Healthy Twix Bars

These healthy Twix bars are vegan and gluten-free – made with an almond flour crust and a date caramel filling. They taste like the real deal and are sure to satisfy your candy craving!

Halloween is right around the corner… is this year flying by for you too?! And I’m so excited to share this recipe for upgraded Twix. It’s surprisingly easy to make and is sure to be a family favorite.

This recipe was actually created by my friend and cookbook author, Liz Moody. She created this Twix recipe for Eating Bird Food and I created Healthy Mounds Bars for her site! Isaac and I are obsessed with the homemade Mounds Bars so I have a feeling you’re going to love them as well.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free and made with natural sweeteners.
• It’s kid-friendly and adult-approved!
• They taste just like the regular Twix bars, but are loaded with real, whole food ingredients. No artificial ingredients over here!
• It’s the perfect healthier Halloween treat to make when you’re craving something sweet, but are trying to avoid the store-bought candy.

Making Twix Bars Healthier

Twix bars have always been one of my favorite candies, along with Reese’s peanut butter cups and Snickers. Ya girl loves her peanut butter! And if we’re being entirely honest, I would still sneak a bite every now and then, even in my health-obsessed adult life. Once I created this recipe, though, there was no longer a need because these are straight up amazing.

The almond meal cookie layer is crispy and rich and the caramel is decadently gooey and sweet. They’re an easy way to have all the scrumptious satisfaction of the candy bar, just without the refined sugars or artificial ingredients. Plus, they’re vegan and gluten-free!

Here’s What You Need

• almond meal or almond flour – this is the base of the cookie inside the Twix. Almond flour is more finely ground than almond meal, but either works for this recipe! I haven’t tried a substitute for the flour, but if you need this recipe to be nut-free, oat flour or all-purpose flour could work. Let me know if you try either in the comments below!
• baking soda – helps the cookies rise.
• maple syrup – a natural sweetener in the cookie layer. Any liquid sweetener like agave or honey should work well as a substitute.
• coconut oil – you’ll use coconut oil in the cookie layer and the date caramel sauce.
• vanilla extract – adds a hint of vanilla to these bars.
• dates – medjool dates give these Twix bars that distinct caramel flavor. Just pit the dates and soak them in hot water for 10-20 minutes to soften them up. This will be the base of the caramel layer.
• unsalted almond butter – you’ll add a little almond butter to the caramel mixture for a delicious, sweet, nutty flavor. If you don’t have almond butter on hand you can use cashew butter or peanut butter. Just note that if you use peanut butter it’ll have a stronger flavor. If you’re looking for a nut-free option, you can easily swap out the almond butter with tahini or sunflower seed butter.
• sea salt – to bring the flavors together in the cookies and caramel!
• chocolate chips – I used Lily’s dark chocolate chips but feel free to use whatever chocolate chips you have on hand. Just make sure they’re vegan if you want the Twix bars to be vegan!

How to Make Homemade Twix

There are three main parts to this bar: the cookie layer, caramel layer and chocolate! Here’s how to make these Twix bars:

1. Make cookies: Combine the almond meal, sea salt, baking soda, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract with your hands and press together until everything is well mixed and the “dough” is a ball. Let it sit in the fridge for 10 minutes to set. Roll the dough into snakes and press them flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes before baking at 325ºF for 15 minutes. When they’re done cooking, let the cookies cool completely before removing from the pan. If you want to take a shortcut, you can press the dough into the bottom of a pan lined with parchment paper and bake right away – this will result in Twix “bars” instead of the traditional candy bar shape.
2. Make caramel layer: Combine the dates, coconut oil, almond butter, salt and vanilla extract in a food processor or high powered blender until the mixture is really smooth. If you’re using a blender, start on low and increase to high when the mixture is more liquid.
3. Assemble bars: Spread a generous layer of caramel on top of the cookie layer and place the caramel-topped cookies in the freezer.
4. Melt chocolate: While your Twix bars are setting in the freezer, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30 second increments until fully melted. Watch your chocolate to make sure it doesn’t burn!
5. Coat bars: When the chocolate has melted, spoon the chocolate over the bars, making sure to get it around the sides. If you went with the shortcut, spread an even layer atop the caramel and chocolate layer.
6. Cool and enjoy: Let the bars cool completely and enjoy!

tip!
If you want to take a shortcut, you can press the dough into the bottom of a pan lined with parchment paper and bake right away – this will result in Twix "bars" instead of the traditional candy bar shape.

How to Store Twix Bars

These homemade Twix bars store really well in the fridge or freezer! Store in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1-2 months. But trust me, they won’t last this long!

Popular Desserts for Halloween

• Mummy Cookies
• Healthy Dirt Cups
• Soft Pumpkin Cookies
• Monster Cookies
• Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
• Peanut Butter Balls

More Candy Recipes

• Healthier Butterfingers
• Snickers Stuffed Dates
• Chocolate Almond Crispy Bites
• Peanut Butter Cups
• Cookie Dough Bites
• Chocolate Turtles
• Chocolate Hazelnut Balls

Be sure to check out all of the dessert recipes here on EBF!

Twix Bars

4 from 27 votes

These healthy Twix bars are vegan, gluten-free – made with an almond flour crust and a date caramel filling. They taste like the real deal and are sure to satisfy your candy craving!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 16

Ingredients

Cookie Layer

• 1 cup almond meal or almond flour
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 ½ Tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Caramel Layer

• 1 cup dates, pitted and soaked in hot water for 10 – 20 min, then drained
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted almond butter
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocoalte Coating

• 1-2 cups chocolate chips of choice, I used dark chocolate
• ½-1 Tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions

 

Cookie Layer:

• Combine all ingredients in a bowl, using your hands to press it together until it is well mixed and a ball shape. Let sit in fridge for 10 minutes. If you'd like to do the easier option, simply press dough into bottom of a parchment lined 8×8" pan
  
• To make traditional Twix shapes, roll dough into snakes and press snakes flat on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place shaped dough in freezer for 15 minutes before baking at 325°F degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for at least 10 minutes (ideally, until they cool completely) before removing from pan.
  

Caramel Layer:

• Using a food processor or blender, process all ingredients together until completely smooth. If you're using a blender, it helps to start on a "low" setting until everything is more liquidy, then switching to "high" to get rid of any chunks.
  

Assembly:

• Spread a generous layer of the caramel on top of cookie layer; place caramel-topped cookies in freezer while you melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. (I did 1 cup chocolate chips  + 1/2 Tablespoon coconut oil).
  
• Spoon chocolate over bars, making sure to swipe it around the sides, or simply spread an even layer atop the caramel and cookie layer if using 8×8″ pan. Let cool completely and enjoy!
• Store in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 1-2 months.

Notes

• Almond flour: I haven’t tried a substitute for the flour, but if you need this recipe to be nut-free, oat flour or all-purpose flour could work. Let me know if you try either in the comments below!
• Maple Syrup: Any liquid sweetener like agave or honey should work well as a substitute.
• Almond butter: If you don’t have almond butter on hand you can use cashew butter or peanut butter. Just note that if you use peanut butter it’ll have a stronger flavor. If you’re looking for a nut-free option, you can easily swap out the almond butter with tahini or sunflower seed butter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar Calories: 132kcal Carbohydrates: 18g Protein: 2g Fat: 8g Saturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 4mg Sodium: 44mg Potassium: 175mg Fiber: 4g Sugar: 10g

Author: Brittany Mullins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy twix bars

Web Story: https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/web-stories/healthy-twix-bars-vegan-gluten-free/

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