Homemade Candy Bars: 14 Copycat Classics to Make for the Christmas Cookie Tin

Homemade candy bars are the sweet surprise everyone is making this season: the bars you grab at the checkout are really just a few easy layers you can make in one pan. A no-bake caramel cookie bar video passed 3.1 million views on Instagram this month, and homemade peanut butter Christmas trees drew 4.3 million views and more than 12,000 comments in just a few days. Making them at home means simple ingredients, bigger pieces and no wrappers, and they make wonderful gifts for the holiday cookie tin. Below you will find 13 classics with simple steps, plus tips for wrapping and keeping them fresh. Which one did you love as a kid..

Homemade Candy Bars Start With Caramel Shortbread Bars

Shortbread, caramel and chocolate: this is the famous three-layer bar, and it is the copycat that blew up online this month. A buttery cookie base bakes in one pan, a quick stovetop caramel goes on top, and a thin layer of melted chocolate finishes it. Cut it into long fingers and it looks just like the bar from the candy aisle, only fresher and bigger. Chill it well and use a hot knife for clean edges. Which layer do you eat first..

You will need: Base: 1 cup butter softened, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 cups flour, pinch of salt. Caramel: 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, 2 tbsp corn syrup. Top: 10 oz milk chocolate, 1 tsp coconut oil.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 9×13 pan. 2. Mix the base, press it in and bake 20 minutes until golden. 3. Stir the caramel ingredients over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until thick. 4. Pour over the base and chill 30 minutes. 5. Melt the chocolate with the oil and spread on top. 6. Chill until set and cut into long bars with a hot knife.

Peanut Nougat Caramel Bars

This is the copycat of the best-selling peanut, caramel and nougat bar. A soft peanut butter nougat goes on a chocolate base, then a chewy caramel full of peanuts, then more chocolate. It sounds hard, but each layer takes only a few minutes. Cut it into squares for a party tray. Of all the homemade candy bars here, this is the most filling.

You will need: Chocolate: 2 cups milk chocolate chips, 1/4 cup peanut butter (split for two layers). Nougat: 1/4 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, 1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme, 1/4 cup peanut butter. Caramel: 1 bag (11 oz) soft caramels, 1/4 cup cream, 1 1/2 cups salted peanuts.

How to make it: 1. Melt half the chocolate with half the peanut butter and spread in a lined 9×13 pan; chill. 2. Boil the butter, sugar and milk 5 minutes, then stir in the creme and peanut butter and spread on top. 3. Melt the caramels with the cream and stir in the peanuts. 4. Spread over the nougat and chill. 5. Melt the rest of the chocolate and peanut butter and spread on top. 6. Chill 2 hours and cut.

Homemade Candy Bars for Christmas: Peanut Butter Trees

These are the ones that went viral this month with more than 4 million views. A sweet peanut butter filling gets shaped into little trees, chilled, then dipped in chocolate. They taste just like the famous seasonal peanut butter trees, and you can make two dozen for the price of a few. Kids love shaping them. Do you prefer milk or dark chocolate?

You will need: 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3 tbsp butter softened, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, pinch of salt, 12 oz milk chocolate, 1 tsp coconut oil, green sprinkles.

How to make it: 1. Beat the peanut butter, butter, sugars, vanilla and salt into a dough. 2. Roll it 1/2 inch thick between parchment. 3. Cut with a small tree cutter. 4. Freeze 20 minutes. 5. Melt the chocolate with the oil and dip each tree. 6. Add sprinkles and chill until set.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

The classic chocolate and peanut butter cup is one of the easiest homemade candy bars to copy. You need a muffin tin, paper liners, chocolate and a simple peanut butter filling. Make them mini for a candy tray or full size for gifts. The secret to the real taste is a little powdered sugar and salt in the filling. Thick or thin chocolate?

You will need: 12 oz milk or semisweet chocolate, 1 tsp coconut oil, 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, chopped peanuts (optional), mini or regular paper liners.

How to make it: 1. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. 2. Melt the chocolate with the oil. 3. Spoon a little chocolate into each liner and chill 10 minutes. 4. Mix the peanut butter, sugar and salt and add a spoonful to each cup. 5. Cover with more chocolate and top with peanuts. 6. Chill 30 minutes until firm.

