Butterfinger Candy bars are one of my favorite candies ever, so I really wanted to make a copycat version, because I’m like that. Most homemade versions are chewy rather than crunchy, though.
For my homemade Butterfinger recipe, I wanted to make sure the results were crunchy and crispy rather than soft and chewy. If I want chewy, I’ll eat fudge, am I right?
For an easier candy recipe packed with Butterfinger flavor, you may want to check out my Butterfinger bark recipe. It doesn’t require a candy thermometer and would be appropriate to make with your kids. My Butterfinger ice cream is also a great way to get your Butterfinger fix!
Anyway, settle in friends, and I’ll show you exactly how to make this Butterfinger candy.
For ease of browsing, here are all of my candy recipes. Thanks for stopping by!
Watch my Butterfinger candy bar web story.
These are DELICIOUS! You did an amazing job! I made another recipe that didn’t require a candy thermometer but they really were not even close to a butterfinger.
Reader Patty G.
Your recipe is spot on and it is really good even without chocolate coating.
I do suggest for people trying this for the first time to read through the instructions and keep them close to refer back to. Your steps are well written and easy to understand.
Recipe Testing to Get It Right
I am Extremely Excited, stoked even (and I never use that word), to bring you this crispy Butterfinger recipe, you guys. This is my most tested recipe ever.
I submit I have developed a homemade copycat for Butterfinger candy bars that is as close to the factory-produced kind as I can get while using my regular kitchen equipment.
Nine times.
That’s the number of times it took me to get these Butterfingers just right.
- I made some with a sugar syrup.
- I made others with melted down candy corn.
- Some I added molasses to.
- I tried different proportions of peanut butter to syrup.
- I tried folding the candy around the peanut butter (never try that. You’re welcome).
- And finally, after 8 tries and a two week break, I have it. Potion #9 is it.
Crispy.
Crunchy.
Peanut buttery.
Butterfinger Ingredients
While I would never go so far as to say my Butterfinger recipe is healthy, I will say that my version tastes better than the originals, mainly because of the chocolate I used. More on that later.
Note that Butterfinger has recently reformulated their candy bar recipe. The new recipe has only been available since February of 2019. I haven’t tried it yet, but when I do, I shall report back.
Regardless, kudos to Butterfinger for listening to consumers and getting rid of some ingredients folks weren’t loving as well as improving their Questionable “Chocolatey Coating!”
Here is the ingredient list for the OLD Butterfinger bars:
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Ground Roasted Peanuts
- Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil
- Cocoa
- Molasses
And Less Than 1% Of:
- Dairy Product Solids
- Confectioner’s Corn Flakes
- Nonfat Milk
- Salt
- Soy Lecithin
- Soybean Oil
- Cornstarch
- Natural Flavors
- Monoglycerides
- TBHQ And Citric Acid (To Preserve Freshness)
- Annatto Color
It says on the Butterfinger website that the new formula doesn’t contain any of the following:
- NO hydrogenated oils
- NO TBHQ
- NO artificial preservatives
- NO artificial colors or flavors*
UPDATE: Improved 2019 Ingredients
You guys, I told you I’d try the new Butterfinger and I did today. I couldn’t taste it side by side with the original recipe, but the “chocolaty coating” is certainly more chocolaty than the old version. That I can tell you for sure.
Here are the ingredients in the new version per the candy wrapper:
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Peanuts
- Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel and Palm Oil)
- Peanut Flour
- Nonfat Milk
And less than 2% of:
- Cocoa
- Milk
- Salt
- Yellow Corn Flour
- Soy Lecithin
- Natural Flavor
- Annatto Color
It’s notable that the new version of Butterfingers no longer contains molasses or confectioner’s corn flakes. I may have to go back to the drawing board and see what I can come up with.
Honestly though, my copycat version is pretty darned good just the way it is!
