Homemade Salted Nut Rolls: if you love Pearson’s Salted Nut Roll candy bars, you are in for a treat. This recipe makes the best homemade salted nut rolls. Seriously. The BEST! Everyone who tastes them absolutely loves them.

They are the perfect combination of sweet, salty, chewy and crunchy. Plus, you can make them a variety of ways. We like the classic, log form, because they are so cute on a stick. However, with Salted Nut Roll Bars, you just have to shape the nougat into one portion.

But first, let’s talk about overall helpful tips and tricks. This is a fun recipe. You just may get your hands messy, but the caramel is so tasty to clean up.

Preparation Tips

• To get started, get yourself A LOT of salted peanuts. A LOT. They’re what makes this treat so fabulous.
• I usually make at least two cans of the caramel at a time so I have it on hand
• Make these homemade salted nut rolls in two stages if desired, by freezing the marshmallow “nougat” after you have formed the logs
• Avoid some messiness by using forks to work with the logs for the caramel and peanut layers
• Experiment with how you like the nutty exterior. With a rough chop, you’ll need to press the peanuts a bit to adhere them to the inner layers and you’ll get a big crunch. With a finer chop, you get more coverage but a more chewy, less chunky bite.
• Consider making recipe as is first, especially if you want the classic taste and look, and go from there.
• The recipe “as is” has, in our experience, the best nougat to caramel and peanuts ratio. It also tastes the most like the Pearson’s salted nut roll candy bar, which I love.
• Try variations on the recipe, like the “low sugar version” where you sweeten cream cheese with honey or a sugar substitute, then use a sugar-free caramel ice cream topping.
• You can opt to use min or full size marshmallows instead of marshmallow fluff. About 3 cups would work, plus 3 cups of powdered sugar, a stick of butter (8 tablespoons), a teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Then there is, of course, the no-fuss version made as a layered pan of bars.

This Five Boys Baker recipe was my initial attempt at trying to replicate my favorite candy bar. The recipe’s filling, made with marshmallows, was delightful. That said, I ended up going with a simpler marshmallow fluff version with a different process and shape. Plus, the biggest difference is my go to caramel hack: boiling sweetened condensed milk in an unopened can, then simmering for two hours. SO EASY!

Yet another variation to try would be shaping the nougat into small round shapes (instead of logs) before dipping each in caramel and tossing in a bowl with peanuts. Salted nut balls, anyone? =)

Yet another, shorter variation is making this recipe into bars.

Whatever way you make these, you are going to love them! They are truly my obsession. Same with this nutty tart you can make into cookie cups or tiny tarts.

-Cyndi