These delicious homemade vegan twix bars have a crunchy shortbread base and a creamy caramel center smothered in vegan chocolate.
I have wanted to make some homemade vegan twix bars for ages! And I really love how these turned out.
We have been snacking on these vegan twix for weeks now while I experimented with the recipe and the result is really awesome.
And if you like homemade vegan copycat versions of candy bars, then check out our vegan snickers bars too!
How To Make Vegan Twix
I experimented with a version using coconut flour for the base, and, while it was delicious, it didn’t taste like a twix bar to me.
It tasted like something else, quite delicious, but coconut flour and coconut oil for the base, while gluten-free and pretty tasty, does not equal shortbread. And I just strongly associate twix bars with the awesome crunch of a shortbread base.
So I knew I had to do it that way. Shortbread or nothing!
So I made a shortbread crust, based on my shortbread cookies recipe, smothered it in caramel and then topped it with melted vegan chocolate.
Making the shortbread is really easy. You just add all purpose flour, sugar and salt to the mixing bowl and then add in vegan butter.
Mix it in with your fingers until the mix is crumbly. Then press it into a dough.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper so that it has overhang on each side, and then press the shortbread down into the bottom of the loaf pan into an even layer.
Then you bake it at 350°F for 20 minutes until lightly browned on top and on the sides.
Let it cool completely before adding the caramel layer.
We used our vegan caramel sauce recipe for the caramel layer and it is just melted coconut butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract whisked together and then poured over the shortbread base.
Place it in the freezer to set.
Top Tip: Don’t leave it in the freezer too long. You want the caramel to be hard and set but you don’t want the shortbread to get too brittle because it will be very breakable when you cut it into bars. So don’t forget it in the freezer.
When the caramel has set, lift the shortbread and caramel out of the loaf pan using the parchment paper overhang. And then cut it into 10 bars. Be careful when cutting to minimize breakage from the shortbread side. But if a little does happen, don’t panic.
Melt some vegan chocolate and mix in a little coconut oil and dip the bars into the chocolate and then place onto a parchment lined baking tray. When all the bars are covered in chocolate, drizzle any remaining chocolate over the top of the bars and then place into the fridge to set.
You will love these vegan twix bars, between the super crunchy shortbread base, the creamy caramel center and the rich chocolate topping they are one heck of a treat!
They keep perfectly in the fridge for at least a week, so you can keep them for desserts and sweet treats for the week ahead.
More Vegan Chocolate!
- Homemade Vegan Chocolate
- Vegan White Chocolate
- Vegan Chocolate Truffles
- Dairy Free Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Bounty Bars
I’d love to know what you think of these vegan twix! Let me know in the comments and please do rate the recipe too, thanks!
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Vegan Twix
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Base:
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour (125g)
- 1/4 cup White Granulated Sugar (50g)
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Vegan Butter (112g)
For the Caramel:
- 1/2 cup Coconut Butter (120ml) Melted*
- 1/2 cup Maple Syrup (120ml)
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Chocolate Topping:
- 2 and 1/4 cups Chopped Vegan Chocolate or Vegan Chocolate Chips (400g)
- 1 tsp Coconut Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper leaving overhang over the sides.
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the sugar and salt. Add the vegan butter and mix in with your fingers. It will first go crumbly and then gradually form into a dough.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared loaf pan.
- Place into the oven to cook for 20 minutes until lightly browned on top. Leave on the counter to cool completely before adding the caramel.
- Add melted coconut butter to a bowl and then add the maple syrup and vanilla and stir in. Pour over the shortbread base and smooth down. Place into the freezer to set.
- When the caramel has set firmly, lift the twix out of the loaf pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into 10 bars and place them onto a parchment lined baking tray.
- Melt the vegan chocolate or chocolate chips in the microwave by microwaving and then stopping to stir every 30 seconds until entirely melted. Stir in the coconut oil.
- Dip the twix bars in the chocolate so that they are fully covered in chocolate and then place onto a parchment lined baking tray. Be careful to do it fast so that the bars don't break up in the warm chocolate.
- When all the bars are covered in chocolate, use the remaining chocolate to patch up any gaps in coverage and to drizzle over the top of the bars and then let them set in the fridge.
- When set, transfer to a container and keep them stored in the fridge where they will last for at least a week.
Notes
- It must be coconut butter and will say coconut butter on the jar. The best way to melt it is to stand the jar in a bowl of hot water and then stir it regularly until it's well mixed. You can also make your own homemade coconut butter.