Crispy Chocolate Wafer Bars

The snap of a crisp wafer covered in chocolate is easy to copy with plain vanilla wafer cookies from the cookie aisle. Stack them with a thin layer of chocolate between, coat the outside, and break them into fingers. They are light, crunchy and perfect with coffee. They also look great stacked in a tin with other homemade candy bars. Do you break yours into pieces or bite straight in?

You will need: 1 package (about 12 oz) plain rectangular vanilla wafer cookies, 16 oz milk chocolate, 2 tsp coconut oil, parchment paper.

How to make it: 1. Melt the chocolate with the oil. 2. Lay a row of wafers on parchment. 3. Spread a thin layer of chocolate and add another wafer layer. 4. Repeat to make three layers. 5. Chill 10 minutes, then dip or coat the outside in chocolate. 6. Chill until set and cut into fingers.

Chocolate Coconut Bars

Coconut lovers can make the famous dark chocolate coconut bar with just four ingredients. Sweetened coconut and condensed milk make a soft, chewy center. Press an almond on top before dipping if you want the nutty version. They keep for two weeks in the fridge, which makes them some of the best homemade candy bars for gifting. Plain or with an almond?

You will need: 3 cups sweetened shredded coconut, 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 12 oz dark or milk chocolate, 1 tsp coconut oil, whole almonds (optional).

How to make it: 1. Mix the coconut, condensed milk, vanilla and sugar. 2. Press into a lined 8×8 pan and freeze 30 minutes. 3. Cut into small bars. 4. Press an almond on top if you like. 5. Melt the chocolate with the oil and dip each bar. 6. Chill until firm.

No-Bake Homemade Candy Bars: Chocolate Crunch

This is the easiest bar on the list, and a no-bake version passed half a million views this month. Melted milk chocolate gets stirred together with crispy rice cereal, spread in a pan and cut into bars once set. That is it. Kids can make these almost on their own. Add a few mini marshmallows if you want a rocky road twist.

You will need: 16 oz milk chocolate chips, 2 tbsp butter or coconut oil, 2 cups crispy rice cereal, pinch of salt.

How to make it: 1. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment. 2. Melt the chocolate with the butter. 3. Stir in the salt and cereal until coated. 4. Spread evenly in the pan. 5. Chill 1 hour until firm. 6. Cut into bars and keep cool.

Butter Toffee Bars With Chocolate

Crunchy butter toffee covered in chocolate and nuts is the grown-up candy bar. It only needs butter, sugar, salt and a candy thermometer. Spread it thin, top with chocolate and chopped almonds, then break it into pieces once set. It is a classic for holiday tins and the crunchiest of all the homemade candy bars here. Always be careful with hot sugar, and keep kids away from the pan while it cooks.

You will need: 1 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp salt, 2 tbsp water, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup toasted almonds finely chopped.

How to make it: 1. Line a sheet pan with parchment. 2. Cook the butter, sugar, salt and water, stirring, until it reaches 300 F. 3. Stir in the vanilla and pour onto the pan. 4. Scatter the chocolate chips on top and spread when melted. 5. Sprinkle with almonds. 6. Cool completely and break into pieces.

Malted Nougat Caramel Bars

The fluffy malted nougat bar is a favorite for kids and grownups. Malted milk powder and marshmallow make a light, chocolatey nougat, which goes under a thin layer of soft caramel and a coat of milk chocolate. It is one of the more surprising homemade candy bars, because the texture is so close to the original. Do you remember this one from your lunchbox?

You will need: Nougat: 2 cups milk chocolate chips, 1/2 cup malted milk powder, 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme, 2 tbsp butter. Caramel: 1 bag (11 oz) soft caramels, 2 tbsp cream. Top: 10 oz milk chocolate, 1 tsp coconut oil.

How to make it: 1. Melt the chips and butter, then stir in the malt powder and marshmallow creme. 2. Spread in a lined 8×8 pan and chill 30 minutes. 3. Melt the caramels with the cream and spread on top. 4. Chill 20 minutes. 5. Melt the chocolate with the oil and spread over. 6. Chill and cut into bars.

Caramel Crispy Bars

The chewy caramel and crisped rice candy bar is a favorite that few people try to make, but it is simple. Soft caramel gets spread over a thin layer of chocolate, then crispy rice cereal mixed into more chocolate goes on top. Every bite is chewy and crunchy at once. Cut them small, because they are rich. Chewy or crunchy: which do you like more?

You will need: 2 cups milk chocolate chips (divided), 1 tbsp coconut oil (divided), 1 bag (11 oz) soft caramels, 2 tbsp cream, 1 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal.

How to make it: 1. Line an 8×8 pan. 2. Melt half the chocolate with half the oil and spread thin in the pan; chill 10 minutes. 3. Melt the caramels with the cream and spread over the chocolate. 4. Chill 15 minutes. 5. Melt the rest of the chocolate and oil, stir in the cereal and spread on top. 6. Chill until firm and cut into bars.

Flaky Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

The famous crispy, flaky peanut butter bar has a secret shortcut: crushed cornflakes. Mixed with warm peanut butter, sugar and corn syrup, they make that same orange, shatter-crisp center. Cover with milk chocolate and cut into bars. Nobody guesses there are cornflakes inside. For more gift ideas, see our homemade edible gifts people love more than store-bought.

You will need: 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, 3 cups cornflakes lightly crushed, 12 oz milk chocolate, 1 tsp coconut oil.

How to make it: 1. Warm the sugar and corn syrup until the sugar dissolves. 2. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth. 3. Fold in the cornflakes. 4. Press into a lined 8×8 pan and chill 30 minutes. 5. Cut into bars. 6. Dip in melted chocolate and let set.

Millionaire’s Shortbread, the British Cousin

In Britain and Australia, this rich bar is called millionaire’s shortbread, or caramel slice. It is like our caramel cookie bar but thicker and cut into squares. A tray of these is a classic at bake sales and tea time across the UK. Try a swirl of white chocolate on top for a marbled look. Have you ever tried the British version?

You will need: Base: 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 3/4 cup butter. Caramel: 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, 2 tbsp golden or corn syrup, 1 can (14 oz) condensed milk. Top: 7 oz milk chocolate, 2 oz white chocolate.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line an 8×8 pan. 2. Rub the base together, press in and bake 20 to 25 minutes. 3. Cook the caramel, stirring, for 8 minutes until thick and golden. 4. Pour over the base and chill. 5. Spread with melted milk chocolate and swirl in white chocolate. 6. Chill and cut into squares.

Homemade Candy Bars Kids Love: Cookies and Cream

White chocolate full of crushed chocolate sandwich cookies is a copycat of the cookies and cream candy bar. It takes 10 minutes and two ingredients. Spread it in a pan, chill and break it into rough bars, or pour it into a candy bar mold if you have one. These homemade candy bars are a hit with kids at Christmas parties.

You will need: 16 oz white chocolate chips or bars, 1 tsp coconut oil, 12 chocolate sandwich cookies roughly crushed.

How to make it: 1. Line an 8×8 pan or a candy bar mold. 2. Melt the white chocolate with the oil in short bursts. 3. Stir in most of the crushed cookies. 4. Spread into the pan. 5. Sprinkle the rest of the cookies on top. 6. Chill 1 hour and break or cut into bars.

Wrapping and Gifting Homemade Candy Bars

Homemade candy bars make some of the best holiday gifts. Wrap each bar in parchment, then a strip of kraft paper or foil, and tie it with twine. Add a tag with the name and the date. Most chocolate bars keep two weeks in a cool spot; bars with fresh caramel or nougat are best kept in the fridge. For a step-by-step look, see this no-bake caramel cookie bars video on Instagram. Which of these homemade candy bars will you make first?

You will need: Parchment paper, kraft paper or foil, twine or ribbon, gift tags, a candy bar mold (optional), a cookie tin, small paper cups.

How to make it: 1. Let every bar set fully before wrapping. 2. Cut bars cold with a hot, dry knife. 3. Wrap each bar in parchment. 4. Add an outer paper wrap and tie with twine. 5. Label with the name and date. 6. Store in a cool place and give within two weeks.