Made these today. Wow! Absolutely delish and exactly what I hoped for! Thank you for your efforts to perfect this recipe. You succeeded! Working with exact weights and temperatures makes it almost foolproof.
Reader and Hero to Her Kids Trina
There is a bit of a learning curve on the folding at the end. You warned me to err to the side of too soft, but I made one fold too many so the final layers didn’t quite marry. Once cool most of my pieces peeled into two thinner pieces. Not ideal, but twice as many! Lol. And the crumbly bits got stirred into a bit of chocolate and dropped by spoonfuls to set up. Nothing wasted!
Gonna try another batch tomorrow. My kids think I’m a genius, but you get all the credit! Thanks for sharing!
Making the Candy with Candy Corn
I have made these candy bars/candy bites with candy corn, because candy corn already has the optimal proportion of corn syrup to sugar in them.
However, candy corn is not vegan or even vegetarian due to the addition of some gelatin and honey.
If that is a concern for you, I will also tell you how you can make these using corn syrup and granulated sugar.
They will not be as orange-y as a real Butterfinger or as a Butterfinger recipe made with candy corn, but they will be vegetarian. And they will be delicious.
What To Use Instead of Candy Corn
Candy corn is basically fondant with some confectioners’ glaze on the outside.
If you don’t like candy corn, use fondant.
Don’t go with the standard, found-in-craft-stores fondant, because it doesn’t taste very good.
Here’s my recommendation:
If you still want the classic Butterfinger color on the inside of your candy, use orange fondant. If it doesn't matter to you, this same link will take you to all the colors--just choose the one you want. Note that this is for 2 pounds of fondant, which is much more than you need to make Butterfingers. This stuff is tasty, so roll it out and use it to cover a cake or individual cupcakes.
Questions You May Have:
Are Butterfingers Gluten Free?
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation: regular Butterfinger bars are gluten free, but: “…only in fun size, singles, and share pack (Butterfinger Bites, Butterfinger Minis, Butterfinger Cups, and special holiday-shaped Butterfinger items are NOT considered gluten-free).”
Be cautious if you have a gluten allergy or are Celiac.
These copycat crispy Butterfinger bars are gluten free as long as you are careful with your ingredient sourcing.
Here’s a rundown of what you’ll need to make them, with the exception of one sneaky ingredient you’ll get in the recipe.
This is such a beautiful treat but it tastes delicious at the same time! And what a great treat for Halloween!
Reader REbecca
Are These Candy Bars Hard to Make?
I would definitely categorize this recipe as intermediate to advanced.
It’s not hard to make, per se, but you are working with molten sugar, and you have to be careful. This is not a recipe to make with your kids unless they are older. Like maybe teenagers.
Let younger kids help you dip the candies in chocolate, but keep them out of the kitchen or at least at a respectful distance while you’re making the centers.
And definitely keep pets out of the kitchen while working with boiling sugar. Much better safe than sorry.
PRO TIP 1: When working with molten sugar, keep a bowl of very cold water handy so you can immerse your finger or hand if a little bit of sugar splashes on you.
Whatever you do, don’t stick your finger in your mouth. You’ll just end up with a burned finger and a burned mouth.
PRO TIP 2: unless you’re making a ton of specialty chocolates, using a regular fork for dipping will work just fine. No need to get fancy chocolate dipping forks unless you really want them.
What Can Possibly Go Wrong?
For one, you can burn yourself. We’re cooking the candy corn mixture to just over 300F, and then we have to stir in some really thick peanut butter so be careful.
Once I stir in the peanut butter, I scrape the molten candy out onto a Silpat and then knead it through the Silpat by folding it over.
But, I have a fairly high tolerance for heat. If you don’t, consider using an oven mitt or even better, get an Ove-Glove to help you in kneading through the Silpat.
You could also cook the candy too hot so it caramelizes, which is not what we want.
Or you might not get it hot enough so that when it cools, your candy won’t be crispety crunchety.
