This homemade strawberry Kit Kat bar recipe combines crispy wafer cookies, creamy strawberry filling, and a smooth strawberry coating that’s made with real strawberries! This fun copycat treat is easier to make than you may think, and tastes even better than the store bought version of strawberry Kit Kats.

WHY I MADE THESE STRAWBERRY KIT KAT BARS

My husband and I went to Japan for our honeymoon a few years ago, and if there’s one thing I know for sure it’s this: Japanese Kit Kat bars are way better than what we’re offered here in the States.

Most people I know have only ever tried the regular milk chocolate Kit Kat bars, but in Japan they have so many fun flavors like green tea (one of my all time favorites), banana, wasabi, yuzu, cherry blossom… and strawberry!

The first time I had a strawberry Kit Kat bar was way back in the early aughts when my sister and I found them at a local anime store that had all kinds of games and toys and goodies imported from Japan. I immediately fell in love with that fresh strawberry flavor. They’re just so good, and if you love Kit Kats and haven’t tried the strawberry flavor yet, you must!

But if you love the strawberry Kit Kat bars as much as I do, then you’re going to want to save this recipe. These homemade Kit Kat bars are not as hard to make as you may think! If I can do it, then I know you can do it, too.

My homemade strawberry Kit Kat bar recipe has all of the great flavors and snappy, crunchy texture of a traditional Kit Kat bar, with the added benefit of being gluten free. My Kit Kat bars are made with almond flour, maple syrup, and coconut oil to make this treat a bit more wholesome than the one you buy in stores.

Each crunchy cookie bar is dipped in a strawberry-vanilla coating, which is simply vanilla melting wafer mixed with freeze dried strawberries.

If you’re a Kit Kat fan like I am, then check out my Dark Chocolate Kit Kat Bar recipe, too if you want to try something more traditional, or my Green Tea Kit Kat Bar recipe if you’re feeling adventurous!

MY HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY KIT KAT BAR RECIPE

The full recipe for my DIY strawberry Kit Kat 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!

Wafer Cookies

• In a medium bowl, mix together almond flour, maple syrup, and coconut oil until a dough forms.
• Roll the dough until flat. The dough should be thin, but not so thin that it breaks.
• Cut the dough into rectangles. Bake until the top is firm and the edges are lightly golden.
• Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheet.

Strawberry Filling

• Melt the vanilla melting wafers according to the package instructions.
• Add the freeze dried strawberry powder, and mix until it’ss fully incorporated and smooth.
• Spread the filling on top of the cookies in each group. Stack the cookies so that the the 3rd cookie is the one with no filling on top.
• Repeat with the remaining groups of cookies.

Strawberry Coating

• Melt the vanilla melting wafers according to the package instructions.
• Add the freeze dried strawberry powder, and mix together until it’s fully incorporated.
• Dip each bar into the strawberry coating, using a fork to turn it so that it’s coated on all sides.
• Refrigerate the set the coating, and you’re done!

HOMEMADE KIT KATS KEY INGREDIENTS

The full ingredients list for these DIY Kit Kat bars is in the recipe card below, but here is an overview:

Wafer Cookies

• Almond flour: The base of our crunchy, gluten free Kit Kat wafer cookies. Almond flour is so versatile and great for gluten free baking. I haven’t tested this recipe using traditional flour or gluten free flour or oat flour, but if you give that a try let me know how it turns out!
• Maple syrup: Adds just a touch of sweetness, and more importantly moisture, to our cookie dough.
• Coconut oil: Gives our cookies the same crunch and snap that makes traditional Kit Kat bars so good!
• Vanilla: Flavor! Flavor! Flavor!

Strawberry Filling & Strawberry Coating

• Freeze Dried Strawberries: Essential for the natural strawberry filling and coating. Fresh strawberries simply won’t work for this step. It can be tough to find freeze dried strawberries sometimes, but they’re usually found in the grocery store near the dried fruit, trail mix, or baking items. I get mine from Trader Joe’s, so take a look there if you live near one.

• Vanilla Melting Wafers: Ok, you not have heard of Vanilla Melting Wafers or know what they are. They are the magic ingredient that gives us a silky smooth, easy to work with frosting and coating that makes our strawberry Kit Kat bars so delicious! I originally tested this recipe using white chocolate, and the result was a disaster. White chocolate can be difficult to melt, but melting wafers are just so much easier. You’ll thank me for this tip!

HOW LONG DO THESE STRAWBERRY KIT KATS TAKE TO MAKE?

You’re just a few easy steps away from making these simple gluten free Kit Kat bars at home:

• Making the Kit Kat Bar cookies: 15 minutes
• Baking the cookies: 10 minutes
• Preparing the strawberry coating: 10 minutes
• Piping and dipping the cookies: 20 minutes

In total, this homemade strawberry Kit Kat bar recipe will only take about an hour to make, not including rest time.

HOW TO STORE THESE KIT KAT BARS?

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to a week.

HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY KIT KAT BARS FAQ

1. Where do I find freeze-dried strawberries?
They’re usually sold near the trail mix, dried fruit, or in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. I bought mine at Trader Joe’s, so check there if you live near one. They’re also available on Amazon.

2. What brand of vanilla melting wafers do you recommend?
I really like the vanilla melting wafers from Ghirardelli. Avoid white chocolate chips unless they’re designed for melting—traditional white chocolate doesn’t always melt very well.

3. How do I get a smooth coating on the bars?
Make sure the melting wafers are fully smooth before dipping. Use a fork to dip and tap off any excess coating. If it starts to thicken, gently rewarm it in the microwave or over a double boiler.

4. Why did my wafer cookies crack or crumble?
That can happen if the dough is too dry or rolled too thin. Make sure the dough holds together when pressed and don’t roll it thinner than 1/8″. Also, be gentle when cutting and transferring them to the baking sheet.

5. Can I use a different type of flour instead of almond flour?
Almond flour gives these wafers their signature tender, crispy texture, and it’s what keeps the cookies gluten-free. If you want to use something else, oat flour should be a good substitute.

6. How do I keep the bars from getting a lumpy or streaky coating?
Make sure your melted vanilla wafers are smooth and fully combined with the strawberry powder before dipping in the cookies. You may need to microwave the melting wafers again if they get too thick and clumpy. It also helps to tap off excess coating and lightly scraping down the outsides of the bar to help them have a cleaner finish.

7. Do these Kit Kat bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes, you’ll want to keep these bars in the fridge, otherwise they may melt at room temperature.

8. Are these Kit Kat bars gluten-free?
Yes, as written, since almond flour naturally contains no gluten. Just double check that your melting wafers and freeze-dried strawberry powder are processed in a gluten-free facility if you have a gluten intolerance or allergy.

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