Twix Bar

This homemade Twix Bars recipe is all about irresistible layers – think buttery shortbread base, gooey vanilla-kissed caramel in the middle, and a rich chocolate topping. It’s a sweet treat that’s like the classic candy bar, but even better because you make it yourself!

The Best Homemade Twix Bars!

Get ready for the ultimate treat – these homemade Twix Bars are a game-changer! These start with a buttery shortbread crust that’s both rich and crumbly, followed by a caramel layer that’s the perfect mix of thick, luscious, and sweet. And that chocolate topping? Absolute perfection! What sets these bars apart is the well-set caramel – it stays right where it should, eliminating those messy mishaps often seen in other homemade Twix bars.

Though the three-layer process might sound daunting, each step is straightforward, making this a fun baking project. Whether it’s a potluck, party, or just a weekday treat, these bars are sure to steal the spotlight and become a new favorite treat!

Twix Bar Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: It’s important to use unsalted butter in this recipe so that you can control the salt content. Butter also contributes to the flavor and texture of both the crust and caramel, so the better the butter you use, the better the flavor!
• Brown sugar: Both light and dark brown sugar can work in this recipe. Dark brown sugar contains more molasses, which will lend a deeper, more caramel-like flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract can really enhance the flavors in your baking. While it may seem like a small amount, it goes a long way in intensifying the sweetness and balancing the flavors.
• Fine sea salt: Salt is crucial in sweet recipes as it enhances and balances out the sweetness. 
• All-purpose flour: This is used in the crust to give it structure. Make sure you measure your flour correctly; too much can result in a dry, overly crumbly crust.

QUICK TIP

The quality of your ingredients can affect the outcome of your bars, so try to use the best ingredients you can find and afford!

Ingredients Continued

• Sweetened condensed milk: This ingredient is essential for making the caramel. It provides a rich, creamy texture and sweetness. Be sure to use full-fat sweetened condensed milk, not reduced-fat or sugar-free which won’t work the same. It’s easy to grab evaporated milk on accident–note this won’t work the same!
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate provides a nice balance to the sweet caramel and crust, but if you’re aiming for a flavor closer to the original Twix candy bars, milk chocolate offers that extra sweetness.
• Vegetable oil: Mixing this with the chocolate chips ensures a smoother melt, facilitates clean cuts without the chocolate cracking, and imparts a glossy finish to the topping. Coconut oil will also work.

How To Make Twix Bars (Tips)

• Parchment Paper Sling: Using an overhanging parchment paper in your pan can help you lift out the cooled dessert in one piece, making it easier to cut into neat bars. The parchment paper also prevents the caramel from hardening at the edges, which would otherwise make the bars difficult to serve!
• Butter Temperature: When making the shortbread crust, ensure your butter is thoroughly melted, but not hot. If the butter is too hot, it can melt the sugar and cause the crust to be greasy.
• Even Layers: When pressing the shortbread into the pan, ensure it’s even to get a consistent crust thickness. This will help with even baking and overall texture. Using a sheet of parchment paper as a barrier between your hands and the dough helps compress the crust effectively, preventing it from sticking to you.
• Poking Holes: When poking holes into the crust after its initial baking, it’s to allow some of the caramel to seep in slightly, ensuring a bond between the layers. Just ensure you don’t poke all the way through.
• Cooling is Key: Allow each layer to cool according to the recipe instructions before adding the next. This ensures that layers don’t mix and maintains the distinct textures and flavors.
• Sharp Knife for Cutting: When cutting your bars, run a sharp knife under hot water, dry it off, and then make quick cuts through the bars.

Use The Right Size Pan!

The dimensions of your baking pan might appear to be a small detail, but they significantly influence the final taste and texture of these Twix Bars. A 9×9-inch pan is the gold standard for this recipe, and here’s why:

• Layer Proportions: The 9×9-inch pan size gives each layer its ideal thickness. When we tried an 8×8-inch pan, the caramel turned out disproportionately thick compared to the other layers.
• Baking Accuracy: Our recipe specifies a baking duration based on the 9×9-inch pan’s measurements. Switching pan sizes can disrupt this timing, leading to potential undercooking or overcooking.

Interestingly, we did experiment with an 8×8-inch pan. While not a complete disaster, our testers favored the bars baked in the 9×9-inch pan. With the 8×8-inch pan, the caramel’s baking time varied considerably due to its increased thickness. If you’re set on using the 8×8-inch size, monitor the caramel closely. It’s ready when tiny bubbles cover its surface and it displays minimal jiggle when the pan is shaken. Excessive wobbling is a sign that the caramel hasn’t fully set, so keep it in the oven a bit longer!

More Dessert Recipes:

• Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies with a gooey chocolate center
• No-Bake Cookies chocolate and peanut butter flavored
• Microwave Caramel Corn quick and easy — no candy thermometer needed!
• Caramel Cookie Bars with a shortbread cookie base
• Chocolate Caramel Cookies rich chocolate cookies stuffed with Rolos

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Twix Bar

5 from 1 vote

- Review this recipe

This homemade Twix Bars recipe is all about irresistible layers - think buttery shortbread base, gooey vanilla-kissed caramel in the middle, and a rich chocolate topping. It's a sweet treat that's like the classic candy bar, but even better because you make it yourself!

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Twix Bar

5 from 1 vote

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

This homemade Twix Bars recipe is all about irresistible layers - think buttery shortbread base, gooey vanilla-kissed caramel in the middle, and a rich chocolate topping. It's a sweet treat that's like the classic candy bar, but even better because you make it yourself!

Course Dessert, treat

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Keyword twix bar

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 16 bars

Chelsea Lords

Calories 338kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $7.12

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

US - Metric

USMetric

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: Use a 9x9-inch pan: It's very important to make sure to use a 9x9-inch pan for this recipe to work properly. We did experiment with an 8x8-inch pan. While not a complete disaster, our testers favored the bars baked in the 9x9-inch pan. If you're set on using the 8x8-inch size, monitor the baking of the caramel layer closely. It's ready when tiny bubbles cover its surface and it displays minimal jiggle when the pan is shaken. Excessive wobbling is a sign that the caramel hasn't fully set, so keep it in the oven a bit longer!

Note 2: Sweetened Condensed Milk: Be sure to use full-fat sweetened condensed milk, not reduced-fat or sugar-free which won’t work the same. It’s easy to grab evaporated milk on accident–note this won’t work the same!

Note 3: Chocolate chips: Use semi-sweet chocolate if you're worried about sweetness, but if you're aiming for a flavor closer to the original Twix candy bars, milk chocolate offers that extra sweetness. The quality of the chocolate chips makes a difference – the higher the quality, the smoother the melt and the tastier the bar. Brands like Ghiradelli or Guittard are our top picks!

Nutrition Facts

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

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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