Twix Cookie Bars

These twix cookie bars are a delicious spin off of my favorite candy bar – Twix. A shortbread base, chewy caramel middles and soft chocolate tops these homemade Twix bars are a sure crowd-pleaser.

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Anyone who really knows me knows how much I love Twix. I remember in grade school saving up my money so I could buy a Twix at the student store. The school couldn’t sell candy bars to the students, but since Twix claim to be “cookie bars” rather than candy bars, they got away with it.

True story. Thinking about that now makes me laugh. I’m not sure who was responsible for that justification, but I’ll thank them personally if I ever find out.

Yum. Twix bars.

The perfect homemade Twix bars

This past year I have determined to come up with a perfect homemade Twix cookie bar. Just the right texture and sweetness. Not to replace Twix per say. But to make a cookie bar that can stand next to it without being ashamed. That has been my goal. And speaking as a Twix expert (if eating hundreds of Twix in my lifetime qualifies me to be an expert), I believe I have far exceeded my expectations with this recipe.

This recipe has three layers: a light shortbread crust, a chewy caramel center, and a soft chocolate top. Each layer can stand on its’ own for deliciousness, but put them together and something amazing happens. A delicious cookie bar that is practically perfect in every way.

I love these. Love them so much.

Made with pantry friendly ingredients

One of the best things about this recipe is that most of the ingredients are pantry friendly. Just stuff that I keep on hand all of the time. And that means that my Twix cookie bar needs can be satisfied without much planning. Isn’t that great? And maybe a bit dangerous? I hate it when I go to make a recipe and it has something like “Soft caramels” in it. Because I think to myself: Who keeps stuff like that around anyway? It would get devoured in seconds around here.

Case in point: Just in the few minutes I was taking these pictures for this post I devoured like five of these babies. ‘Cause you know I had to take a bite out of them for the pictures, right? And then once I took one bite, suddenly the entire cookie was gone and I needed another picture perfect cookie with a bite out of it. Seriously dangerous business I’m in. Yes this cook certainly took her share of cook’s treats this time.

Okay my friends. Before I go, let me just reiterate that every ounce of my twix-loving soul is begging you to make these twix cookie bars. And when you do your taste buds will know why. If you plan to share them, be sure to act quickly. They have a remarkable habit of disappearing.

Details about the Caramel Layer (an Update on 6/12/2020)

After reading through comments here and on Pinterest about problems you’ve been having with these twix cookie bars (the caramel layer to be specific), I decided to dig a little deeper into what maybe going on and I think I’ve got it figured out. I will update the recipe with my findings and try to explain them below.

Temperature is SUPER important when making the caramel layer. There are two things that could actually make the temperature off. So if you want to get the perfect texture of caramel in this recipe, listen closely.

Be sure to adapt the recipe for your elevation

The first thing you need to be aware of is that elevation matters. I live at 4500 feet above sea level. And that is the elevation that this recipe was created. If you live below or above that elevation you will need to adjust the temperature in the caramel recipe accordingly and here’s a simple formula to do a quick adjustment:

Add 1 degree for every 500 feet of elevation below 4500. Subtract 1 degree for every 500 feet of elevation above 4500.

Example #1: If you live at sea level, you will need to add 9 degrees to the temperature in the recipe to get the same texture of caramel as I have. So when it says 235 degrees, you will actually use 244 degrees as your target temperature.

Example #2: If you live on the top of a 9000 foot mountain, you will need to subtract 9 degrees from the temperature I have listed in the recipe. So when it says 235 degrees, you will actually use 226 degrees as your target temperature.

How to calibrate your candy thermometer

Okay, now for all of you overachievers. You will want to check whether or not your candy thermometer is calibrated. I found this super helpful article that Mel @ Mel’s Kitchen Cafe did explaining about how to calibrating your candy thermometer. I followed it to a T and found that the candy thermometer I use measures 203 degrees F. after boiling for 10 minutes. That number is accurate for the elevation I live at which is about 4500 feet above sea level.

Again your boiling point temperature will vary depending on your elevation. See Mel’s article which does a great job of walking you through the process of calibrating (Thanks Mel!).