The only help for that is to have an accurate instant read thermometer or candy thermometer so you can monitor the temperature and know just when to add the peanut butter to the pot.
Please note that a candy thermometer clipped to the side of the pot might not take a true temperature as the candy is generally cooler at the sides. Also, it might not read accurately unless the molten candy is deep enough.
For this candy, you’re only looking at 8 oz of candy, so either double it or plan on tipping the pan to get a good reading with a clip-on thermometer.
Pro Tip
I got this tip from reader Patti G, who also happened to love these, saying they are “spot on!”
At any rate, here is her tip in the event you should get a sugar burn:
PRO TIP: Lavender oil is very good to keep in the kitchen for burns. A lot of glass artists do this while making beads which gets close to 1000 degrees and really smarts when a little piece flies off and hits bare skin.–Reader Patti G.
Do I Have To Temper Chocolate To Make This Recipe?
No. I mean, you could use couverture and temper it, but since tempering can be finicky and I don’t know what the conditions are in your particular kitchen, I wrote this recipe to use homemade coating chocolate.
It still sets up shiny like tempered chocolate, but it requires no special skill except for the ability to wait for the chocolate to set completely. And that can take a couple of hours if not more.
The secret? Refined coconut oil. The formula is this: use 10% of the weight of the chocolate in oil. So for 10 oz of chocolate, you’ll need one ounce of oil. I will say it again.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale yet, please get one. I promise it will make your life much easier. You will be so happy.
How To Make Homemade Butterfingers, Step by Step
It will take roughly 30 minutes to make your Butterfingers, not counting cooling time, dipping time, or time for the coating chocolate to set up, so plan accordingly.
- Get Corn Flakes Ready
Spread out your corn flakes in the center of a Silpat-lined half sheet pan. Put the pan close to the stove. - Mix Up Your “Dry” Ingredients
Stir together the peanut butter, milk powder, and cocoa powder. Place that bowl convenient to the stove as well. - Cook the Candy
Add candy corn and water to your pan. Heat over medium heat until the candy corn has melted. Then you can raise the temperature and cook the candy until it reaches 290F. Add the molasses and continue cooking until the candy reaches 305F. - Stir all ingredients together.
Once your candy reaches 305F, immediately remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter mixture. Be careful and use a long-handled wooden spoon to minimize your chances of burning yourself. - Pour candy out onto prepared Silpat.
Scrape the candy out onto the corn flake-lined Silpat. Use the Silpat to fold the candy over to incorporate the corn flakes. - Roll and fold the candy.
As the candy cools and becomes more solid, you will be able to fold the candy over on itself into thirds, like folding a letter. Do this a couple of times using the Silpat to help you so you don’t burn yourself. As the candy continues to cool, you’ll be able to roll it out and fold it without the Silpat (although it will still be very hot, so be careful.) - Score, Cool, and Dip. Done!
Give the candy a final roll to about 1/3″. Use a pizza wheel to score the candy about halfway through. You can make whatever shapes you like. I’m a fan of tiny squares rather than large bars, but make them how you want them. Once cool, break the candies apart and then dip them in the chocolate coating and let harden.
Other Homemade Candy Recipes You Might Enjoy
Looking for more candy? Try this bourbon honeycomb candy. Or maybe this cashew toffee is more your style. And do not miss my butterscotch hard candies. Seriously.
If you’d prefer to not work with molten sugar, try my butter mints. No cooking necessary, and they’re really tasty!
Don’t deny yourself. Make some candy. It’s rewarding and delicious!
And remember, if something goes awry and your candy gets crumbly (this happened to me AT LEAST TWICE while testing), stir the crumbles into ice cream. Seriously, they’ll still be delicious!
If you have any questions about this or any other recipe or post on the site, there are a few ways to get in touch.
You can leave a comment on the post, and I’ll be back in touch within 24 hours.
If your question is more pressing, don’t hesitate to email me, and I should be back in touch within 4 hours (unless I’m asleep) or often much more quickly than that.
