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Delicious Homemade PayDay Candy Bars are both salty and sweet, taste just like the real thing, & are SO easy to make!
If you love candy bars as much as I do you will LOVE these homemade payday candy bars. They are chewy and delish. For more homemade candy, try Homemade Reese’s, and Caramel Candy.
Homemade is better!
Contrary to popular opinion, PayDays are actually one of my favorite candy bars! I know it’s not a super common one compared to Snickers or Kit Kat, but I just love the combination of salty and sweet!
Although it’s quick and convenient to pick up a candy bar at the grocery checkout line, sometimes homemade versions of candy bars are just BETTER! There is something to making it from scratch without any of the “extra” ingredients in manufactured products.
Good news, this homemade version is honestly so simple, it’s totally worth the little bit of effort for that homemade taste!
Making Homemade Payday Bars
PEANUTS. Pour half your peanuts into a greased 11×7 pan and spread so they cover the bottom.
FILLING. In a small pan melt butter and chips until well combined. Add condensed milk and marshmallows and stir until all mixed. Pour over peanut mixture.
TOPPING. Top with remaining peanuts and let cool (refrigerate if desired).
recipe tips
- Microwave Melting Method: You can use a microwave safe bowl to warm the butter and peanut butter chips in 30 second intervals. Just take the bowl out every 30 seconds and stir it to make sure nothing is sticking and/or burning. After it is successfully melted mix in the sweetened condensed milk and marshmallows.
- Peanuts: Using roasted peanuts gives the payday candy bar more crunch and a little bit more flavor.
- Pan Size: If you only have a 9×13 pan your candy bars will just be a bit thinner and may need less time to cool and solidify.
Wrap them to share! Delivering homemade candies to others can be a little tricky. Just make sure that whatever you wrap it in doesn’t stick to the candy. Wrapping it in parchment paper and then other wrappings allow for the candy to not stick, but also look nice.
Storing info
STORE homemade paydays in an air-tight and sealed container in a cool and dry place. You can store them in the fridge, or if it is cool outside keeping them on the kitchen counter should be fine too. You can keep them for up to a week before the bars get hard and inedible.
Typically you shouldn’t FREEZE caramel based candy bars because they become rock solid and don’t defrost very well. We also recommend not freezing these homemade candy bars
For more easy homemade treats, try:
- White Chocolate Reese’s Fudge
- White Chocolate M&M Popcorn
- Reese’s Pieces Puppy Chow
- Pecan Pralines
- Chocolate Caramel Rice Krispie Treats
- Salted Peanut Chews
Homemade PayDay Candy Bar Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups salted peanuts
- 3 tbsp butter
- 2 cups peanut butter chips
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Instructions
- Pour half your peanuts into a greased 11×7 pan and spread so they cover the bottom.
- In a small pan melt butter and chips until well combined. Add condensed milk and marshmallows and stir until all mixed.
- Pour over peanut mixture.
- Top with remaining peanuts and let cool (refrigerate if desired).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How long does it take to set up in the frige
Incomplete candy instructions. Nougat needs to cook until firm ball caramel stage: 245-250℉ else it will soften at room temperature. Try to be more thorough when posting recipes. Folks are frustrated with failures and wasted money on ingredients.
Thanks for the feedback!
Keith, you are correct if this was a scratch made caramel but as this technique uses marshmallows it does not require that step. No need to cook until 234 degrees with this recipe.
Luna, thank you for the recipe..
Can you make mini ones in tiny paper cups? Do you need to spray them?
I tried making the payday candy bars,it never set up. What did I do wrong? It’s still good, we’re eating it with ice cream
You could try letting them set in the fridge. That might help them to solidify a bit more. I’m glad you enjoy the flavor!! Thanks for giving the recipe a try!
I make this for my husband and son. They both love them and I can’t make this stuff fast enough! I’m about to make another batch today (Tuesday) and I’m sure it will be gone by next week! This is addicting but they don’t care….it is delicious! And so easy to make! Love it!
Way to wet. Mix does not set after refrigeration and melts at room temp. Also does not taste like payday nouget.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try.
I made this before and it was okay. The problem is trying to get the bars to stay together.
About how man bars would you get from this recipe? Thank you
Karen
This is a great recipe if a small additional step was included. To get peanut/caramel mixture to set, it must get to 240 degrees! I doubled the recipe and it took appx. 25 minutes. Go low temp and keep stirring. When mix starts to pull away from the sides you’ll be about 220. Keep a cup of ice water near. Drop a small amount of mix into water and let it cool. THAT will be the texture you’ll end up with if you take it off the heat. Make sure it’ll set hard enough for bars. It’ll be at 240 but using the ice water works great if you don’t have a thermometer or if you aren’t sure the thermometer is accurate.
How did you do this? Boil the condensed milk and peanuts then stir in marshmallows, chips and butter?? 😬
Thank you Kristine for bringing out the obvious problem which I never gave a thought to. I make hard candy and should have known better to bring it up to just below the soft crack temperature. My recipe tastes great, but is soft like taffy. Bringing up to 240 degree’s should solve the problem (I hope). When I finish what’s left in the pan I will do the next batch using the candy thermometer. Thanks again for bringing this to everyone’s attention…..sure your pointing this out will make a HUGE difference
I enjoyed the taste but come out way to soft to be a bar. Next time I may make a short bread crust and add the peanut mixture on top. This time I may cut in small pieces and wrap in wax paper. Like when you eat taffy or homemade Carmel.
Thanks for sharing what you did!