I wasn’t the best eater as a child. After school I’d typically head to the vending machine and pick out zebra cakes or a chocolate candy bar to chow down on until my stomach felt not so great.
My candy of choice? PEANUT BUTTER TWIX BARS.
They were my weakness. I couldn’t resist the chocolate coating, crunchy shortbread crust and of course, that deliciously sweet peanut butter middle. Anyone else?
Now that I’m an adult, I rarely find myself buying candy bars. Probably because I’ve learned better eating habits and don’t crave the sweets of my childhood, but also because I love to bake at home and create my own better-for-you versions.
For example, remember my salted tahini caramel millionaire bars? Or how about those fabulous better for you peanut butter cups? SO GOOD.
Today’s recipe is all about my true love for peanut butter twix bars. The recipe is based off of my millionaire bars that you all fell in love with, but instead of a tahini caramel middle, there’s a peanut butter filling that’s nice, thick and perfectly sweet. Oh and of course, I can’t fail to mention that these are both vegan and gluten free too! Can I get a yum?
Homemade peanut butter twix bars ingredients
Just like classic twix bars, this healthy, homemade version has three delicious layers: a shortbread layer, a peanut butter layer and a chocolate layer. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Almond flour: the gluten free shortbread base is made with fine blanched almond flour for the best texture.
- Coconut oil: you’ll need some coconut oil to give the base a little moisture and to help the peanut butter layer firm up nicely.
- Maple syrup: we’re naturally sweetening the bars with pure maple syrup.
- Peanut butter: remember to use a natural, drippy peanut butter for the “caramel” layer. I love Wild Friends peanut butter, and you can use the code ‘AMBITIOUS15’ for 15% off!
- Chocolate chips: you’ll melt some chocolate chips with a little coconut oil to create that perfect topping. Feel free to use dairy free chocolate chips!
- Baking staples: don’t forget the vanilla extract and a little salt. Learn how to make your own vanilla here!
Optional ingredient swaps
I recommend sticking with the recipe as closely as possible so that you have perfect homemade peanut butter twix bars every time, but if you need to swap ingredients here’s what I can recommend:
- For the coconut oil: feel free to use melted butter or vegan butter instead.
- For the peanut butter: I think a natural, drippy almond butter or cashew butter would also work, but I highly suggest sticking with peanut butter for the best flavor. You can even use crunchy peanut butter if you’d like!
Can I use regular flour?
Unfortunately, no, I would not recommend using regular flour in place of the almond flour because the texture and flavor will be much different.
How to make healthy peanut butter twix bars
- Make the base. Start by mixing all of the shortbread cookie base ingredients together and pressing the mixture into an 8×8 inch square pan. Bake the base until slightly golden.
- Make the peanut butter layer. Once your shortbread base is done baking, mix the ingredients for the peanut butter layer together in a small pot over medium low heat for about 2 minutes until it’s nice and smooth.
- Layer the bars. Pour your peanut butter layer on top of the cooled shortbread cookie layer, and then place it in the fridge to solidify for about 30 minutes.
- Add the chocolate. When you’re about ready to take the shortbread + peanut butter layers out of the fridge, melt your chocolate chips with coconut oil in a microwave safe dish. Pour the chocolate over the peanut butter and tilt the pan to make sure it’s evenly covered. Place it back in the fridge for 20 minutes until the chocolate has hardened.
- Slice & devour. Once the chocolate has hardened you can cut the bars and enjoy!
Help! The tops of my bars cracked
I’ve had a few people tell me that when they went to slice their peanut butter twix bars the chocolate part cracked in a few places. To avoid this, let the bars sit out for a few minutes at room temperature before cutting into them.
Tips for perfect peanut butter twix bars
- Use the right pan. Be sure to use an 8×8 inch pan in order to get the right shape and consistency. A larger pan will make the bars too flat.
- Pack your almond flour. You’ll want to use packed almond flour (and make sure it’s blanched, fine almond flour) just like you would with brown sugar.
- Don’t skip the chill time. I know it’s tempting to put all of the layers together without waiting on the chill time, but you really do need the peanut butter and chocolate layers to chill completely so that the bars hold together well.
How to store healthy twix bars
- To store: these healthy peanut butter twix bars should be kept covered in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them. They will stay good in your fridge for about 1 week.