I hope you’ve learned something from this post or that you’ve decided to make the recipe.
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Thank you so much for being here and for helping others find my recipes by sharing on your social platforms!
Crispy Homemade Butterfinger Recipe
If you are a fan of Butterfinger candy bars but you wish the chocolate were tastier, or you just want to use up leftover candy corn, or you just love crunchy peanut butter candy, you are going to love these. NOTE: All measurements other than teaspoons and tablespoons are by weight. ANOTHER NOTE: If you do not want to use candy corn to make these copycat crunchy Butterfingers, I give you an alternate in the notes at the end of the recipe.
Ingredients
For the Centers
- 1/2 cup corn flakes cereal, lightly crushed
- 8 oz peanut butter, I use Smucker's Natural
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 teaspoons dry milk powder
- 8 oz candy corn
- 2 oz water
- 2 teaspoons molasses, I use Grandma's
For the Coating Chocolate
- 8 oz milk chocolate chips, I use Ghirardelli
- 8 oz 60% bittersweet chocolate chips, I use Ghirardelli
- 1.6 oz refined coconut oil
Instructions
For the Centers
- Spread the corn flakes out in the center of a half-sheet-sized Silpat. Set aside convenient to the stove.
- MIx together the peanut butter, cocoa powder, and milk powder in a small bowl. Set aside convenient to the stove.
- Put the candy corn and water in a medium saucepan. Melt over medium-low heat, smashing the candies down with the side of a heat resistant spatula until the mixture is smooth.
- Increase heat to medium/medium-high and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture reaches 290F.
- Add the molasses and swirl the pan to distribute it. Continue to cook until the candy reaches 305F.
- Immediately remove from the heat and scoop the peanut butter mixture into the candy. Be careful, and stir it together as completely as you can.
- Scrape the candy onto the corn flaked Silpat. Using the Silpat (and possibly an Ove Glove) fold the candy together with the corn flakes so it is somewhat layered. Fold the candy over, then press it out (again, with the Silpat folded over it), then use the Silpat to fold that.
- The candy will firm up in a couple of minutes at which point you can use a rolling pin directly on the candy to roll it out to about 1/4" and then fold it in thirds, like you're making puff pastry. Continue rolling and folding until the candy is stiff but not hard. Err on the side of too soft rather than too hard, or you won't be able to score it.
- Roll the candy one last time to 1/3" or so. Use a metal pizza cutter or a bench knife to score the candy about halfway to three quarters of the way through. You can choose to make them into small squares or into traditional bar shapes. It's your call.
- Allow candy to cool completely. Break along score marks.
To Dip in Chocolate
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the two kinds of chocolate chips and the coconut oil on medium power in 30 second bursts. Stir in between. When chocolate is mostly melted, stir until it is completely melted.
- Line a half sheet pan or two with Silpat. Keep them close.
- Brush off any errant candy crumbs from your centers. Put 5-6 into the melted but not super hot chocolate.
- Using a candy fork or just a regular fork, turn them to coat. Pick one up on the tines of the fork and tap it against the rim of the bowl to even out the chocolate and let the excess drip off. Make sure the candy is right-side up. You can tell because the bottoms are completely flat and the tops have a slight curve from the scoring. Place each dipped and drained center on Silpat to cool completely. This could take a couple of hours.
- You can stop with one dip, but I like chocolate, so I double dipped mine. Reheat the chocolate and dip and drain all the candies a second time. Allow to cool. I drizzled some additional melted chocolate over the tops of the candies. This is completely optional, but it looks cool.
- Store, uncovered, in a dry place to cool/set for a few hours or overnight. I put my tray in the microwave. The oven (as long as it's off and you don't forget they're there) is a great place to put them as well, especially if you have animals or kids who might try to sneak them. As long as you know where they are and you can sneak them, it's all good.
- Package however you'd like, in cello bags or small candy boxes, or just put them on a plate. Share, or don't. I'm not judging.
