PEANUT BUTTER TWIX BARS

How to Make Peanut Butter Twix Bars

This is the best homemade candy bar that you will ever have or need! I’ve brought these around so many friends and family and they are insanely popular and get eaten within minutes. Yes, all 24+ twix bars get eaten in one sitting and I don’t blame anyone. They are truly addicting and by far way better when they are homemade from scratch. 

If we are going to eat candy than we might as well eat the sugar, unhealthy version but make it homemade. So if that is what you are looking for this is the recipe for you – this is not the recipe to use if you’re trying to break out your all natural peanut butter, replacing All-Purpose flour with coconut, oat or almond flour or to replace butter with coconut oil. I created these to taste like my version of a Twix bar with peanut butter instead of caramel and let me just say they are to die for! They are not the healthiest, but what great tasting desserts really are these days?

ASSEMBLY & SERVING

Make sure the shortbread and peanut butter layers are completely cooled and mostly hardened before cutting into it or else it will be a huge mess if the peanut butter is still sticking to the knife and spilling everywhere, or will crack and crumble if too frozen. Once cooled, you can cut it into as many pieces of any size you would like! They can be bite-sized or equal to the real size Twix – totally up to you!

The chocolate does not harden quickly when dipping so there really isn’t a rush, and can always be reheated. The only thing that needs more attention is letting them cool. If you do want to sprinkle flakey salt on top or some crushed up peanuts; make sure you leave them in the fridge only until they are mostly cooled but not completely hardened. If the chocolate is too melted and liquidy still, the toppings will sink into the chocolate and melt in. On the other hand, if the chocolate is completely hardened than the toppings will not stick at all. Therefore, taking them out of the fridge right before it is all the way cool and hard will allow for toppings to sit perfectly on top without sinking or bouncing/falling off.

By all means, REPLACE WITH A CARAMEL FILLING! I am not against making these your own and adding whatever you want to them. Use chunky peanut butter if that is also your thing and want a crunchier bite. Make a caramel sauce for a true Twix if you are also a caramel fan and not a peanut butter person or as simply allergic! Trust me they will turn out amazing however you make them.

These will definitely last you awhile, nothing in these candy bars will spoil if kept in the refrigerator or even frozen for a later date. I do recommend keeping them in a tupperware or zip-lock (something with a tight seal) so they last longer and can easily be taken out to enjoy. If left at room temperature on your counter or pantry the chocolate can melt as well as the peanut butter filling come to a warmer temp. and may start to become mushy. If it is the middle of winter, they can last a few days on the counter without melting but in the hot summer months in some parts of the World they will not last outside of the refrigerator.  

TIPS:

QUALITY OF CHOCOLATE – because these are homemade candy bars you want to use a high quality chocolate to coat these to add a rich flavor to each bite. I always use Ghirardelli or Valrhona for most of my baking. It also melts better and typically is easier to work with when coating desserts.

PEANUT BUTTER – I am all for high quality ingredients and using natural ones but Skippys is always my go-to when baking anything with peanut butter (i.e. cookies, frosting, candy bars, etc.) This isn’t the time to break out those all natural peanut butters because after all nothing about this recipe is healthy. It is all about flavor. 

SHORTBREAD –  I’ve come across tons of shortbread recipes that use different types of flour like oat, coconut, almond etc. and butter vegan replacements like coconut oil. Again, this is not your healthy version of a Twix bar it is hardy, full of flavor, sugary and has tons of butter and sweet aspects. 

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PEANUT BUTTER TWIX BARS

Servings

18+

servings
Prep time

40

minutes
Baking Time

20

Minutes

Ingredients

  • SHORTBREAD

  • 2 cups all purpose flour

  • ¾ cup sugar

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks); cold cut into cubes

  • PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

  • 1 ½ cups peanut butter (I use Skippys)

  • ½ cup maple syrup

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)

  • CHOCOLATE

  • 16-20 ounces semi sweet chocolate bar; melted

  • 1-2 Tablespoons unsalted butter; melted

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line an 10x8 or 9x13 square pan with parchment paper.

  • SHORTBREAD

  • Add all ingredients to a food processor - flour, sugar and cold butter (cut into cubes)

  • Pour out into the prepared pan and press down firmly until an even layer of shortbread is spread out across the bottom of the pan.

  • Bake for 30-38 mins until lightly golden brown around the edges

  • PEANUT BUTTER FILLING

  • In a medium saucepan add all the ingredients - peanut butter, maple syrup, butter & vanilla extract

  • Let simmer over medium heat stirring constantly until all the ingredients are melted together and incorporated. It will also start to thicken

  • Once it has completely combined and thickened slightly; pour over the shortbread mixture and lay flat in the freezer. Leave it there for about 45 mins - 1 hour. 

  • Once it has completely cooled and the peanut butter mixture has hardened slightly. Take it out and cut into whatever size bars you want. I typically make mine smaller because they are rich in flavor and its easier bite-sized and you get more out of it when they are smaller.

  • CHOCOLATE

  • Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boil saucepan over simmering water (or use a microwave in increments stirring every 30 seconds).

  • Assemble the peanut butter twix bars by dunking each bar in the melted chocolate using a fork to life it out from the bottom, tapping off any excess chocolate and place carefully on sheets of parchment paper. 

  • Let cool completely, placing in the refrigerator for about 5-10 minutes until the chocolate is mostly hardened but not fully. Optional: take it out at this point and add flakey salt or bits of crushed up peanut butter (make sure to do this before chocolate has completely hardened; if the chocolate is warm and melted still the salt will melt into it and not sit on top nicely)

  • Refrigerate overnight or until chocolate has completely cooled and hardened. 

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