- To freeze: feel free to keep them in a freezer-safe container in your freezer for up to 1 month. If you do keep them in your freezer, be sure to leave them out on the counter for a few minutes before serving so that they soften up a bit.
More brownies and bars you’ll love
- Fudgy Flourless Almond Butter Brownies (gluten free + dairy free)
- Vegan Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Bars
- No Bake Superfood Brownies
- Ooey-Gooey Tahini S’mores Bars
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Tahini Blondies
Get all of my brownies and bars here!
I hope you love these homemade, healthy peanut butter twix bars! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Healthy Peanut Butter Twix Bars (vegan & gluten free)
Ingredients
- For the shortbread base:
- 1 ½ cups packed fine blanched almond flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
- 3 tablespoons melted and cooled coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the peanut butter layer:
- ⅔ cup drippy natural peanut butter (crunchy or creamy works)
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- For the chocolate layer:
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips, dairy free if desired
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch square pan with parchment paper. It’s important to use an 8x8 inch as a 9x9 inch pan may be too big.
- In a medium bowl add the almond flour, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Mix together with a fork until it forms a nice thick crumb texture. Add to pan and use your fingers to evenly press down into the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow crust to cool for 10 minutes before adding caramel.
- Next make the peanut butter caramel layer: Add the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract and sea salt to a medium pot and place over medium-low heat for approximately 2 minutes until caramel starts to slightly bubble, stirring frequently. Pour over slightly cooled crust.
- Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes-1 hour to completely harden the peanut butter. It shouldn't take longer than this, but if you are impatient, just place in freezer for 15-20 minutes, this should speed up the process.
- After 30 minutes or so, make the chocolate layer: Add chocolate chips and coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between until chocolate is completely melted. If you prefer, you can also melt the chocolate and coconut oil in small saucepan over low heat.
- Pour over the caramel layer and tilt pan side-to-side to evenly distribute the melted chocolate. Place in fridge for at least 20 minutes until chocolate is completely hardened and bars are cooled.
- Remove bars from pan and cut into 16 bars (that resemble twix bars). To do this, cut entire pan of bars in half, and then cut each half into 8 (1-inch) bars (not squares!), so you’ll end up with 16 bars. Enjoy! Bars should be kept covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on July 26th, 2019, and republished on March 8th, 2023.
313 comments
These look like the perfect vegan treat! This really reminds me of a snickers recipe I made, so I can’t wait to give this recipe a go!
Shannon | https://shannonmichelle1.blogspot.com
Absolutely! Hope you love these (and homemade snickers sounds amazing!)
I was a classic Twix girl myself, but these sound amazing I love that there in no refined sugar in them. it will make be feel slightly less guilty when I inhale them. Thanks as always for make a better for you version. We love your peanut butter eggs and pb cups at our house.
Absolutely! Hope you love these ones, and so happy the family loved my Reese’s eggs + pb cups 🙂
Would Coconut flour work as well?
I haven’t tried coconut flour, but it has a much higher absorbency and consistency so I wouldn’t recommend it on it’s own.
What a yummy treat! My kids and I enjoyed them for our afternoon treat today! Easy and delish. Thanks Monique! Had a hard time posting 5 stars with my cell phone. So posted none.
Amazing! Glad you all enjoyed. We’re working on a fix for the stars, but thanks so much for your note!
Hi Just wondering if I could replace the coconut oil in this recipe with another fat..butter or vegetable or canola oil as I can’t digest coconut oil? Love all your recipes Monique.
vegetable oil and canola will not harden life coconut oil. Butter might work best for a sub!
Butter should work well here! You may need to use a 1/2 tablespoon more butter in the crust though.
These were amazing!! I ran out of almond four so did half of the base with coconut flour and cooked in a loaf pan. Still turned out great!
Perfect! Glad that swap worked out. Such a great treat!
How much of each flour did you use? Thank you! 🙂
I can’t believe how simple these are… I have all the ingredients already. And so happy they’re gluten-free! 💙
Amazing!! Enjoy 🙂
What is “drippy peanut butter” as called for in the ingredients?
this means all natural, ingredients should just be peanuts or peanuts and salt!
Emaleigh is right – look for a peanut butter with just peanuts + salt that is pretty easily “pourable.”
