Welcome back bakers! Today’s recipe is going to be a treat because we’re making a childhood favorite candy: Twix Bars! I’m going to show you how to make Twix Bars in your own home, and trust me, it’s a lot easier than you think. Not only is this recipe super easy to create but they taste just like the real thing. Essentially we’re making one giant Twix Bar and who doesn’t love oversized candy? You also have full bragging rights because you can say you made a homemade candy bar.
There’s three components to a Twix bar: the shortbread, the caramel, and the chocolate layer. I have some tips for preparing the Twix cookie bar. The shortbread batter is going to be thick, but if it’s too thick and you’re having a hard time combining the mixture, gradually add small amounts of melted butter to the batter until the consistency is creamy, yet still thick. Also be sure to fully bake the shortbread cookie layer before starting on the caramel layer. Don’t make the caramel while the shortbread is baking because the caramel will harden before you get to pour it over the shortbread layer. Same thing goes for the chocolate layer. Do not start melting your chocolate layer before your caramel layer has fully hardened in the freezer. Once the caramel layer has fully harden, take the Twix cookie out of the freezer and start melting your chocolate. So with these helpful tips, let’s jump right into the recipe. (P.S. The printable version of this recipe is at the end of the article!)
For the shortbread
- 2 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the caramel
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
- dash of salt
For the chocolate
- 3 cups (2 bags, 14 oz. each) milk chocolate
- Preheat your oven to 300°F and spray your square 9×9″ pan with baking spray. Make sure the pan is fully coated.
- For the shortbread, combine your butter, flour, confectioner’s sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Beat until the mixture is thick and creamy.
- Spread your shortbread batter evenly in the pan with a spatula. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden. Make sure to not over cook your shortbread base.
- Start making your caramel AFTER the shortbread cookie base is done baking, to ensure the caramel doesn’t harden before spreading it on the top of the shortbread layer.
- For the caramel, heat up your butter in a saucepan on medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add your brown sugar, light corn syrup, and sweetened condensed milk. Add salt to taste. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is completely blended.
- Pour the caramel over the cooled shortbread. Tap the pan on a tabletop surface to evenly spread out the caramel. Freeze for about 1 hour.
- Once the caramel has harden, you can start making your chocolate for the top. Microwave your milk chocolate in increments of 30 seconds. Stir the chocolate every 30 seconds until its creamy and spreadable. Usually a minute total for a small amount of chocolate works best. (P.S. Don’t try to microwave all of your chocolate at once. It will be too clumpy to spread.)
- Put your homemade Twix Bars in the fridge for another 30 minutes or until the chocolate has harden. Cut into squares and serve! You can also cut them into thin strips to resemble the actual candy bar.
Here’s your downloadable recipe!
Happy Baking!