Here’s an easy way to find how many degrees to adjust the recipe by (it accounts for elevation gain plus thermometer calibration and will be the most accurate).

Find out what temperature your thermometer reads after being in boiling water for 10 minutes. If that temperature is hotter than 203 degrees (which is what my thermometer reads), then add the difference to all of the temperatures in the recipe. If it is lower than 203, subtract the difference to all the temperatures in the recipe.

Example #3: Your candy thermometer is measuring 214 degrees after it’s been in boiling water for 10 minutes. You will need to add 11 degrees from the temperature in the recipe. So when it says 235 degrees, you will actually wait until it reaches 246 degrees on your thermometer.

Okay, my friends. I hope this makes sense! If you’re still confused, leave a comment and I’ll help you figure it out.

The results will be 100% worth a few extra steps to make sure your caramel turns out perfect. These twix coookie bars are AMAZING.

4.84 from 6 votes

CourseCookie Bars, Cookies, Dessert

CuisineAmerican

Ingredients

CRUST:

1cup(2 sticks) salted butterroom temperature
1cup(4.5 ounces) powdered sugar
2cups(10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract

CARAMEL LAYER:

6tablespoonssalted butter
⅛teaspoonsalt
½cuplight corn syrup
1cup(7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
1cupheavy whipping creamdivided
1teaspoonpure vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE LAYER:

1 ¼cups(8 ounces) milk or dark chocolatesee note
⅓ to ½cup(3.5 ounces) heavy whipping creamsee note

Instructions

For Crust Layer:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 9×13” pan with tin foil, spray bottom and sides, and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the butter, powdered sugar, flour, and vanilla and mix with a pastry blender or fork until is very crumbly and sticks together when pressed your hands. With your hands, press the crust gently into the prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.

For Caramel Layer:

While crust is cooking, combine in a medium saucepan over low heat the butter, salt, corn syrup, sugar, and ½ cup of the cream. Warm the ingredients slowly until the butter is melted (about 10 minutes). Gently stir to combine, being careful not to stir too vigorously and splash the liquid on the sides of the pan. The low heat will help the ingredients melt evenly so the butter does not separate.
Once the caramel ingredients have warmed and melted, increase the heat to medium-low. The caramel should maintain a simmer, but not be so hot that it is burning on the bottom. Keep cooking at a simmer WITHOUT STIRRING for about 20-30 minutes until temperature reaches 235 degrees F (see note about elevation adjustments).
Pour in the remaining ½ cup of cream. Gently swirl the caramel with a wooden spoon once or twice. Then let it simmer WITHOUT STIRRING or adjusting the temperature for 10-15 minutes until the temperature returns to 235 degrees F (see note about elevation adjustments).
Take the caramel off the heat and carefully stir in the vanilla. Then pour over the cooled crust (it’s okay if it’s not cooled completely) and quickly smooth it until it’s evenly distributed. Let caramel layer cool for 45 to 60 minutes in the refrigerator before adding the chocolate layer.

For Chocolate Layer:

Add the chocolate chips and cream to a microwavable bowl (or alternately you can use a double boiler to melt). Microwave them in two or three 30-second intervals, stirring well in between just until the chocolate starts to melt. Be careful not to over melt it or it will seize (meaning it will get hard and then never melt again), especially milk chocolate.
Pour chocolate layer over set caramel layer and smooth it until it’s evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until the cookie bars are set completely. Carefully remove the tin foil and cut into four rows of eight bars for 32 bars total.
These cookie bars can be eaten immediately, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, or frozen for a couple of months. For best results, let come to room temperature before serving so caramel is soft.

Recipe Notes

1. The kind of chocolate to use depends on your preference. I usually use a good brand of chocolate chips. I think I slightly prefer milk chocolate in this recipe, but I also really like the Ghirardelli brand of dark chocolate chips.

2. The perfect amount of cream to add to the chocolate layer is right between ⅓ and ½cup, which is why I gave the weighted measurement. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, just measure a bit less than a half of a cup and you should be right on.

3. Update (6/12/2020): After reading through comments here and on Pinterest about problems you’ve been having with the caramel layer I decided to dig a little deeper into what maybe going on and I think I’ve got it figured out.