Sweet and salty homemade PayDay candy bars taste like the real deal with a chewy nougat center and salted peanuts on top. It’s easy to make this candy treat at home!
Need more candy recipes? Try Crunch bars, Snickers recipe or caramel candy, too!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Easy Copycat Recipe
- Homemade is better: A store-bought candy bar is convenient but making one from scratch tastes so much better! Try Twix bars and Reese’s peanut butter bars, too.
- Sweet and salty: Homemade PayDay candy bars are the best combination of sweet and salty taste with a chewy texture.
- Simple: Just like my 3 Musketeers candy there are no ‘extra’ ingredients from a manufactured candy bar. Made-from-scratch for the win!
PayDay Candy Bar Recipe Ingredients
How to Make PayDay Candy Bars
This homemade version of a PayDay candy bar is a little more effort than just purchasing, but it’s really worth it!
- Add 1 cup of the peanuts into the 9×13 baking dish. Spread around to cover the bottom.
- Melt butter and peanut butter chips in a medium pan over medium-low heat until smooth and creamy. Add sweetened condensed milk and mini marshmallows. Stir until all mixed.
- Pour over peanuts in baking dish.
- Top immediately with remaining peanuts and let cool at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Candy bar mold: If you have a candy bar mold, this PayDay candy bar recipe will really look like the real thing.
- Salted roasted peanuts: This will give the PayDay candy bar a little more crunch.
- Size: Cute this recipe into fun size bars for a Halloween party or regular sized for a more indulgent treat! Use a 11×7 pan for a thicker bar, 9×13 for a thinner bar.
- Microwave: Instead of the stovetop, melt butter and chips in 30 second intervals. After the mixture is melted and smooth add condensed milk and marshmallows.
- Gifting. These would be such a fun neighbor gift ideas! Wrap the homemade candies in parchment paper first then other wrappings so they don’t stick.
Want more homemade candy recipes? Try homemade chocolate turtles, Rolo pretzels or homemade toffee.
More Candy Recipes
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Homemade PayDay Candy Bar
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cups salted peanuts
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 10 ounces peanut butter chips (1 package)
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 10 ounces sweetened condensed milk (about 3/4 of a can)
Instructions
- Butter a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Pour 1 cup of the peanuts into the baking dish. Spread around to cover the bottom.
- Melt 2 Tablespoons butter and 10 ounces peanut butter chips in a medium pan over medium-low heat until smooth and creamy. Add 3/4 can sweetened condensed milk and 2 cups mini marshmallows. Stir until all mixed.
- Pour over peanuts in baking dish.
- Top with remaining peanuts and let cool. Refrigerate until firm before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Candy + Fudge, Desserts, Gluten-Free, Reader Favorites
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
I thought this would be fun to make and my 16 year old had some friends over after. They gobbled them up and now every time they come over they ask if have any lol. I guess I need to stock up on peanuts. I love the salty mixed with the sweet and the crunchy mixed with creamy. Yum!
Love it, so happy to hear they enjoyed it so much!