- Prep time does not include time spent cooling and setting.
Nutrition
*This recipe was first published in 2016 but got a makeover in 2019 with new photos and text.
This recipe is incredible! I don’t exactly follow it by the letter I combine it with another vegan dates caramel recipe I have (200gr of dates, a pinch o salt, squeeze of lemon juice and some plant based milk mixed together in a blender), and make them in little heart shapes. And it’s always so incredibly delicious. What I love about it is how easy it is to make too, like there aren’t a thousand ingredients like with other vegan recipes, it’s mainly things I already have in my kitchen. It’s not a fast recipe to make, so it’s only my second time but they are fun to bake for sure. The only thing is my chocolate dipping is far from being as perfect as shown in the recipe’s pictures haha but it tastes the same nonetheless. It will definitely make non vegans go crazy too hahahah I’d say it’s the recipe that makes them realize vegan baking is actually way tastier than non vegan in the end lol
Thanks so much Lula! I love the idea of making them in heart shapes too!
This were very tasty but they don’t taste like Twix at all unfortunately. I bought the coconut butter (from the link in the recipe) and it made the caramel taste very coconutty. Maybe another caramel recipes would give it that true Twix taste? They tasted more like mounds!
Hi! Can I use cashew butter or cookie butter instead of the coconut butter?
Coconut butter works well because it sets firmly, whereas cashew butter would not, so I don’t see either of those options as a good substitute.
I made these, and they are SPECTACULAR!! The shortbread is flaky, buttery, and crispy. The caramel is amazing. You’re right that the texture is exactly like a Twix bar. And wow, you are a genius because that was the easiest caramel in the world. I usually hate making caramel because I either burn it or cook it too long.
My store had two brands of coconut butter, Nutiva and Artisana. One was with the oils, and the other was with the nut butters. I got Nutiva because I picked it up first and didn’t want to put it back, but I wish I had used Artisana, as you suggested, because there is a hint of coconut flavor in my caramel. I like coconut, though, so I don’t really mind.
The next time I make it I will do a few things differently. First, I will use a bigger pan (11×7) because my bars were taller than I’d like. Second, I will try bittersweet chocolate because, like commercial Twix bars, these were very sweet. I’ll come back and let you know how that works out!
Thank you times a million for creating this recipe. I’ve made other Twix recipes in the past, but this was the best and also the easiest. I’m making your pineapple upside-down cake next.
Awesome! So happy to hear this Charlie! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
These look so fantastic. Is there anything I can use instead of coconut butter? I can’t find it in the shops right now and am super craving Twix!
Hi Ruth, you could always try it with a date caramel. Otherwise you can also make your own homemade coconut butter which also works great!
Fab. Thank you. I’ll give it a go with date caramel first as I have those ingredients in the house ???? Can’t wait to try it
I just tried to make this but when I set it in the freezer to firm up the maple syrup separated from the coconut oil. Help! It tastes delicious but I can’t really coat it in chocolate, and there is definitely no caramel.
Oh my gosh! I used coconut oil, not coconut butter – ignore me!
Oh sorry, I have just replied to your previous comment without seeing this one! No worries, hope you can just scrape it off and not have to waste your shortbread crust! 🙂
Hi Lauren, it has to be coconut butter, it can’t be coconut oil. And the coconut butter has to be melted and then mixed very well before using. Unfortunately it won’t work at all with coconut oil. You can probably scrape it off though and try again with the caramel. We have a step by step to the caramel in our vegan caramel sauce post that might also help!
Hi, after these are made and have sat at room temperature for awhile, will the caramel be liquidy or firm? Thanks.
It will be soft but not liquid at all. It has a very good consistency at room temperature, very much like caramel. 🙂
Never having eaten an original Twix bar (wasn’t brought up in the US) is the caramel like caramel or like coconut? They look delicious either way :).
Hi Maureen! It tastes like caramel and not coconut at all! Hope you’ll give it a try! 🙂
I used to be the biggest twix fan in living history, thank you so much for making this yummy vegan version. I had no idea that could even be possible! I love taking vegan desserts to work and after my colleagues rave about them, surprise them by telling them that the dessert doesn’t have a single animal product in it. Well done and keep ’em coming please, can’t have enough vegan deliciousness in this world – it whispers the message rather than screaming it, in the most persuasive manner. Go vegan and start lovingitvegan! 🙂
Tasty, innovative and just great!