Vegan Snickers Cupcakes Recipe (with Easy Peanut Butter Caramel)
Turn Your Favorite Candy Bar into Cupcakes: Vegan Snickers Edition!
If you love the combination of chocolate, caramel, and peanuts, these Vegan Snickers Cupcakes are going to be your new obsession. Tender chocolate cupcakes are filled with gooey vegan peanut butter caramel with crushed peanuts, and a vanilla buttercream frosting. It’s basically a plant-based version of your favorite candy bar in cupcake form. Perfect for Halloween, a weekend treat, or just because you deserve something indulgent.
Why You’ll Love These Vegan Snickers Cupcakes
- Plant-based and delicious: No eggs, dairy, or animal products—just pure indulgence.
- Crowd-pleasing flavors: Chocolate, caramel, and peanuts are a classic combo that everyone loves.
- Simple enough for home baking: Most ingredients are pantry staples, with a few easy swaps.
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour — Crucial to the structure of the cake
- Cocoa Powder — Dutch-processed is my favorite cocoa powder giving a rich, deep chocolate flavor
- Espresso Powder — Gives the chocolate a more complex flavor profile
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda — Contribute to the rise of the cake
- Granulated Sugar — Fine sugar = tender cake
- Canola Oil — Keeps the cake soft and tender
- Almond Milk — Contributes to the tenderness of the cake
- Apple Cider Vinegar — To create a vegan buttermilk
- Refined Coconut Oil — Make sure to use refined, otherwise your caramel will taste like coconut
- Pure Maple Syrup — Caramel-y sweetness
- Peanut Butter — The signature flavor of the caramel
- Crushed Peanuts — Crunch for the perfect candy bar bite
- Vegan Butter — For the vanilla buttercream frosting
- Powdered Sugar — For the vanilla buttercream frosting
- Vanilla Extract and Salt — Brings out the flavors
Make the Vegan Peanut Butter Caramel
What makes these cupcakes truly special is the creamy, dreamy vegan peanut butter caramel. Unlike traditional caramel that relies on butter and cream, this plant-based version uses refined coconut oil for silky texture and natural peanut butter for that nutty, candy-bar flavor. And comes together in only a couple of minutes!
- In a small saucepan, combine refined coconut oil, maple syrup and natural peanut butter over medium-low heat.
- Stir constantly and bring to a gentle simmer until everything is creamy and smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the crushed peanuts and a pinch of salt.
- Taste and adjust sweetness or saltiness to your preference. The caramel will be thin at first — chill in fridge for about 30 minutes until thickened.
Quick note: Alternatively, you can microwave the ingredients, stirring every 30 sec until creamy and smooth – then stir in the peanuts and salt
When you bite into the cupcake, everything melds together giving you all the flavors of a Snickers in one indulgent, vegan-friendly bite.
Tips for Perfect Vegan Cupcakes
- Use room-temperature ingredients for a smoother batter.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before adding caramel and frosting to prevent melting.
- For extra decadence, drizzle vegan ganache over the finished cupcakes.
These Vegan Snickers Cupcakes are perfect for parties, gifting, or an at-home indulgence. They combine classic candy flavors with plant-based ingredients in a way that’s both comforting and indulgent.
How to Make Vegan Snickers Cupcakes
Making Vegan Snickers Cupcakes is easier than you think! Start with a rich, chocolatey cupcake base made with simple plant-based ingredients. Next, whip up a quick vegan peanut butter caramel using refined coconut oil, maple syrup, and peanut butter. Once the cupcakes are cool: spoon in the caramel, frost with fluffy buttercream, sprinkle with more peanuts for that signature candy-bar crunch. Every bite is a little salty, a little sweet, and totally irresistible.
Vegan Snickers Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 120g (1 c) All Purpose Flour
- 30g (⅓ c) Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp Espresso Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ¾ tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 240g (1 c) Almond Milk
- 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 150g (¾ c) Vegan Granulated Sugar
- 80g (⅓ c) Canola Oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Peanut Butter Caramel
- 113g (½ c) Refined Coconut Oil
- 160g (½ c) Pure Maple Syrup
- 130g (½ c) Natural Peanut Butter
- 65g (½ c) Crushed Peanuts roasted
Vanilla Buttercream
- 228g (1 c) Vegan Butter
- 420g (3 ½ c) Powdered Sugar
- 1½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tbs- ¼ c Vegan Cream or Almond Milk
- ¼ c Crushed Peanuts for topping optional
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes:
- Prepare your space: Preheat oven to 350℉. Line cupcake pan with 10 liners.
- Create vegan buttermilk: In a small bowl whisk together almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl add the sugar, oil, vanilla extract and the vegan buttermilk mixture. Using the paddle attachment, mix together on low.
- Add in the dry mixture, mix on med-low until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure the everything is incorporated.
- Scoop batter evenly into 10 cupcakes. A 2 oz scoop works perfectly without having to guess or measure each one.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or when a tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to finish cooling completely.
Peanut Butter Caramel
- In a small saucepan, combine refined coconut oil, maple syrup and natural peanut butter over medium-low heat.
- Stir constantly and bring to a gentle simmer until everything is smooth and creamy.
- Remove from heat and stir in the crushed peanuts and a pinch of salt.
- Taste and adjust sweetness or saltiness to your preference. The caramel will be thin at first – chill in the fridge to thicken for about 30 minutes.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Sift powdered sugar into a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl fixed with the whisk attachment cream the vegan butter until fluffy.
- Next, turn the mixer to low and add in sifted powdered sugar in 1/2 c increments until all of the powdered sugar is mixed in. Turn up mixer to med-high and keep beating the sugar and butter together for 3 full minutes. Make sure to periodically scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl to get everything combined.
- Turn down to low to add in the vanilla extract. Add vegan cream 2 Tbs at a time, checking the consistency. If the frosting is too thick – add more vegan cream, too loose – add a couple more Tbs of sifted powdered sugar.
- Keep frosting refrigerated until ready to use.
Assembly:
- Once everything has been prepared and cooled, you are ready to assemble. First, with a paring knife or apple corer, scoop out a cavity in the middle of each cupcake, half way down. Like a little pocket for the filling to go into.
- Next, spoon or pipe in the peanut butter caramel filling into each cupcake. If it's too thick, you may microwave it for 10-20 sec to loosen it up a bit.
- Re-whip vanilla buttercream frosting, fix piping bag with star tip nozzle and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.
- Sprinkle with more roasted peanuts and enjoy! Store covered in refrigerator for 3-5 days. Bring cupcake to room temperature (about 15 min) before consuming.
Want more vegan dessert inspiration? Check out my Salted Caramel Apple Bars or Vegan Biscoff Rice Krispie Treats for more seasonal treats that are just as cozy and indulgent.
Did you try this recipe? If you try these Vegan Snickers Cupcakes, tag me @ritualpastry—I’d love to see your creations. It’s truly one of my favorites — perfect for anytime. I’d love for you to rate it and leave a comment. Thank you so much for reading, I really appreciate you. Happy baking, and don’t forget to share a cupcake (or two) with someone you love. See you soon for more sweet, vegan treats!
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