Gluten-Free No-Bake Snickers Ice Cream Bars
Frozen dessert bars that capture the beloved candy bar's signature combination of chocolate, caramel, and peanuts in ice cream form. Built on a buttery graham cracker crust, layers of caramel sauce, cocktail peanuts, rich chocolate ice cream, and fluffy whipped topping create an indulgent treat. Finished with drizzled chocolate fudge sauce, caramel, and chopped Snickers pieces for authentic candy bar flavor. Perfect for summer entertaining, birthday parties, or when craving a premium frozen dessert that feeds a crowd.
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups Golden Grahams cerealgraham crackers1:1 ratio by weightgluten-free
Use gluten-free graham crackers
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ½ cup caramel sauce
- ½ cup cocktail peanuts, chopped
- 1 container (28 oz) Häagen-Dazs chocolate ice cream, softenedvanilla ice cream1:1 ratiopreference
Changes flavor profile significantly
- 1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 2 tablespoons chocolate fudge sauce
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce
- 3 bars (1.86 oz each) Snickers candy, chopped (generous 1 cup)
Instructions
- 1
Heat oven to 350°F and spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray
- 2
Process cereal in food processor until finely crushed
- 3
Mix crushed cereal and brown sugar with fork, then stir in melted butter until well blended
- 4
Press mixture evenly in bottom of prepared pan
- 5
Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until set, then cool 30 minutes
- 6
Spread caramel sauce on top of cereal layer and sprinkle peanuts over top
- 7
Place in freezer 10 minutes
- 8
Spread softened ice cream on top of peanuts and freeze uncovered 20 minutes
- 9
Spread whipped topping on top of frozen cake
- 10
Microwave chocolate fudge sauce uncovered on High 10 to 20 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle
- 11
Drizzle with chocolate fudge and caramel sauces, then sprinkle with chopped candy bars
- 12
Cover and place in freezer about 4 hours or until firm
- 13
Cut into 6 rows by 4 rows
Tips
Soften ice cream at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before spreading to make layering easier
Use a knife dipped in warm water between cuts to create clean bar edges
Microwave sauces briefly if they become too thick for drizzling
Good to Know
Store covered in freezer up to 2 weeks
Can be made up to 1 week ahead and kept frozen
Let sit at room temperature 2-3 minutes before cutting for easier serving
Common Mistakes
Don't skip the freezing steps between layers or bars will be messy to cut
Avoid over-microwaving chocolate sauce or it will become too thin
Press crust firmly to prevent crumbling when cutting bars
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Gluten-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
FAQ
Can I use a different cereal for the crust?
Yes, any sweet cereal like Corn Flakes or Rice Krispies works. Crush to fine crumbs and adjust butter if needed for proper binding.
What if my ice cream is too hard to spread?
Let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes until softened but not melted. You can also microwave for 10-15 seconds.
How long do these bars keep in the freezer?
Properly stored and covered, these bars stay fresh for up to 2 weeks. Wrap individually for longer storage.