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Sharing a healthier take on the classic Twix bar with my Homemade Vegan Twix Bars. Layered with dark chocolate, toasted coconut “shortbread”, maple syrup-based “caramel”, additional dark chocolate, and finished with flaky sea salt. Every last bite is sweet, nutty, hinted with caramel-like flavors, extra chocolatey, and so DELICIOUS. Absolutely nothing not to love about these homemade candy bars. Bonus? These Twix bars are easy to make, have no processed sugars, and are even gluten-free!
If there’s one thing I know for sure, it’s that even when trying to eat healthy…ish, chocolate should always be included. After all, chocolate is actually one of the most antioxidant-rich foods there is. It’s true, and I know this because my mom has read up on cacao and the benefits of enjoying it…daily. Which is why she has a steaming mug of hot cacao every single morning upon waking…and every single night before bed!.
My point here is that those New Years’ diets should include a dark chocolate treat. Which is where these Twix bars come in. Honestly, I didn’t grow up eating Twix. Instead, I very much preferred a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, or just a simple Milk Chocolate Malley’s Bar. I kept things simple when it came to sweets, and didn’t really eat much candy. That said, I’ve had a lot of requests to create a homemade Twix bar. But it wasn’t until my cousin Abby requested them over Christmas break that I decided to work on testing a healthier, homemade version of the classic Twix bar.
These took a while to perfect, but I finally got them just right. And well they might not be identical to the store-bought Twix, they sure are delicious.
Here is how you make homemade vegan Twix bars.
These bars have two layers, the first layer is a coconut shortbread/biscuit. It’s nutty, perfectly sweet, and just a little crumbly too. I’ve found it very much imitates that of the biscuit layer in a classic Twix bar. The second layer is a creamy maple based “caramel”. This doesn’t taste exactly like a rich, buttery caramel, but it’s delicious in its own unique way.
You’ll want to start with the coconut layer. This is a very simple mix of shredded coconut, almond flour, and coconut oil. It bakes in the oven until lightly golden and toasted. It’s simple, yet delicious. This is my favorite layer, I love the nuttiness the coconut adds, and once baked, this layer tastes sweet and “buttery”. Very much like a classic shortbread cookie, but in my opinion, better.
While the coconut base layer cools, make the “caramel”. As I said this is not your average caramel, but it’s just as delicious. I use maple for sweetness, coconut milk for creaminess, and nut butter to thicken the caramel up enough to stay inside the bars.
Once the coconut layer has cooled off, pour the caramel layer over top, then freeze the bars. You’ll only need them to freeze for thirty or so minutes. This step is really just to help the bars set up quicker, to make them easier to cut through, and to make them solid enough to dip into the chocolate…which is the final step. I used melted dark chocolate to enclose all the fillings. I then finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for that salty, sweet flavor combination.
The family’s verdict? Not exactly a Twix bar, but close enough. And most importantly…beyond good!
A few tips for success…
Tip one, use a finely shredded coconut. This is the exact coconut I used and I found it to work really well for these bars. It’s finer shred creates the perfect cookie-like texture.
Tip two, use full-fat coconut milk and only use the cream, discard or save the coconut water for another use. You’ll want to use just the cream to ensure your caramel sets up nicely and is not too runny.
Tip three, make sure the bars are thoroughly chilled before dipping in chocolate. This is probably my biggest tip. If the bars are frozen, the chocolate will quickly set up on the bars and be easier to work with. Trust me, freeze the bars, then dip through the melted chocolate.
Tip four, if you want a thick chocolate-coated candy bar, dip your bars once, re-freeze until set (which will only take a matter of minutes), then dip in chocolate again. This is not NEEDED, but it sure is a good idea. Double the chocolate, please.
So, what do these really taste like?
A Twix bar, but better.
Well, wait. These are definitely not an exact replication, but they have the very same flavor profiles. The biggest difference is that these bars are made minus any processed sugars, unhealthy fats, and instead of a sugar-induced headache, these will leave you feeling satisfied.
I love keeping these in the fridge for an afternoon snack or late night dessert. Just one thing? Don’t skip that sprinkle of flaky sea salt at the end. Love a good salty, sweet “candy” bar, you know?
Yes, yes. Let’s take some time to do a little Tuesday night baking. It’s winter, so the extra time next to the oven is always welcomed. Enjoy!
If you make these homemade vegan Twix bars, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Homemade Vegan Twix Bars
Servings: 16 bars
Calories Per Serving: 283 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/2 cup almond flour/meal
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for topping
- 3/4 cup real maple syrup
- 1/2 cup canned full fat coconut milk, using only the coconut cream, no water
- 2 tablespoons almond or cashew butter
- 12 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch square baking dish with parchment paper. 2. To make the coconut layer. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded coconut, almond flour, coconut oil, honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and salt until combined. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Transfer to the oven and bake 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden and toasted. Remove from the oven and let cool. 3. In a medium pot, combine the maple syrup and coconut cream and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 12-15 minutes or until thickened to a caramel like sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond butter and the remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Let the mix cool slightly, then pour over the coconut base layer. Transfer to the freezer, freeze 30 minutes, until firm. 4. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave until melted and smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.5. Cut bars into 16 bars. Cover/dip each bar in chocolate, return to the freezer to let the chocolate set up, about 10 minutes. Keep stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
This post was originally published on January 7, 2020
Delicious! I made a batch and shared with my family and everyone love them! I love the ‘carmel” and I’m wondering what happens if you leave out the almond butter? I’d hate to waste a batch so I’m hoping you already tried it! Thanks!
Hey Anna,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, you need the almond butter to complete the recipe:) xTieghan
People in my office are angry that I didn’t make more of these! They were so amazing! Thank you for such a fab recipe!
