Homemade Twix Bars

Homemade Twix Candy Bars

The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Chill Time: 70 mins
Total: 100 mins
Servings: 20 servings
Yield: 20 bars

You won't believe how much this copycat Twix Bar recipe tastes like the real thing. Since they're made fresh with good ingredients, they taste even better than the original. Just like their namesake, these bars have a crunchy cookie base, smooth caramel center, and rich chocolate coating.

These candy bars will become your go-to dessert to take along to gatherings or a great afternoon snack that the kids can help make before they partake in eating these oh-so-delicious chocolatey caramelly confections.

Ingredients

For the Cookie Base

  • 1 medium (3" diameter) cookie

  • 5 1/2 ounces butter

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 cups cake flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 tbsp caramel

  • 21 ounces caramels

  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream

  • 1 piece chocolate

  • 1 pound semisweet chocolate or chocolate-flavored candy coating

Steps to Make It

Make the Cookie Base

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat the oven to 350 F. Prepare a 13-by-9-inch baking pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

  3. Place the butter and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a large mixer and beat them together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

  4. Add the flour and salt. Mix on low speed just until the flour is incorporated.

  5. Scrape the dough into the prepared pan and use your hands to press it into a thin, even layer.

  6. Bake the shortbread for a total of 18 to 20 minutes, turning halfway through so it cooks evenly. When it is finished, it should be a light golden brown color. Don't overcook it or it will be very crumbly. Allow the shortbread to cool completely.

Make the Caramel Layer

  1. Gather the ingredients and make the caramel layer while the shortbread is cooling.

  2. Place the unwrapped caramels in a large microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of cream. If your caramels are very stiff, you might want to increase the cream by an additional spoonful. This candy bar works best if the caramel is not too hard or chewy, so adding some cream when melting the caramels helps make it silky smooth.

  3. Microwave the caramels until melted and smooth, stirring after every 30 seconds to incorporate the cream and prevent overheating.

  4. Pour the melted caramel over the shortbread cookie crust and smooth it into an even layer. Refrigerate the pan to set the caramel completely, about 1 hour.

Coat the Bars With Chocolate

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Melt the chocolate or candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl and stir until completely smooth.

  3. Remove the caramel-covered bars from the pan by using the foil as handles.

  4. Cut the bars into thin, finger-width sizes. It helps to cut the entire sheet of bars in half width-wise, then cut about 10 bars from each half, for a total of about 20 long, thin bars. You can vary the size to suit your needs. Use a large, sharp knife to prevent the cookie base from crumbling.

  5. Use dipping tools or forks, dip the bars in the melted chocolate, covering them completely. Place the dipped bars on a foil-lined tray and repeat until all bars are dipped.

  6. Refrigerate the tray to set the chocolate, about 10 minutes.

Tips

  • It is worthwhile to use good caramel in these bars. Any soft caramel that you enjoy eating will work, but if you use a flavorless caramel, be prepared to be underwhelmed at the result.
  • To go fully homemade, try your hand at making soft caramels

Make Ahead

  • These candy bars can be made ahead of time and frozen for later use. Make a double batch (because you know you won't get away with freezing them all!) and assemble as directed, then place the one batch in an airtight container and freeze. Thaw them out on the counter to room temperature before serving.

How to Store

  • Store homemade Twix Bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. These taste best when the bar sits at room temperature for a few minutes before serving so that the caramel can soften.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
280 Calories
11g Fat
44g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories 280
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 198mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 29g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 49mg 4%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 99mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)