Twix Bars with buttery shortbread, gooey caramel, and rich chocolate – like the classic candy bar, but homemade and even better!
Why We Love These Twix Bars:
- Amazing Homemade Flavors: Beats store-bought every time!
- Perfect Mix: Crumbly and buttery crust, gooey caramel, smooth chocolate.
- Wow Factor: Sure to impress at any event.
- No Nasty Stuff: Skip the additives or preservatives like in commercial candy.
- Fun Baking Project: A great way to spend time in the kitchen, solo or with others.
Twix Bar Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: Gives flavor to crust and caramel.
- Brown Sugar: Light or dark; dark for deeper, caramel-like flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances sweetness and balances flavors.
- Salt: Balances and enhances sweetness.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives crust structure; measure carefully to avoid dryness.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Must be full-fat for the right caramel texture.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Balances sweetness; use milk chocolate for a closer match to Twix.
- Vegetable Oil: Smooths chocolate melt and prevents cracking; coconut oil also works.
Variations
Change Things Up!
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt on the chocolate for a salted caramel twist.
- Add crushed nuts or crisp rice to the chocolate for crunch.
- Swap vegetable oil with coconut oil, use coconut extract instead of vanilla, and top with toasted coconut for a coconut twist.
Tips For Making Twix Bars
- Parchment Paper Sling: Use it for easy lift and neat cuts; prevents caramel from hardening at edges.
- Butter Temperature: Melted but not hot for the shortbread crust (to avoid greasy bars).
- Even Layers: Press shortbread evenly for consistent thickness and texture.
- Poking Holes In Crust: Allows caramel to bond with the crust (don’t poke all the way through).
- Cooling: Follow cooling instructions for each layer to keep textures and flavors distinct.
- Sharp Knife: Use a hot, dry sharp knife for clean cuts.
Use The Right Size Pan!
- Right Size Pan: Use a 9×9-inch pan for perfect layer thickness and baking accuracy. The 9×9 size ensures ideal proportions and correct baking times.
- 8×8-Inch Pan Results: Caramel ends up too thick and baking time varies. If determined to use this size, watch caramel layer for tiny bubbles and slight jiggle—this means it’s done. Too much wobble? Bake a bit longer.
Storage
Twix Bar Storage
- Store Twix bars in an airtight container at room temp for 3-5 days.
- On hotter days, refrigerate to keep layers from melting.
- For best flavors, serve at room temp.
More Dessert Recipes:
- Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
- No-Bake Cookies
- Microwave Caramel Corn
- Caramel Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Caramel Cookies
Twix Bar
Twix Bars with buttery shortbread, gooey caramel, and rich chocolate - like the classic candy bar, but homemade and even better!
Ingredients
- 9x9-inch metal baking pan & parchment paper (Note 1)
Crust
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, but not hot
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon white, all-purpose flour
Caramel Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, gently packed
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (Note 2)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Topping
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons good-quality semi-sweet OR milk chocolate chips (Note 3)
- 3 teaspoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- PREP: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9x9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper (leaving an over-hang for easy removal) and grease with cooking spray.
- CRUST: In a medium bowl, combine the melted (but not hot!) butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir in the flour until completely combined. The dough will be thick. Press this dough firmly and evenly into your prepared pan. (I like to place a piece of parchment paper on top and press down). Bake for 17-23 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. Remove from the oven and using a fork, poke holes all over through just the top half of the warm crust (do not press the fork all the way through). Let the crust cool slightly while you prepare the caramel.
- CARAMEL: Place the cubed butter and brown sugar in a small pot over medium-low heat. Leave mixture alone until the butter is melted, then whisk it together with the sugar until emulsified (butter isn't separating from sugar). Then leave mixture alone until it comes to a simmer. As soon as small bubbles appear, add sweetened condensed milk & salt. Whisk constantly for 5 full minutes or until big slow bubbles start appearing. Remove from heat and whisk for an additional minute before stirring in the vanilla extract. Pour this caramel over the crust and spread it out into an even layer with a spatula.
- BAKE: Bake for 12-17 minutes or until the caramel develops a bubbly surface all over and exhibits only a slight jiggle when the pan is lightly shaken. This indicates that the caramel has set. (See picture!)
- COOL: Allow the bars to cool at room temperature for 25 minutes, then transfer them to the fridge for another 25 minutes to cool down further. However, make sure the bars aren't cold as this might prevent the chocolate from setting properly.
- CHOCOLATE TOPPING: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and vegetable oil. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring for 20 seconds in between, until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth. Pour this melted chocolate over the caramel layer and spread it out smoothly with a spatula. To ensure a flat surface, gently tap the pan a few times.
- LET SET: Refrigerate the bars until they're fully set, about 1 hour. Before cutting, let the bars stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper overhang to remove the bars from the pan onto a cutting board. To cut the bars, use a very sharp knife that's been warmed under hot water (dry the knife with a towel after each warming). Repeat this process with each cut to make the slicing easier.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: 9x9-Inch Pan is Key: This pan is important for success. An 8x8 can work but requires careful caramel monitoring for tiny bubbles and minimal jiggle when pan is shaken. Too much wobble means it's not set yet, so keep it in the oven a bit longer.
Note 2: Full-Fat Sweetened Condensed Milk: Use only full-fat; reduced-fat or sugar-free won't give the same results. Avoid accidentally using evaporated milk.
Note 3: Choosing Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet cuts sweetness, but milk chocolate is closer to Twix's taste. High-quality chocolate like Ghiradelli or Guittard melts smoother and tastes better.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 39.7g | Protein: 4.4g | Fat: 18.5g | Cholesterol: 44.3mg | Sodium: 32.8mg | Fiber: 44.3g | Sugar: 32.8g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Chelsea these are just STUNNING! Saw them on FG and they’re just so beautiful! The lighting is exquisite! And the bars…salted caramel AND twix. Two big time favorites for me! pinned
OH MY WORD. This is fabulous!