Deliciousness awaits you with these amazing treats featuring a buttery shortbread layer, a peanut butter caramel filling, and a luscious chocolate coating! As Halloween approaches, our minds are fixated on candy, and we’ve got the perfect homemade, vegan, and gluten-free “Twix” bars for you. It’s an allergy-friendly recipe that gives a delightful twist to the classic candy bar!
Homemade Twix Bars (Vegan and Gluten Free)
Ingredients
**Shortbread Base:**
- ¾ cup coconut oil softened at room temperature, not melted
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ¼ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
**Vegan Caramel Layer:**
- 1 cup coconut cream the solid fat layer at the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp sea salt
**Chocolate Layer:**
- 16-20 oz dark chocolate chips melted
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
**Shortbread Layer:**
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, cream together coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add salt and flour in batches, mixing until a dough forms.
- Line a 10×10 pan with parchment paper, press the dough evenly into the pan, pierce it with a fork, and bake for 16-18 minutes.
- Allow the shortbread to cool in the pan.
**Vegan Caramel Layer:**
- In a saucepan, combine all caramel ingredients, whisk well, bring to a boil, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Set the caramel aside to cool.
**Assembly:**
- Spoon the cooled caramel over the shortbread in an even layer.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then transfer to the freezer for at least 40 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer, cut into evenly-sized bars, and set aside.
**Chocolate Coating:**
- Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a large bowl in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring well.
- Using two forks, dip each bar into the melted chocolate, allowing excess chocolate to drain off.
- Optionally, drizzle more chocolate and sprinkle flaky salt when the chocolate solidifies.
- Speed up the process by refrigerating the bars until solid or leave them at room temperature.
- Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge, placing parchment paper between each bar.