I love recreating popular candy bars more than I love eating them. The homemade versions of store-bought candies always turn out to be much better. If you’ve tried our bounty bars or junior mints before, you’ll love my Mars bars. These homemade Mars bars recipe comes close to the original due to carefully chosen ingredients. Made with marshmallow fluff and Nutella, the nougat layer is perfectly chewy and chocolatey. Topped with soft caramel and finished off with a layer of smooth milk chocolate, these homemade bars taste like the real thing!
Why you’ll love this recipe
It’s only 5 ingredients. Unlike the real thing that has a rather long and obscure ingredient list, homemade Mars bars are made with only five ingredients. It has the perfect texture. Light and slightly chewy chocolate nougat against soft and rich caramel all covered in a layer of snappy milk chocolate. Perfection, isn’t it? Easy to customize. With a few simple swaps, you can adapt the ingredients to be suitable for various diets out there.
If you enjoy the mouthwatering combination of caramel and nougat, you should definitely try our copycat snickers too.
Ingredients needed
As mentioned earlier, these homemade candies need just five simple ingredients. Here is what you’ll need:
Marshmallow fluff. Making nougat with marshmallow fluff is so easy yet so delicious. It turns out light and fluffy with the perfect amount of chewiness. Chocolate spread. I use Nutella for this recipe but you use any chocolate spread you like. Milk chocolate. I stick to milk chocolate as that’s what the original Mars bars have. You can use dark chocolate if that’s what you prefer. Caramel candies. For the signature caramel layer of the candies. Choose soft meltable candies like Werther’s Original or Hardy’s caramels. Milk. A small amount of milk added to the candies when melting them results in a softer caramel layer once it sets.
How to make homemade Mars bars
I can’t emphasize enough how easy this copycat recipe is. Each layer is made with a single step, and the whole thing comes together effortlessly. Step 1 – melt the chocolate. Melt half of the chocolate candies in the microwave and spread it evenly into a prepared pan. Doing this creates a thicker layer of chocolate at the bottom. Step 2 – prepare the nougat layer. For this layer, simply mix the marshmallow fluff with the chocolate spread of your choice. Once fully mixed, microwave for 30 seconds and spread it evenly over the chocolate layer. Step 3 – make the caramel filling. Get to making the caramel filling while the layer of nougat sets. Remove all the wrappings and add the candies to a microwave-safe bowl along with the milk. Microwave at short intervals and keep stirring until a smooth mixture remains. Pour the caramel over the nougat layer and spread it evenly. Step 4 – Slice and cover in chocolate. Once fully set, slice into even-sized bars. Melt the remaining chocolate and use it to cover the bars. Allow to set and enjoy.
Tips to make the best recipe
For smoothly melted chocolate, cut the chocolate into uniform pieces. Add the chocolate to a clean and dry microwavable glass bowl. Be careful no water gets into it because the chocolate will seize even if water drops in the bowl. Microwave at 30-second intervals and stir between each until fully melted. When buying caramel for melting, opt for soft caramel candies. Hard caramel candies will burn and remain intact. As the nougat and caramel layers are both sticky, you must take some measures to get clean cuts. Lightly oiling the knife before cutting the bars will do the trick. Use a pair of thin tongs to dip the bars in melted chocolate. Then, place them on a rack so the excess chocolate drips off. Add some nuts for some crunch! This is optional and not in the authentic recipe but I like to add a single layer of peanuts to it.
Storage instructions
To store. Place leftovers in an airtight container and keep them refrigerated for up to a week. To freeze. These bars can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Whenever you want to eat them, just pull one out of the freezer and let it soften at room temperature for a few minutes.
More homemade candy bars to try
Kit Kat Bars Bounty Bars Twix Bars Almond Joy
Frequently asked questions