Her work is not sloppy. Searching for a typo in a recipe then leaving a bad review for it is though. Another fabulous recipe Monique!
Can I use regular white flour instead of almond flour, or will that affect taste/consistency?
I wouldn’t recommend it as it will change both the taste & consistency!
Would ground almonds be ok instead of almond flour?
I wouldn’t recommend it – fine, blanched, almond flour has a much different consistency than ground up almonds, so the base won’t bake up the same.
Can regular gluten free flour be substited for the almond flour?
Unfortunately no. You can’t sub almond flour with regular flour or gf flour; they most likely would not turn out the same.
Curious if you have another suggestion for subbing the almond flour? My husband is allergic to almonds, and I’m wanting to make more gf options for our family, want to try a lot of your recipes but uncertain if there is a viable sub option. Thanks!
Hi Anne – Unfortunately I do not recommend subbing for a different flour for this recipe. So sorry!
I’ve already made these twice! They are devilishly delicious and are very easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. Just be careful and don’t over-indulge, like me, if you can help it!!! They are seriously so so good!
Glad you love them! The perfect, easy treat to keep in the fridge 🙂
What if I’m out of maple syrup? Would honey work?
Made these yesterday, and they are amazing! My husband won’t stop eating them, and is already asking me to make them again, they are so simple to make that I might just do it.
Amazing! So happy to hear that.
Can i use honey as substitute of maple syrup?
Honey should work, but the flavor will change and not be as caramel-like in the middle.
Do they taste very coconuty? Not a big fan of coconut 🙁
They don’t taste very coconut-y – more just like peanut butter and chocolate! You can also use butter in place of the coconut oil if you want.
refined coconut oil has no coconut flavor if you wanted to try that.
I’m excited to try these. I have the peanut butter caramel in the freezer now and it’s been almost 2 hours. Still hasn’t hardened. If not hard by morning (it’s late here), then I’ll go ahead and put chocolate layer on anyways. Hardened or not, the flavor can’t be bad! 😉
Hmmm, that’s odd! That’s never happened to me or anyone else that I’ve heard of. Did you happen to use liquid coconut oil, or change any ingredient in the caramel?
Made a batch yesterday for a NYE party. They were a hit! Are you supposed to melt the coconut oil first when making the carmel layer or just mix in the more “solid”coconut oil from the jar? Mine turned out fine except maybe a little bit tricky to cut since softer in the middle.
I’ll try to post a photo. Best wishes for an easy delivery and healthy bambino! 😻
So happy to hear that! Solid coconut oil will work just fine because it will melt with the other ingredients on the stovetop 🙂 Thanks, Mary!
I had the same problem . Mine didn’t solidify. The shortbread layer and chocolate layer are solid but the middle squished out.
I made them today. O.M.G. they are fabulous. This recipe is a keeper for sure. Thank you!!!
Amazing!! So happy to hear that.
Can I substitute brown rice flour for the almond flour? Thank you.
I haven’t tried it and would not suggest it for this recipe, sorry!
Delicious! Even my husband, who doesn’t have anything to do with a healthier version of dessert, couldn’t stop eating these. I used chunky peanut butter and it added a nice crunch. ❤️ AK!
Amazing! So happy to hear that, Cara. Crunchy peanut butter sounds delicious!
Looks great. I work with many vegans and vegetarians and would love to bring them a treat. Can you suggest a brand of chocolate chips to use?
Absolutely! I love using Enjoy Life: https://rstyle.me/+dVySdOhCCZQW11ljF3t4Hg they’re vegan & allergy-friendly!
Amazing!! Even better the next day 🙂
One of my new favs!!
20g of fat in 1 bar? How is that healthy…or are these healthy because they are gluten free?
They are full of healthy fats and no refined sugars – I’m all about using wholesome ingredients in my healthy treats.
Ooh, these are good! I think I enjoyed the smell of the crust baking, and the peanut butter sauce melting as much as I enjoyed eating the finished product! I think this sauce would be amazing on ice cream… Thanks for the recipe!
Aren’t the smells amazing?? Also the caramel would be SO good on ice cream. Glad you loved these!
Can you skip or reduce the amount of coconut oil in the peanut butter and chocolate layers?
Unfortunately, I would not recommend — sorry! I have only tested the recipe as is.
