If you love Twix as much as I do, you have to try my homemade Twix cookies!
Guys, this one is good. Really good. Twix easily tops my list of all-time favorite candy bars (although if I’m being honest, it’s a tie between Twix and Kit Kats). So when I sat down recently to brainstorm some cookie ideas for the blog, a gluten free Twix cookie came to mind instantly. Matt can no longer have a real Twix bar due to the wheat, so these cookies are a great alternative! I couldn’t wait to put my recipe to the test.
The cookie itself is a simple yet delicious shortbread cookie. Once you top it with caramel, then melted milk chocolate on top of that, and let those layers set up… let’s just say it’ll be hard to have just one!
I will warn you, these homemade Twix cookies take a little patience and commitment. They’re definitely not hard to make by any means, but there are several steps and lots of chill time in the refrigerator is required. But I also take a few shortcuts to make it easier, like using canned dulce de leche for the caramel layer. I opted to use dulce de leche because it doesn’t contain corn syrup, unlike a lot of store-bought caramels.
Why I Love These Homemade Twix Cookies…
- Simply because they actually taste like gluten free Twix. That was the exact feedback I received from my tester (aka my husband, Matt) and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to hear it 🙂
- The fact that this is a slice and bake shortbread recipe makes it easier because that means you don’t need to roll out the dough or use cookie cutters.
- The cookies call for just 4 ingredients (excluding the caramel and chocolate) and the recipe is naturally eggless (no egg replacer needed here).
How To Make…
To make the cookie dough, you’ll start by creaming the butter with the sugar and salt. Next, add in the flour and continue beating until it’s fully combined.
Once the dough is ready, you will place it on a large sheet of parchment paper and roll it into a log shape, making sure it’s tightly wrapped (I like to twist the ends of the parchment paper just to keep it tight). This is where this recipe requires a bit of patience — you’ll chill the dough for at least 2 hours (or more, if you can) in the refrigerator.
After that, slice it up and arrange onto your baking sheet, but make sure to keep the dough chilled right until you intend to bake (meaning, even while your oven is pre-heating). Bake about 22 minutes on 350ºF and allow to cool completely before you top with dulce de leche.
PRO TIP: For perfectly round and uniform cookies, I will take a round cookie cutter (the rim of a clean glass will also work in a pinch) and, while the cookies are still warm and soft, I will cut them into rounds. This is optional and more for presentation — but if you do cut your cookies, don’t attempt to move them until they’ve cooled.
Now you’re ready for the toppings! I like to pipe a bit of the dulce de leche onto the center of each cookie and spread with a butter knife or the back of a spoon, but you can just spread it on if that’s easier for you. Pop the cookies back into the fridge for another 30 minutes, then melt your chocolate and drop a spoonful right on top of the caramel layer. Allow the chocolate to set up and harden, and then they’re ready to go!
I’m telling you, you really are going to want to try these… they’re the perfect gluten free alternative to Twix bars and are totally worth the effort!
Homemade Twix Cookies – Gluten Free, Eggless
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups gluten free flour (I use Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1)
- 13.4 ounces dulce de leche
- 3 ounces milk chocolate candy coating
Instructions
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter with sugar and salt. Add in flour and continue to beat until combined.
- Transfer dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll into a log, twisting the ends of the paper so that it's tightly wrapped. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours.
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F, keeping the dough in the refrigerator until the oven is ready to use. Remove dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and slice into ½ inch rounds. Arrange cookies on a baking sheet and bake for 22-24 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, spoon or pipe dulce de leche onto centers of each cookie, and spread to cover the surface as necessary. Chill cookies in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Melt the chocolate candy coating according to package instructions (I usually melt mine in the microwave on 50% power in 30 sec. intervals, stirring between each interval), keeping the cookies in the refrigerator until the chocolate is melted. Spread a small amount of melted chocolate directly on top of the caramel layer. Allow cookies to set.
Notes
- The amount of caramel and chocolate used on each cookie is entirely up to personal preference — there’s virtually no right or wrong amount to use. However, depending on how thick your layers are, you may need more dulce de leche and/or chocolate candy coating than I’ve specified here.
- For me, the recipe yields just about 24 cookies but this can vary slightly based on how thick or thin you slice your cookies.
- For perfectly round and uniform cookies, I like to use a round cookie cutter when the cookies are still warm and soft, to further reinforce the round shape. Do not attempt to pull the cut cookies off until they have cooled.
Did you make my homemade Twix cookies? I’d love to see! Tag me @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog.
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