- These crunchy Butterfinger candy bars will stay crunchy for at least a week or two, depending on humidity. They will be gone well before they lose their crunchiness, though. Trust me.
Notes
If you prefer not to use candy corn as the base of these crunchy Butterfinger candy bars, you can use corn syrup, sugar and water.
Use:
- 4.5 oz of light corn syrup
- 3.5 oz granulated sugar
- 2 oz water.
- Stir together well, put the lid on your pan and bring to a boil.
- Allow this mixture to boil for a minute or two to wash down any sugar crystals off the sides of the pan, and then continue with the recipe as written.
The candy will not have that distinctive orange color, but it will taste almost exactly the same. And it will be vegetarian. To make these candies vegan, make sure to use all vegan chocolate for coating.
Nutrition Information based on 60 pieces of candy. If you make full-size bars, you'll get around 12-15 bars, so multiply the nutritionals by 4 or 5.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 60 Serving Size 1 pieceAmount Per Serving Calories 57Sodium 32mgCarbohydrates 7gSugar 6gProtein 1g
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And that’s it, you guys. Maybe not quite as crispy as the originals, but just as crunchy. Homemade Butterfinger candy, y’all. Nine times is the charm.
Thanks for spending some time with me today, friends. Enjoy the copycat crunchy Butterfinger candy bars!
Take care, and have a lovely day.
Jane, The Heritage Cook says
You are Wonder Woman Jenni. Only you would keep trying and make it all the way to 9 tries! I can’t wait to get home and give these a try. If I have any luck with them (and I should given your excellent directions), my family may just be getting homemade Butterfinger candies for the holidays!! Smooches!
Jennifer Field says
Eeep!! Yay! I know you guys will love them, Jane! xo
Tina Vesić says
I knew you could do it! So proud of you!!! 🙂
Jennifer Field says
Thank you, Tina! I’m Very Excited! =)
Nutmeg Nanny says
You did it! I’m just sad I wasn’t there to help you eat them 🙂
Jennifer Field says
That would’ve been Very Helpful. Because I have no self control! Of if T were here, he’d have stolen a couple (before I dipped them in chocolate)! =)
Lorinda - The Rowdy Baker says
Thank you for doing all the work so we can just make them and enjoy! I’ve tried the candy corn recipes online and – not at all what I wanted. I really want the crunch. Can’t wait to give these a try!
Jennifer Field says
The crunch is the most important part! I think these will make you so happy, Lorinda! =)
Kate | Life of a Ginger says
Woohoo! Super Chef does it again! Do you deliver?!?
Jennifer Field says
I would if there were any left! These things are crazy easy to eat. Oops!
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
Good for you, Jenni! I knew you’d be successful! You’re not the type to give up, and your persistence certainly paid off. These look utterly fantastic!!! Butterfingers are my FAV!
Jennifer Field says
Then you! I can’t wait for you to make them, Renee!
Sue Lau says
So happy you got your recipe to work for you! I’ll have to try these when I come down off my Halloween sugar coma. First I have to get past Christmas. So much chocolate, so little time! And oh.em.gee these look fantastic!
Jennifer Field says
Thank you, Sue! I’m so happy they finally turned out! I’m generally not quite this persistent, and the payoff was worth it! Maybe a lesson there? =) Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Kay says
What a great recipe! I’ll definitely be sharing this with my readers this Halloween 🙂
Jennifer Field says
Awesome! I hope they enjoy it, and thank you!
Kristen says
THanks for sharing this recipe! I made it and it tastes just like the butterfinger crunch! Heads up to anyone who makes it; I got a little nervous heating as it smelled like it was burning… in the end; nothing had burned and i think that was just the smell of candy corn at 290 degrees.
These are not too sweet; which i love
I added 1/4 tsp salt; because i love salty sweets
Thanks again!
Jennifer Field says
Yay, I am so happy you liked them! Good call on the extra salt–I am a salt girl too, and I never say no to extra!