Can’t wait to try this recipe. Sounds simply delicious and looks relatively easy!!
They are! Hope you love them!
These are amazing!! Have made multiple times now, they taste so yummy and the hard to please boyfriend thinks they’re a hit too, can’t get the rating button to work but would give it 5 stars
These are absolutely delicious. My kids loved them. Made them twice already Super easy to make and I even made my own almond flour which gave them a crunchier texture.
Great! So happy to hear that!
I’m going to try these this weekend! So excited!!
Amazing! Hope you love them!
These homemade twix bars have changed our lives. My husband is obsessed with them and wanted me to make extra to bring into work with him because something this good must be shared with the world. Already made 3 batches. May or may not make another batch right now….
Amazing! They changed my life, too 😉
Hi these look absolutely amazing, however I’m allergic to Coconut is there another oil I can substitute instead ?
Feel free to use butter or a vegan butter instead!
Can I do almond butter instead?
Absolutely! Enjoy.
This was delicious. No one would even know if was healthy!!
I had to use more almond meal than the recipe said. It was very runny. Not sure why. Maybe because the almond meal in Australia is different consistency.
I used a paleo chocolate too which made the whole dessert refined sugar free. Awesome!
So good! Hmmm the almond meal might be what’s causing a different texture (especially if this is different than almond flour) but I’m glad these worked out well!
This is so delicious. Definitely 5/5!
Glad you love them!!
AMAZING!!!
One of my favs!!
What I regret most about this recipe is that I should have listened to the lady who said to make a double lot !!!! Easy and delicious.
Two takes out of this for me — apart from that one is to bake the base just a little longer and to cut back a little on the salt due to the pink Himalayan salt I use. Great recipe.
One of my all time favs! So glad you enjoyed (and good tip with the pink salt)
Holy moly these were phenomenal. I took them to work and everyone devoured these. I doubled the recipe and they still disappeared so fast.
Amazing! So happy everyone loved these 🙂
Easy to freeze for when you want a treat
Absolutely – yum!
My husband and I are trying to be on purpose with eating clean and staying consistent means we needed to find some healthy treats to indulge in every now and then. I have loved recipes from this website before so I thought I’d look for some healthy treats. These were amazing. So light but still so decadent. I highly recommend. So simple and delicious!
Amazing! So happy to hear that, Joelle 🙂 more delicious treats to come!
I made this and I love it! It’s soooo good. My family tried it and they think it’s awesome. Even my grandma likes it! I was wondering if I could sub the almond flour for oat flour or some other non nut flours. I bake with a lot of oat flour because some of my family can’t have gluten and I love the consistency I got with the almond flour. Is there any way of getting the same delicious consistency with oat flour? Thank you
So glad you and the family love these! I’ve only made these as is so I’m not certain about using another flour. Oat and almond flours are very different. Let me know if you try them with another flour!
I love these!!! If you love peanut butter and chocolate, you will love these too. My husband does not prefer coconut and there is a slight coconut taste from the oil. I might try using butter next time in the base but maybe not- I’m not sure I want to share with him ; )
Best flavor combo! Yes, feel free to use butter for his batch 😉 glad you love them!
So delicious and easy to make!!
The perfect great! So happy you liked them!
super easy to make and they are hands-down the best treats ever! I’m the only vegan in my household, and my family loves these. I enjoy the fact that I can add any nuts or coconut flakes on top of the chocolate layer then let it sit in the refrigerator. I whipped the peanut butter non-stop with a whisk and it makes it extra creamy.
Amazing! So happy everyone loves these 🙂
I couldn’t possibly praise this recipe enough! I did not have almond flour, so I ground blanched almonds in a food processor as finely as possible and added a few tablespoons of coconut flour. Regardless of that substitution, these bars are simply outstanding! Healthier and more delicious than a Twix bar, simple and easy to make, few dishes used, pantry ingredients, kid approved- this recipe really has it all!
I’m glad the DIY almond flour worked out well (and that they’re kiddo-approved!) Such a great treat 🙂
Hi! Can I substitute agave nectar for maple syrup?
Hi! I haven’t tested it but let me know if you give it a try!
