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Homemade Twix Cookies deliver that famous candy bar experience right from your own kitchen. The crumbly shortbread base topped with sticky caramel and smooth chocolate creates a treat everyone loves at parties, bake sales, or quiet evenings at home. They're easy to whip up and will become a regular in your baking rotation.
When I baked these during the holidays last year, my family thought I'd bought them from a fancy bakery. That mix of homemade gooey caramel with silky chocolate has turned them into the number one goodie everyone asks me for.
Tasty Ingredients
- Butter: Pick good quality unsalted butter at room temp for easy mixing and better shortbread results
- Powdered sugar: Gets you that melt-away texture in every bite - try to find the extra-fine version if you can
- Vanilla extract: Stick with real vanilla for the richest taste
- All-purpose flour: Go for newly opened unbleached flour to get soft cookies with a lighter appearance
- Salt: A bit of fine sea salt brings out all the flavors - don't leave it out
- Caramel bits: These melt easily, but soft caramel candies work too if they're not stale
- Heavy cream: Makes your caramel perfectly spreadable and extra rich - always use the full-fat kind
- Milk chocolate chips: Look for true milk chocolate containing cocoa butter instead of the ones with just vegetable oils
- Coconut oil or vegetable shortening: Gives your chocolate that beautiful shine and smooth texture when it sets
How to Make It
- Make the Shortbread Base:
- Mix your room temp butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer with the paddle on low speed. Keep going until everything's mixed and slightly puffy. This creates that famous crumbly texture.
- Flavor the Dough:
- Pour in the real vanilla and mix just enough to blend it through the dough without overdoing it.
- Add the Dry Ingredients:
- Slowly add your flour and salt with the mixer running on low. Stop as soon as you've got a soft dough that sticks together. Too much mixing will make tough cookies.
- Roll and Cut:
- Place your dough between two sheets of parchment or wax paper and roll until it's about 1/4 inch thick. Try to keep it even for the best look. Cut circles using a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter. If you don't have one, the rim of a small glass works fine too.
- Bake the Cookies:
- Put your cookie rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet with some room between them. Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges barely turn golden. Let them sit on the tray a couple minutes before carefully moving to a cooling rack.
- Make the Caramel Layer:
- Put caramel bits and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 60 seconds, then stir well. If it's not smooth yet, heat again in 15-second bursts, stirring each time until creamy. Drop a spoonful of warm caramel on each completely cooled cookie and spread it out to the edges.
- Cool and Top with Chocolate:
- Wait for the caramel to fully set. Mix milk chocolate chips with coconut oil or shortening and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth and shiny. If needed, heat a bit longer. Spoon the melted chocolate over each caramel-topped cookie and gently spread it around.
- Set and Serve:
- Let the chocolate harden at room temperature or speed things up in the fridge. Once firm, they're ready to enjoy or store away.
My daughter and I love making these together - she now claims the chocolate drizzling step as her job. It's become one of our favorite kitchen memories, along with the traditional spoon-licking afterward.
Flavor Boosters
After the chocolate firms up, put the cookies in an airtight container in a single layer. They'll stay fresh for about 5 days at room temperature. For longer storage, wrap each cookie individually and stick them in the fridge or freezer for up to 2 months.
Serving Suggestions
These treats stand out on any dessert table. You can make smaller versions for bite-sized party snacks. They go great with coffee, tea, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra fancy dessert. My kids can't get enough of them as after-school treats with cold milk.
Creative Twists
Try adding a dash of cinnamon to the shortbread for autumn flair, or drizzle white chocolate on top during holiday season. In winter months, swap in dark chocolate instead of milk, or try sprinkling some flaky sea salt on top for a modern touch.
The first batch I took to our community bake sale sold out before lunchtime. Now one of my neighbors asks for them for every birthday and special event. These cookies have definitely started new traditions in our neighborhood.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- → How do I keep the shortbread base tender?
Make sure your butter is completely soft before you start, and don't mix the dough too much. Just blend until everything comes together so the base stays airy and delicate.
- → Can I use homemade caramel instead of caramel bits?
Absolutely, you can use caramel you made yourself. Let it cool a bit before you put it on the shortbread so it sticks properly but still spreads easily.
- → How do I prevent the chocolate layer from cracking?
Mix in a tiny bit of coconut oil or vegetable shortening with the chocolate. This will make it more flexible and stop it from breaking when you cut or bite the cookies.
- → Do these cookies need to be refrigerated?
You can keep them in an airtight container at room temperature, but if your home is quite warm, putting them in the fridge will help the chocolate and caramel stay firm.
- → How do I achieve even cookie rounds?
Flatten the dough between two parchment sheets to the same thickness throughout and cut out circles with a round cutter for cookies that look the same.