is my happy place.

When ingredients are simpler and more whole-food based, it’s easier to enjoy treats without the guilt. That’s the goal with these bars: familiar candy-bar satisfaction made from nuts, nut butter and natural sweeteners.

The base blends almonds and cashews for protein, fiber and healthy fats, with cinnamon for warmth and hemp seeds for added plant protein. Maple syrup adds natural sweetness. The final touch is a dark chocolate coating finished with flaky sea salt — pure bliss.

A NOSTALGIC, NO-BAKE TREAT

These bars are gluten-free and refined sugar-free, made from minimal real-food ingredients, and there’s no baking required. They need time to set in the freezer, but the hands-off chill time is worth the result.

They’re a nostalgic bite for me, and I’m thrilled they’ve been shared so widely. I hope you make them and love them as much as I do.

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED:

Base:

• Almonds
• Cashews
• Hemp seeds (optional; nutritious — see substitutions below)
• Maple syrup
• Filtered water
• Cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt

Filling:

• Almond butter
• Melted coconut oil
• Maple syrup
• Filtered water

Chocolate Coating:

• Chocolate bar, melted (use your favorite dark or milk chocolate)
• Melted coconut oil
• Flaky sea salt

HOW TO MAKE MY RAW MARS BARS

Base and Filling

1. In a food processor, pulse all base ingredients until the mixture reaches a dough-like consistency.

2. Press the base into the bottom of a parchment-lined loaf tin and freeze for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.

3. In the same food processor, pulse the filling ingredients until smooth. Pour the filling over the chilled base, then return to the freezer for 1–2 hours, or until firm.

4. Once firm, remove from the loaf tin, place on a cutting board and slice into rectangles or your preferred shapes.

Chocolate Coating

1. Break your chocolate into a bowl, add coconut oil, and melt together in 30-second microwave intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Alternatively, melt gently over the stove.

2. Dip each bar into the melted chocolate until fully coated. Place the coated bars on a parchment-lined baking sheet or freezer-safe plate and freeze for 10–15 minutes to harden.

Serve and Store

Remove the bars from the freezer, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and enjoy. Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.

RECIPE SUBSTITUTIONS & QUESTIONS

There are several easy swaps depending on pantry staples and preferences:

• For the base, you can use 1 cup of almonds or cashews instead of 1/2 cup of each, or substitute peanuts. Walnuts, pine nuts or Brazil nuts can also replace cashews or almonds.
• Hemp seeds are optional; ground flaxseed is a suitable substitute. Cinnamon can be omitted if you prefer.
• In the filling, peanut butter can replace almond butter — just make sure it pairs with your chosen base nuts. Honey can be used instead of maple syrup.
• For the coconut oil in the coating or filling, melted butter, olive oil, or avocado oil can work as alternatives.
• Use your favorite chocolate for the coating — dark, milk, or whichever you like best.

Feel free to experiment and let me know which substitutions you try and enjoy.

WHAT IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A MARS BAR?

Traditional Mars Bars use sugar-based nougat and caramel fillings. These Raw Mars Bars recreate that layered texture and flavor using whole-food ingredients like nuts, nut butter and maple syrup, offering a more natural way to satisfy a sweet craving.

IS THERE A TRICK TO MELTING CHOCOLATE?

Adding a little coconut oil (or another neutral fat) when melting chocolate helps it become glossy and fluid, improving the texture for dipping and coating. Melt gently in short intervals and stir frequently for best results.

LOOKING FOR MORE BETTER-FOR-YOU TREATS AND CANDY BAR REMAKE RECIPES?

Healthy Twix Bars

Raw Snickers Bars

Paleo Pecan Pie Bars

5-Ingredient Date Snickers

Copycat Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups