These homemade healthy Take 5 Bars are made with dark chocolate, pretzels, and caramel for an easy, no-bake dessert that’s gluten-free, refined sugar free, and totally irresistible!

WHY I MADE THESE HEALTHY TAKE 5 CHOCOLATE BARS

With Halloween coming up, I was thinking about a few of my all time favorite chocolate bars, and I think Take 5 Chocolate Bars are definitely underrated! The combination of crunchy pretzels, sweet caramel, and salty peanuts is just *chefs kiss*.

I craved Take 5 bars a lot back in the day. I loved them so much that I decided it was about time that I went ahead and made them myself, but healthier! These homemade Take 5 chocolate bars are made with gluten free pretzels, homemade maple caramel, and dark chocolate for a treat that tastes great and is better for your body, too.

While these homemade healthy chocolate bars are still a treat, they’re still a much better option for you than the store bought version. If you’re following a gluten free or refined sugar free lifestyle, these homemade chocolate bars are made just for you, because we use refined sugar free caramel and gluten free pretzels for this recipe. Sprinkle a little sea salt on top for the ultimate sweet and salty chocolate treat.

If you love chocolate bars as much as I do, be sure to check out my Green Tea Kit Kat Bars recipe and my Chocolate Quinoa Crunch Bars recipes, too!

MY TAKE 5 CHOCOLATE BARS RECIPE

The full recipe for my healthy pretzel chocolate bars is in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post, but here’s a quick overview of how to make it.

Be sure to scroll down though to view the full recipe and get all of the measurements and instructions!

• Dollop each pretzel with a bit of almond butter. Next, dollop the maple caramel sauce on top of the almond butter.
• Place a few peanuts on top of the caramel. Freeze for one hour.
• Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate chips and coconut oil until the chocolate is smooth.
• Dip the frozen pretzels into the chocolate.
• Freeze the chocolate bars for 20 minutes, until solid.

HEALTHY TAKE 5 CHOCOLATE BARS KEY INGREDIENTS

The full ingredients list for these healthier Halloween chocolate bars is in the recipe card below, but here is an overview:

Maple Caramel Sauce

• Coconut oil
• Almond butter, or cashew butter
• Maple syrup

Take 5 Chocolate Bars

• Pretzels, either square or classic shaped. You can use gluten free pretzels!
• Almond butter, or peanut butter
• Roasted, unsalted peanuts, or almonds, chopped
• Dark chocolate chips
• Coconut oil

HOW LONG DO THESE TAKE 5 BARS TAKE TO MAKE?

There are three steps to making these simple gluten free chocolate bars at home:

• Making the caramel sauce, which takes about 5 minutes
• Assembling the bars, which takes about 10 minutes
• Dipping the bars in chocolate, which takes about 10 minutes

In total, these homemade Take 5 chocolate bars will only take about 25 minutes to make.

HOW TO STORE THESE HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE BARS?

Keep these homemade chocolate bars in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week.

TAKE 5 CHOCOLATE BARS FAQ

1. Can I make these Take 5 Bars vegan?
Yes! Simply use vegan dark chocolate chips and make sure your pretzels are dairy-free. All other ingredients are naturally vegan.

2. Can I use peanut butter instead of almond butter?
Absolutely. Peanut butter works perfectly here and gives the bars a more classic Take 5 flavor. You can also try sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version.

3. How should I store Take 5 Bars?
Keep them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one week. They’re best enjoyed straight from the freezer.

4. Can I use store-bought caramel instead of making the maple caramel?
You can, but the homemade maple caramel is refined sugar-free, unlike many store bought caramel brands which use high fructose corn syrup. If using store bought caramel, choose one made with simple, clean ingredients.

5. Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes — just use your favorite gluten-free pretzels. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free!

6. Are these chocolate bars healthy?
These Take 5 Bars are a better-for-you version of the classic candy. They’re made with whole food ingredients, natural nut butter, and no refined sugar — perfect for a wholesome treat or dessert if you ask me!

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If you love this recipe be sure to leave a review! And feel free to reach out to me with any questions or comments via my Contact page. You’ll hear back from me soon!

Find even more of my homemade recipes on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and YouTube.

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