Haha I am so happy you all enjoyed these, Christine!! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Thank you so much for the recipe! I really want to get this right, but I managed to mess it up and I’m in need of some help. My caramel turned quite hard and wasn’t anywhere close to the “pouring” consistency even though I didn’t boil the caramel mixture beyond the 12-15 minutes suggested time limit. And after freezing the coconut and caramel layers, when I tried slicing them into bars, some of it crumbled, and when I tried dipping into chocolate, the bars crumbled even more to the point that I only had 6-7 bars left and the rest was just chocolate-y crumble! What did I do wrong?
Hey Anon, it’s so hard to know what happened without knowing exactly how you baked these. For the caramel, how long did you cook it? Was it over 15 minutes or under? And for the coconut layer, how long did you bake? Is it possible you over baked them? Hopefully with some more detail I can help a bit! I would recommend cooking the caramel 12 minutes and then making sure to not over bake the coconut layer, but if you can provide me with more detail I can better help you. Thank you!! xTieghan
Hi. There are a couple of discrepencies in the ingredient list depending on whether you choose “Us Customary” or “Metric.” Should vanilla extract be 1 1/2 tsp or 1/2 tsp? Should the nut butter be 2T or 3T? Thanks!
Hi Ingrid,
Sorry for the confusion, this is how the computer system measured out the ingredients for the metric measurements. I would do 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla and 2T of nut butter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
My “Carmel” keeps turning into a crumble instead of a Carmel like texture when I add the almond butter. Any tips on what I’m doing wrong? I’ve tried three times and it keeps happening haha.
Hi McKenzie,
So sorry you are having issues with the caramel. I am wondering if you are using sweetened coconut. It is best to use unsweetened coconut as the sugar from the sweetened causes the caramel sauce to clump up. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Hello! There are two desperate ingredients for coconut oil. Which one is added where? Thank you!
Hi Tanis,
As stated in step 2, you are using 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil and then 1 tablespoon as stated in step 4. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. xTieghan
Could you add sea salt to the caramel and make it a salted Carmel? If so how much salt do you think would be appropriate?
Hi Hena,
Yes that would work! I would do 1/2 teaspoon. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made these for all my mama friends for Mother’s Day and I have NEVER gotten so many rave reviews on a dessert before! Or so many requests for a recipe! These were such a hit I have already been asked to make them again. So so good! Thanks for filling our tummies with deliciousness! And for helping me treat my gluten free friends on Mother’s Day. ?
Aw that is so great! I am really glad you all enjoyed these so much Hannah! Thank you! xTieghan
WOW!! Impressed by how yummy these are and vegan! I am not vegan but still love them. My caramel didn’t quite set up like I think it should have but still delicious!
Hi Christen! You Definitely do not need to be vegan to enjoy these! Than kyuo so much for trying this one! xTieghan
Loved these! Much simpler than expected to put together, but the coconut cookie base was to die for! And I loved the balance with the sea salt.
Thank you so much! I am really glad this turned out so well for you, Lindsey! xTieghan
After I cooked the “caramel” and added the cashew butter the mixture became hard, cool, and crumbly really quick! So I couldn’t pour it over the base but had to press it down with my fingers. Any tips or ideas on what went wrong?! It looked like a beautiful caramel before I added the vanilla and cashew butter! Thanks! I’m sure they will still taste delicious. In the freezer now 🙂
Hi Kailyn,
Thanks so much for trying the recipe! So sorry you had issues with the caramel. Sometimes it can cook faster for others, so just try to keep an eye on it as it cooks. If it’s looking thick, remove it immediately from the heat. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope this helps a little and you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Can’t stop dreaming about these Twix bars! So incredibly good. I’ve made 4 batches over the past few weeks and have included a few bars in my routine baked goods drop-offs for friends and family (always looking for a way to spread some cheer these days!). Collectively, the 20 of us in Seattle that have tried these, are HUGE fans. We can’t get enough. Vegan? Gluten-free? Free of processed sugars? I don’t know how you thought of this recipe Tieghan but it’s a go-to party favor for me now. So delicious!
I am so glad you have been loving these!! Thank you so much for trying this Brian! xTieghan
First time using coconut oil, coconut cream and almond flour lol. These turned out fantastic! Nice way to try out some new ingredients. Worked perfectly.
Thank you so much Brittany! xTieghan
Made these last night and they came out great. Being a novice at baking this was a fun challenge. They looked exactly like the pictures. Here’s a few things I did that might help you.
– If you have a Trader Joes close by, you can get a can of ONLY the full coconut cream, which the recipe requests. I didn’t have any issues with my crust like the other reviews.
– I had a minor freak out when I pulled these out of the freezer because the parchment paper was sticking to the bars. As the bars defrosted the parchment paper became easier to peel off.
– I bought 96% dark chocolate bars, the chocolate tasted way too bitter for my taste (duh) so I added some milk. It was still very bitter so instead of dipping the whole bar in chocolate I smothered it on top, so the chocolate didn’t overtake the other flavors.
– I melted the chocolate on the stove instead of microwaving. I boiled a little water and put a metal bowl over the water and plopped the coconut oil and only 9oz of chocolate instead of the 12oz and still had plenty of chocolate left over. This melted the chocolate perfectly and was easy to dip and spoon over the bars. I also didn’t have to worry about the chocolate hardening.
I love your recipes Tiegan, you made baking and cooking fun for me again.
Thank you so much for trying this one, Amy!! I am so glad it turned out so well for you. Also, thank you for sharing some other suggestions! xTieghan
Do you think peanut butter or tahini would work ok place of other nut butters? Everywhere near me is out of that stuff right now
Hi Caitlyn,
Yes I think you could use tahini in place of the almond butter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan