Here is a simple, absolutely delicious recipe for homemade, no-bake low-FODMAP Salted Caramel Peanut Candy Bars that are also gluten-free and IBS-friendly.
I love the flavors of sweet and salty from peanuts and caramel. They remind me of PayDay bars (which are my kryptonite -check out my 2 ingredient recipe for low-FODMAP ‘Payday Candy Mix’)!
Initially I set out to create a low-FODMAP Copycat PayDay Bar recipe that avoided pre-packaged ingredients such as ‘marshmallow fluff’, ‘sweetened condensed milk’ and ‘peanut butter chips’. While I did succeed in a recipe that is straightforward and delicious, I didn’t feel right calling it a ‘copycat’ recipe for PayDay candy. My bars have a different texture (more like a soft butter caramel), and are not overly sweet.
Incidentally, I find candy bars often flare my IBS (probably from the concentrated syrups they use) do you notice that as well?
I prefer my low-FODMAP Salted Caramel Peanut Candy so much more over commercial candy bars 🙂
These amazing treats are prepped in under 30 minutes, and don’t require any fancy equipment. My recipe is made with real, natural ingredients that you have sitting in your pantry. I am addicted.
You may also love my:
- Low-FODMAP Happy Baking Fudgy Brownie Mix
- Low-FODMAP No-Bake Peanut Butter 2 cereal bars
- Low-FODMAP Copycat York Peppermint Patties
- Low-FODMAP 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Low-FODMAP White Chocolate Party Mix/Snack Mix/Chex Mix
Or check out over 350 more low-FODMAP recipes on the blog! IBS-friendly.
Be healthy and happy,
Rachel Pauls, MD
Homemade Low-FODMAP Salted Caramel Peanut Candy Bar recipe; Gluten-free
Although this recipe has not been tested, a single serving should be low-FODMAP based on the ingredients
Serves: 16
Prep time: 10 min plus cooling
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min plus cooling
Equipment: 9 by 3 inch loaf pan, Candy thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 & ½ cups (225 g) roasted, salted peanuts; divided into two 3/4 cup portions
- Peanuts contain only trace FODMAP levels, enjoy freely
- Note: ‘dry roasted’ peanuts contain onion and garlic- avoid this type in your recipe
- 6 tablespoons salted butter or vegan spread with low-FODMAP ingredients (I like Earth Balance)
- If you only have unsalted butter/spread, then add 1/2 tsp salt to the recipe
- 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- Heavy whipping cream is low-FODMAP in 1/4 cup servings (of the liquid state)
- Note: I tried this recipe with coconut cream at first to create a vegan version but it would not set. Do not substitute
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) SMOOTH peanut butter, all-natural, salted
- 2 tbsp is one low-FODMAP serving
- Vegetable shortening for greasing
Directions
- Lightly grease a 9 × 3-inch loaf pan, then line with parchment paper allowing a 2 inch overhang on the sides. Grease the parchment as well
- In a 2-quart saucepan, melt butter or vegan spread over medium heat
- Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, and corn syrup, and stir until smooth
- Have your peanut butter measured and ready to be added to the mixture
- Allow the creamy mixture to come to a boil, stirring continuously, until a candy thermometer reads 240°F, (this will take 5-10 minutes)
- The caramel will start to pull away from the pan and look like golden-spun sugar
- This is considered the ‘soft ball stage’ of candy making
- At this point, remove pan from heat and quickly stir in the peanut butter until smooth
- Next, pour the mixture into your prepared pan, then sprinkle with ¾ cup of peanuts
- Set the pan on a cooling rack for about 60 minutes at room temperature
- Once mostly cooled, but still flexible, using the parchment ends, lift out the candy and lay it on a clean cutting board lined with wax paper or a silicone baking mat. Flip the bars so they end up with the peanut side facing down. Gently peel off the parchment
- You will be surprised how the bars will spread out, and will end up being quite long when outside the pan
- Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup peanuts on the smooth undersurface of the bars (now facing upwards) and press in slightly
- You could also sprinkle the peanuts in the pan prior to adding the hot caramel, but I found the peanuts ended up sinking into the caramel. If you like it that way then please go ahead!
- Cut the candy into 8 equal pieces, each about 1 inch wide (I used a silicone mat and an icing spatula to cut and shape the bars while they cooled), then cut each bar into 2 or more pieces, depending on your preferred size
- Let the low-FODMAP PayDay bars cool completely, about 2-3 hours, in the refrigerator
- Enjoy immediately, or store in the refrigerator until eating (I prefer to eat these chilled so they are firm, but if you like a soft caramel texture, then room temperature is fine too)
