This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
If you love PayDay bars, you are definitely going to love this!!
It’s super fast to make your own at home and they are super yummy! Be sure to gently press the peanuts down once you add them in order to help everything stick together!!
Copy Cat PayDay Candy Bars
It’s super fast to make your own at home and they are super yummy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups peanut butter chips
- 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (half a can)
- 1½ tablespoons butter
- 1 cup miniature marshmallows
- 3 cups dry roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Butter the bottom & sides of a 9x13 pan and place half of the peanuts in the bottom.
- Melt the chips and butter over medium-low heat. Add in condensed milk and marshmallows, stirring until melted and combined.
- Slowly pour mixture evenly over peanuts. Top with remaining peanuts and gently press down. Refrigerate to cool and set.
- Cut into desired serving size.
Notes
Ensure the baking chips you get are the type that are similar to chocolate chips.
These bars hold up best if refrigerated.
Updated 12/23 for improved consistency.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 616 | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 506mg | Potassium: 495mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 1.9mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Made according to directions but used 2 cups of marshmallows. I think that is why mine aren’t sticky even when not refrigerated. when I was done I saw the milk was still in the measuring cup. I just dumped everything back in the bowl and microwaved until combined. worked!!! I even covered 1/2 with milk chocolate. Yummy
great recipe. I did use 2 cups of marshmallows. When I was finished I looked over and saw sweetened condensed milk was sitting there. I just dumped it all back into a bowl with the milk and microwaved it until everything was blended. Pressed back in pan and covered have with chocolate. set up great and not sticky
Although very tasty, nougut is too soft and sticky
What temp do you cook the sweeten condensed milk and peanut butter.
Step 2 says to melt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Let us know how they turn out for you, Chris!
the sweetened condensed milk..
is that 7 oz by weight or by volume? Do I need a scale to measure it, or can I use a liquid measuring cup?
Hi, this measurement is by volume (or half of a 14oz can).
Like many others, mine are too soft. I uses Reese’s PB chips, the only kind the store carries. Has anyone found success with this flaw?
Thank you for trying this recipe, LC. We recently retested and updated this recipe and did not have an issue with the set up of the bars. Did you use 2 cups of peanut butter baking chips? What brand of chips did you use? Sometimes different brands do not set up as well.
Just made them last night. I also used. Reesie’s peanut butter chips. Mine are way too soft. Hard to get them out of the pan. I think I’m going to try to take some out rolling it into a ball and dipping them in chocolate.
Oh shoot, sorry to hear that, Bert! Did you try rolling some into a ball and dipping in chocolate? Curious how that would work!
Perfecto! A few changes… I coated the whole bottom with peanuts. I bought 2 16 oz jars so I didn’t worry about sticking to 3 cups. I made the filling with 2 cups Reeses chips and 3.32 oz mini marshmallows (I googled how many oz in a cup of marshmallows and multiplied by 2) and about 1/2-2/3 can of sweetened condensed milk (after reading the reviews of people cutting the milk in 1/2, I thought I would too). After pouring the filling over the base of peanuts, I spread the peanuts over the filling and gently pressed them into the filling. I added peanuts here and there to cover pretty much all of the filling then chilled. ABSOLUTELY PERFECT!!
That sounds amazing, Nancy! Thanks so much for leaving a comment.
I made these and mine are extremely sticky and pull like taffy when I cut them. I even put them in the fridge and no luck……..what did I do wrong??? I love payday candy bars and wanted this to be just right!!
Hi Joyce, we have not had that problem with this recipe but some other readers have suggested keeping them in the freezer if they’re too soft!
I made this for staff luncheon and they were a big hit! They would probably taste delicious with a chocolate and peanut base. This is a new fan fave! Love all your recipes, thank you!
Thank you, Megan! I am glad they were such a hit for you!
ok I have an idea that might help. why not pour all the peanuts in the bottom and then pour the liquid mixture over it. use parchment paper overhang and place in fridge and remove entire contents and cut into bars. what do you think?
I have never tried but I think that should work well. The peanuts might not be as evenly distributed throughout the bar though. I would love to hear how it turns out for you!
Have made multiple times – I add 2 bags of the peanut butter chips instead of 1, and they set up very well – aren’t too soft or too hard. Just a suggestion. :)
Thank you for the tip Danie!
The pay day bars were amazingly im not sure if they need to be kept in the refrigerator however ?they are a little soft by ohhhh so good
Hi Mary Ann, These bars hold up best if refrigerated.
taste good but too gooey! I had to freeze them.
I made the copy cat bars only my local walmart did not have peanut butter chips, so I used wht they had and that was butterscotch….just delicious….thank you for the recipe and I am already subscribed to your site and find lots and lots of good good stuff to make ….these bars would be good for valentines day….
You’re very welcome KT!
Hi. Hollie!! I made the pay day candy a month ago and the first time and it came out real good. I made some more two days ago and OT set over night and it is still soft. what should I do to get it a little harder?
Hi Sarah, thank you for trying these candy bars. We recently retested and updated this recipe and did not have an issue with the set up of the bars. Did you use 2 cups of peanut butter baking chips? What brand of chips did you use? Sometimes different brands do not set up as well.
Absolutely delicious but like many others it didn’t harden up all the way and it’s been in the freezer overnight, it’s nice and goopy but once it’s in room temp it takes no less than a minute to soften up. followed the recepie step by step… maybe less condensed milk and butter?
Hi Mique, thank you for trying these candy bars. We recently retested and updated this recipe and did not have an issue with the set up of the bars. Did you use 2 cups of peanut butter baking chips? What brand of chips did you use? Sometimes different brands do not set up as well.