Delicious Gluten-free Twix Bars

This DIY take on the famous Twix candy turns an indulgent snack into a healthier delight without cutting corners on taste. Crafted with nutritious components like almond flour and natural sweeteners, these gluten-free treats deliver that familiar combo of shortbread, caramel, and chocolate we all love, but in a way that won't leave you feeling guilty.

I came up with these bars while hunting for better options to replace my family's go-to store candy. What began as just a test quickly turned into our favorite treat for movie evenings and gifts for pals with food sensitivities.

Ingredients

• Almond flour: Gives you that buttery cookie base while staying gluten free and adding a light nutty taste
• Maple syrup: Brings natural sweetness that's more interesting than plain sugar
• Creamy peanut butter: Makes an amazing caramel layer without needing any dairy or long cooking time
• Chocolate chips: They melt just right for that classic outer layer, try to grab good quality ones for better flavor
• Coconut oil: Thins out the chocolate so it's easier to coat the bars and adds a bit of richness

Cooking Process

Make your cookie foundation:

Mix up almond flour, melted butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in a big bowl until it comes together. It should be a bit crumbly but stick when pressed. Push it firmly into your paper-lined pan, making sure it's the same thickness all over. Cook until you see golden edges, which shows the almond flour has gotten that nice toasty flavor.

Whip up the caramel middle:

Stir peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and almond flour until it's totally smooth. The almond flour helps make it thick like real caramel. Spread it carefully on top of the cooled cookie base, taking your time to reach all the edges. You must freeze it afterward, as this lets you cut clean pieces and stops the caramel from leaking when you dip them in chocolate.

Get the chocolate coating right:

Melt your chocolate chips with coconut oil however you like, but stir often so it doesn't burn. The mix should be smooth and a little runnier than just melted chocolate. Work fast when dipping because the frozen caramel starts to soften quickly. A fork works great for lifting the bars out while letting extra chocolate drip away.

Put your bars together:

Slice the frozen block into 16 equal bars before you start dipping. This careful cutting gives you that real Twix look. When dipping, make sure to cover everything including the sides and bottom. Adding a tiny pinch of sea salt on top can really balance the sweetness and make the flavors pop.

Save Pin

That peanut butter caramel layer is honestly what I love most about these treats. I stumbled on this trick when I ran out of dates for my usual homemade caramel and needed something quick instead. My kid said it was even tastier than the original, and now we make a batch whenever someone deserves a little homemade goodness.

Keeping Them Fresh

These DIY Twix bars stay best when kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to two weeks. The chocolate outer layer helps protect the softer parts, but they'll get too soft if left out for more than an hour. If you want to store them longer, wrap each bar in parchment and put them in a freezer container. They'll stay good frozen for up to three months. When you want to eat a frozen one, just let it sit out for 10-15 minutes and it'll be perfect.

Save Pin

Ways to Switch It Up

The great thing about making your own Twix bars is you can change them to fit what you need or like. For folks who can't have nuts, use sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter and swap the almond flour for cassava flour. If you want something less sweet, try 70% dark chocolate chips for a grown-up flavor. For something different, mix in a bit of espresso powder into the chocolate or add some orange zest to the cookie base. You could even try putting a thin layer of raspberry jam between the cookie and caramel for a fruity twist.

Where Twix Came From

The first Twix bar showed up in the UK back in 1967 and didn't make it to America until 1979. People think the name "Twix" comes from mixing "twin" and "sticks," because of how they always come as two pieces. While the ones you buy use lots of processed stuff and refined sugars, this homemade version keeps the flavors you love but with much better ingredients. Making candy at home lets us tap into old traditions from before mass production, when treats were crafted with simple, wholesome stuff for special times.

Common Recipe Questions

→ What works instead of almond flour?

You can swap in other ground nuts like cashew or hazelnut flour. Just know the end result might feel a bit different.

→ How do I make these without dairy?

Just use coconut oil instead of butter to make them totally dairy-free.

→ What if I can't eat peanut butter?

No problem! Switch to almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter if peanuts aren't your thing.

→ What's the best way to keep these fresh?

Pop them in a sealed container in your fridge for about a week or freeze them for up to a month.

→ Can I melt chocolate without using a microwave?

Sure thing! Just set up a makeshift double boiler by putting a bowl over a pot with simmering water to melt your chocolate and coconut oil.