Leigh Olson says
This is a perfect example of persistence paying off – in a very delicious way. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try. Butterfingers are one of my favorite candy bars.
Jennifer Field says
OH, yay! I am very much looking forward to your review!
Laura Bashar says
Holy cow you figured out the million dollar recipe! It’s like cracking the DaVinci Code! Can’t wait to taste the beauties!
Jennifer Field says
Haha!! Thank you! All the tests were tasty, but I really do think I got it right on try #9!
Dale says
I’m looking forward to trying this tomorrow. Thanks for posting! However, just a heads up – I’ll probably blacklist this domain because the layout is a nightmare. I’ll check back after a while, tho.
Jennifer Field says
I take pains to make sure the user experience is as good as it can be. Please tell me specifically what the issues are that would cause you to “blacklist” my site and perhaps I can make it a bit more user friendly. I won’t be removing video though since that is how I am able to earn money to provide you with free recipes and instruction. Thanks!
Heidi Fry says
First time on your website, and I agree with Dale- the layout is one of the less user friendly ones. There’s a bar at the top, a bar at the bottom, buttons on the sides plus ads on the sides, and I even had an ad pop over top the recipe while I was reading through it. If someone has their screen resolution set higher to make things bigger, all of that will cover up the content. Trying to read your process was also frustrating due to the ads taking up more space than the actual content!
I am looking forward to trying the recipe though- using candy corn is brilliant!
Jennifer Field says
I hope you enjoy the Butterfingers. Took me 9 times to get it right, and my ad revenue allows me to keep the site free. Please give a shout if you have any questions about making the candy. Take care, and Happy Holidays!
Beth says
What can my husband do to help? LOL – you are a wise woman!
Mary Parent says
I want to try this recipe but there are 2 ingredients I don’t have & won’t use in the future so my question is
Do I have to use powder milk & coconut oil. Can I use vegetable oil & plain milk
Thanks for your help
Mary Parent
Jennifer Field says
Hi, Mary. You can absolutely try this recipe without the powdered milk and subbing veg oil for coconut. I’ve never tested it that way, so I cannot vouch for your results, but my gut feeling is it will turn out just fine. Let me know how it goes and how they turn out!
Anonymous says
I don’t have a silpat. Can I use parchment paper instead? Thanks.
Jennifer Field says
I would not recommend using parchment for this since you have to manipulate the candy while it is still very hot, and the Silpat will do a much better and safer job of this than trying to use parchment. You don’t have to get name brand Silpat. There are some much more affordable options if you look for a “silicone baking mat.”
Bhor Ihng says
Another ding dang story with ads when i just want a recipe. argh.
Jennifer Field says
Bless your heart, there is no real story here other than how I went about testing this recipe. Nine times. In hopes that my readers would find success with it. If you prefer, you can jump straight to the recipe with the “Jump to Recipe” button at the very top of the post, thus bypassing my ding dang story of how to actually make this candy successfully. Best of luck to you.
Stephanie says
The new butterfinger recipe is terrible! I am soooo disappointed that the flavor changed so much! I can no longer enjoy a butterfinger and every time I would eat one they made me think of my grandmother. Before she passed she would play bingo in the nursing home and would always save me her winnings (butterfingers)! Now they’re just plain GROSS and it makes me sad every time I see one… I know that’s silly… but it’s true! Is your recipe a copycat of the old version? After reading your comments, I believe it is, but I don’t want to purchase items and go through the trouble of making these only to discover that they taste like butterfinger’s new (terrible) recipe. Thank you so much!!
Jennifer Field says
I’m sorry you have so many good memories tied up in the old recipe, because it makes it so hard when they change things. So it’s not silly at all. I get it. I created this recipe to be a copycat for the old version, but the chocolate I use is of better quality than what coated the old or new Butterfingers. lol But the centers are pretty dead on as far as I’m concerned.
If you are used to working with sugar at high temperatures, I think you’ll have good results. This is definitely not a beginner recipe, though. If you regularly work with candy, then by all means go for it. But the centers can be a bit temperamental, especially on humid days. You may end up with something more crumbly than solid. It’s not the end of the world, and you can still drizzle it with chocolate, top some ice cream with it, and call it a Butterfinger sundae!
If you’re going to go for it–and I’m not trying to talk you out of it–please give a shout if you have any questions at all before you start. You can leave another comment here or shoot me an email to onlinepastrychef at yahoo dot com. I check both frequently throughout the day. Good luck!
nunnya says
Thanks for including a whole section berating men and telling them to not even try.
I’m folding in my peanut butter just cause u said not to.
Jennifer Field says
Hahaha!!! You go for it. Sorry to have offended your manly yet delicate sensibilities!
Yermomschesthaire says
Vagina owner here.
I’m seconding their sentiment about discouraging men. Up
Lyn says
Jenni, I am definitely going to try your recipe! I always did love the old Butterfinger center, and used to scrape off as much of the awful fake chocolate coating as I could before eating them. I disagree with Stephanie….I think that the new Butterfinger recipe IS actually much better, even the chocolatey coating is not as bad, but still not great. So glad I found your website, and thanks for sharing! I will come back and let you know how my effort turns out.
Jennifer Field says
I’m so glad you’re going to try it! Wait for a day with low humidity to maximize your chances of success because this recipe can be a bit finicky. But it really is delicious!
Patti G says
These are DELICIOUS! You did an amazing job! I made another recipe that didn’t require a candy thermometer but they really were not even close to a butterfinger. Your recipe is spot on and it is really good even without chocolate coating. I do suggest for people trying this for the first time to read through the instructions and keep them close to refer back to. Your steps are well written and easy to understand. Lavender oil is very good to keep in the kitchen for burns. A lot of glass artists do this while making beads which gets close to 1000 degrees and really smarts when a little piece flies off and hits bare skin.
Jennifer Field says
Wow, I am thrilled that you like them! And that tip about the lavender oil is great. I had no idea, so thank you for that!
Trina says
Made these today. Wow! Absolutely delish and exactly what I hoped for! Thank you for your efforts to perfect this recipe. You succeeded! Working with exact weights and temperatures makes it almost foolproof.
There is a bit of a learning curve on the folding at the end. You warned me to err to the side of too soft, but I made one fold too many so the final layers didn’t quite marry. Once cool most of my pieces peeled into two thinner pieces. Not ideal, but twice as many! Lol. And the crumbly bits got stirred into a bit of chocolate and dropped by spoonfuls to set up. Nothing wasted!
Gonna try another batch tomorrow. My kids think I’m a genius, but you get all the credit! Thanks for sharing!
Jennifer Field says
Yay, Trina! I’m so glad the directions helped you succeed. I admit it doesn’t always work out for me, so I tried to be as explicit as possible. I love that you made your own Butterfinger nuggets with the crumbly bits–I do love those crumbly bits!
Jeanette Jacoby says
Dumb question, I have everything BUT powdered milk. Should I wait until I get some or is there a substitute?
Jennifer Field says
Honestly, I never tried without it, and it was such a fussy recipe to figure out that I’m just not sure. It’s only 2 teaspoons, so it will probably be fine. Let me know how it goes!
Sarah says
I’ve made this recipe 5 times over the last month. Butterfinger is my favorite candy bar, so I wish I discovered you years ago because I could’ve saved SO much money. This legit tastes like actual butterfingers!!! You are a genius!
Jennifer Field says
I am thrilled you like it! It was definitely a hard-won recipe!
Long says
This is amazing! Looking at those yummy pictures… I will try it ! Thank you for sharing this.
Jennifer Field says
I hope you enjoy them!
Lori Colanduoni says
This recipe was very easy and so far they taste great even before the chocolate coating
Mine seem dark in color and not very ‘orange’ did I do something wrong? Taste great regardless
Jennifer Field says
I’m not sure whether you did anything wrong–my guys are well lit in the photos, and that makes a difference. But if they taste good, I think you’re okay. If they were overcooked, they’d definitely taste a little bitter and borderline burnt. I hope you enjoy them once they have their chocolate robes on!
Judi says
The new butterfingers are terrible. They are so hard in the center, more like hard tack candy and the chocolate leaves an after taste in your mouth. I bough a couple and just thought they were old because they were so hard. I gave my dog a small bite after I sucked the terrible chocolate off of it and she had trouble chewing it. Will not be buying anymore. I will try to make some using your recipe. Seems they always destroy something that was tasty to please the health food nuts and the diet crowd. It is candy after all. Hershey also sold their Bar None candy bar to Ferrero. It was another one of my favorites. Thanks for your efforts in creating this for those of us who love the original.
Jennifer Field says
I totally get that. I remember the oatmeal cream pies from back when I was a kid, and the current version is not at all like those, and I miss that texture and flavor. I hope these work out for you, Judi. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Stan L. says
I’m glad you specified that you used natural peanut butter. Most recipes use un(?)natural and don’t say. This can make things go wrong in a recipe.
I see you prefer Smucker’s, but do you use creamy or chunky?
I would also like to know your preferred brand of candy corn for this.
Brach’s is the most common, but I’m not a fan. Zachary is my preferred brand because it is less cloyingly sweet and tastes less artificial.
Unfortunately, I’ve had other recipes go wrong using my Zachary leftovers since they often take into account the sweetness.
Jennifer Field says
Hey, Stan. I’m glad you asked me to specify. I use Smuckers creamy, although at some point I want to try peanut powder and see how that works. I do use Brach’s and have not even heard of Zachary’s. I will have to check out the ingredient list to see if I think it would yield similar results. I shall report back.
Jennifer Field says
Okay, I’ve looked at the ingredients of both. Both have the same 2 main ingredients, but the wild cards are egg white in Zachary versus gelatin in the Brach’s. So for that reason, I would go with Brach’s for this recipe and use Zachary just to enjoy straight.
Stan L. says
Oh, I also want to make a suggestion. Ghirardelli makes ‘Melting Waters’. They’re available in milk and dark chocolate “flavors”. It is similarly made to be used to melt easily and coat while not requiring tempering for the shiny finish.
I’ve used it in other candy making and it’s very tasty and easy to use.
Since it comes in milk and dark, you can just get a pouch of both and mix them 50/50.
Jennifer Field says
Oh, very nice! I used to get great coating chocolate from Chocoley, but they’ve been out of business for several year now. I’ll look for the Ghirardelli. Thanks!
Lesli says
I think I’ll be making these soon. Wouldn’t a pinch of salt enhance the flavor? Maybe there’s salt in the corn flakes already?
Jennifer Field says
Yes, I generally put salt in things, but there is no salt in the ingredient list for Butterfingers, so I left it out, trusting there was enough salt in the peanut butter to do the trick. Sprinkling the chocolate with a few flakes of Maldon would be lovely, though!
Lesli says
These were terrific, and everyone I asked before disclosure said “Butterfinger!” I used a bench knife for scoring. I only dipped once in chocolate, so next time I will only use 4 oz of each type. Next time I will add paraffin instead of coconut oil so that the chocolate sets up firmly and is less melty. I’m wondering if not using candy corn, adding a bit of orange food coloring would do the trick?
Jennifer Field says
I’m so glad they passed the taste test! Candy corn is basically just fondant, so you could sub in the same weight in good-quality fondant (I wouldn’t use Wilton, because it does not taste good) and a bit of orange food coloring. 🙂
Stephanie says
Um, hello, it’s CRISPETY, CRUNCHETY lolol
Jennifer Field says
You are correct, but those extra letters made the title too long! lol