Healthier Twix Bars

If you’ve ever tried my healthy Snickers bars, you know that a homemade candy bar can taste even better than a store-bought one. That’s why I spent weeks trying to figure out a crispy cookie layer and a naturally sweet caramel layer to recreate Twix bars at home.

I’m pretty confident that you’ll love the results, because this batch disappeared in less than 24 hours in my house. (Especially once I moved them to the freezer– everything is better that way!)

I’ve also kept this recipe as easy as possible, because no one wants to spend their afternoon dunking an entire candy bar in melted chocolate and then cleaning out the excess that doesn’t get used. It’s such a pain.

That’s why this recipe only calls for a quick top layer of homemde chocolate. You’ll thank me once you try it this way, because it’s not only easy, but it’s also perfectly delicious!

Healthy Twix Bar Ingredients

• Blanched Almond Flour. This gluten-free flour makes the easiest, crispy shortbread for the base. I recommend shopping for blanched almond flour (which has no brown flecks from the almond skins) for the crispiest results.
• Coconut Oil. This ingredient helps thicken the chocolate layer and keeps the shortbread cookie crust dairy-free. If you’d rather use regular butter, that will work here, too. Be sure to buy refined or expeller-pressed coconut oil if you want these bars to have zero coconut flavor. Virgin coconut oil will add a noticeable coconut taste.
• Maple Syrup. This is my favorite natural sweetener because it’s vegan-friendly and easy to mix, since it’s not as thick and sticky as honey. It’s the sweetener in all 3 layers, to keep the ingredient list as streamlined as possible.
• Cashew Butter. When working on the caramel layer, I tried a few different options, but cashew butter was the clear winner when it came to taste-testing. I used the one from Whole Foods 365 brand, which has a runny consistency, but any other brand should work similarly. Or you can make homemade cashew butter in less than 10 minutes if you prefer.
• Cacao Powder. I always keep raw cacao powder in my pantry, but regular cocoa powder should work for this recipe, too. This helps create the topping without relying on chocolate chips, so these bars are 100% refined sugar-free.

How to Make Healthy Twix Bars

Step 1:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Press a piece of parchment paper into the pan. The oil will hold the parchment paper in place, and this setup will make the candy bars super-easy to remove and slice later. (You’ll thank yourself!)

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of blanched almond flour, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil, and 1/8 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Stir well until the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers.

It might look like there’s not enough liquid at first, but it should start to stick together if you’re patient and keep mixing. Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and flatten it evenly into the bottom of the pan. I like to flatten it with a rubber spatula. Bake at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the top looks lightly golden.

Pro Tip: Let this cookie layer cool for at least 20 minutes. If it’s still warm when you add the next layer, it might cause the caramel layer to separate.

Step 2:

Once the cookie crust has started to cool, you can stir together the next caramel layer. Wipe out the bowl you used for the first layer if you want to save on dishes later.

Add 1/3 cup of creamy cashew butter, 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to the bowl and stir well until it looks smooth and creamy. It should look like caramel!

Once the cookie layer feels cool to the touch, you can spread this evenly over it. Transfer this to a flat shelf in your freezer while you make the next layer.

Note: The cashew butter I tested this recipe with was unsalted. If you’re using a salted cashew butter (or another nut butter), then you probably won’t need to add a pinch of salt.

Step 3:

Wipe out the same bowl again, then use it to create the last layer. Add 1/4 cup melted coconut oil, 1/4 cup maple syrup (at room temperature), and 3 tablespoons raw cacao powder to the bowl and stir vigorously. It will look runny at first, then start to emulsify and look like a pourable chocolate.

Remove the pan from the freezer and pour this chocolate layer over the top. Spread it out evenly over the caramel layer. Sprinkle flaky salt over the top if you want a sweet-and-salty treat. (The salt is optional.)

Then return the pan to the freezer to chill until firm. I like to wait at least 1 hour, but you can also leave it overnight!

Serving & Storage Tips

Once the caramel layer is firm, you can slice this into bars. I usually start by slicing 12 bars, then cut them in half to create 24 “fun-size” bars. (See the photo for reference.)

These healthy Twix bars will soften if left at room temperature, so I think they are best when served frozen. From the freezer, the cookie layer stays crispy, and the caramel layer is chewy, like real Twix bars. My whole family prefers them straight from the freezer.

If you serve these from the fridge, everything is softer and less crispy. Still good, but just wanted to point out that the texture will be different. Choose whichever sounds best to you!

Healthy Twix Bars (Gluten-Free)

5 from 10 votes

Once you try these healthy Twix bars, you may never want the store-bought version again– these taste 100% better! They are naturally sweetened, without relying on chocolate chips, and are gluten-free & dairy-free. When you serve these straight from the freezer, the caramel texture feels insanely authentic. (Without the effort of boiling sugar or blending dates.)

prep15 mins cook15 mins total30 mins

Servings:24

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Crisp Cookie Layer

• 1 cup blanched almond flour
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Caramel Layer

• ⅓ cup cashew butter
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

Chocolate Layer

• ¼ cup melted coconut oil
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons cacao powder
• flaky sea salt (optional topping)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Press a piece of parchment paper into the pan. The oil will hold the parchment paper in place, and this setup will make the candy bars super-easy to remove and slice later. (You'll thank yourself later!)

  To prepare the cookie layer, combine the almond flour, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and salt in a large bowl. Stir well until the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers. Be patient; this can take a minute or so. Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf pan and flatten it evenly into the bottom of the pan. I like to flatten it with a rubber spatula. Bake at 350ºF for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the top looks lightly golden.
Let this cookie layer cool for at least 20 minutes. If it's still warm when you add the next layer, it might cause the caramel layer to separate.
• To make the caramel layer, add the cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to a bowl. (I use the same bowl I used for step 1.) Stir well until it looks smooth and creamy. It should look like caramel! Once the cookie layer feels cool to the touch, you can spread this evenly over it. Transfer this to a flat shelf in your freezer while you make the next layer.
• Wipe out the same bowl again, then use it to create the last layer. Add the melted coconut oil, maple syrup (at room temperature), and raw cacao powder to the bowl and stir vigorously. It will look runny at first, then start to emulsify and look like a pourable chocolate.

  Remove the pan from the freezer and pour this chocolate layer over the top. Spread it out evenly over the caramel layer. Sprinkle flaky salt over the top if you want a sweet-and-salty treat. (The salt is optional.)

  Then return the pan to the freezer to chill until firm. I like to wait at least 1 hour, but you can also leave it overnight! Once the caramel layer is firm, you can slice this into bars. I usually start by slicing 12 bars, but then I like to cut them in half to create 24 "fun-size" bars. Store & serve directly from the freezer for the best texture.

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 24 “fun size” bars. This is automatically calculated using an online ingredient database, so it’s just an estimate, not a guarantee. 

Cashew Butter Note: The cashew butter I tested this recipe with was unsalted (Whole Foods 365 brand). If you’re using a salted cashew butter (or another nut butter), then you probably won’t need to add a pinch of salt.

Coconut Oil Note: If you don’t want your candy bars to have a coconut flavor, use refined or expeller-pressed coconut oil. It has zero coconut taste! Or, you can use regular butter if you don’t need a dairy-free recipe. 

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy twix bars

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More Healthy Candy Recipes to Try

• Protein Peanut Butter Cups
• Homemade Crunch Bars
• Butterfinger Recipe
• Date Snickers

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.