So good! I could easily eat the peanut butter caramel layer by the spoonful! Followed the recipe exactly, using a mix of Hu chocolate gems and dark chocolate chips for the chocolate layer. I refrigerated half of them and froze the rest, and love how they taste cold straight from the fridge. Do yourself a favor and make this recipe, it won’t disappoint!
So delicious! Glad you loved these!
Could I sub Swerve (low carb sweetener) for the maple syrup to get less carbs? If yes, about how much?
I haven’t baked with Swerve before so I’m not 100% sure how they’ll turn out. Let me know if you give it a try!
SOOOO delicious! Have already made this recipe multiple times. Easy and made with pantry staples! 🙂
Amazing!! So happy to hear that 🙂
Wow, these are amazing and so easy to make! Probably one of my favorite dessert recipes I’ve ever made. I think I prefer them straight from the freezer too.
One of my favorites, too! Glad you loved them!
Can i use almond butter instead of peanut butter
Absolutely!
These are truly amazing! Good on day 1 but i almost think they are even more amazing the next day, if they last that long! Well done 🙂
Absolutely! So delicious 🙂
This has been one of my favorite recipes! These was a huge hit in my family that even my husband loved them! I’m on to my 3rd batch!
So easy to make & so delicious.
Such a great dessert!!
We have a coconut allergy in the family, what sort of oil would you recommend substituting?
I’d recommend butter or vegan butter instead!
Hi there! Super excited to make this. Do you think I’ll have a lot of trouble getting these out of the pan if I don’t use parchment paper? (Definitely something I should invest in, but I was thinking just spraying the pan with cooking spray would do the trick, but I might be wrong?)
That could work! It might be a little tricky to remove but should be okay— let me know how they turn out.
Dear Monique
I‘ve baked these bars the first time and they are very delicious!
For my taste I used more maple syrup in the dough and this produced more strength.
Thanks a lot for your recipe.
Susanne😊
Hi Susanne! I’m glad you love these and that they work out well with more maple syrup 🙂 such a great dessert!
This is a PERFECT recipe. They are amazing, I’ve already made them multiple times and will be making a double batch from now on!
So happy you love them!
“The best thing I’ve ever cooked” said the boyfriend. He then asked “can you do snickers next??” Haha. Huge success. Thank you!!
Haha love that! Glad you two enjoyed 🙂
These were AMAZING!!! We love these and the tahini caramel millionaire bars equally well – it’s so hard to choose! Love your healthier treats, Monique!
Both are two of my favs, too! Glad you’re loving the treats here 🙂
These are incredible! I’ve made them twice now and everyone raves about them! I only have a 9×9 pan or a 9″ cake pan, and I’ve made them in both with no issues – they are just as thick as in Monique’s pictures! Thanks for another awesome recipe!
I absolutely loved The taste of this but not sure if the shortbread base is suppose to harden or not?! Mine stayed soft and a bit undercooked even though I kept it longer then 10 minutes in the oven!
The shortbread base should be hard and stick together well, especially after refrigerated due to the coconut oil!
Amazing! My family loves them. I think next time I will use less maple or different type of maple syrup. My ended up a slightly too sweet but there were amazing. I love peanut butter Reese’s and to me this taste like them. Highly recommend this recipe.
I’m glad these were a hit! Everyone’s sweetness preferences are a bit different 🙂
Sooo tasty! I used almond butter as im allergic to peanuts, with a sprinkle of sea salt for the caramel and it worked perfectly aswell. These are just delicious and went down very well with my family
Perfect! Glad everyone enjoyed!
Hi!! Do you think I might use oat flour instead of almond flour?? Thank you! I really want to try this 🙂
Hi! I haven’t tried it, but let us know if you do!
Having trouble rating this on my computer, but 5 stars! This recipe was so easy and so delicious! I followed it exactly as written (I used Skippy natural PB, so not totally natural, but it still worked!), and even my not-a-fan-of-healthy-desserts-fiancee loved these!
So happy you loved it! We’re working on a fix for the stars too 🙂
These bars are DELICIOUS! They have become very popular in our home, thank you soooo much! A question: when I was cutting them, the chocolate cracked few times, do you have any advice on that? I would like to make them as pretty as yours 🙂
Thank you once again!
So happy to hear that! Let them come closer to room temp before cutting them 🙂
so good Monique! I live in Switzerland and I couldn’t find almond flour so I used almond meal; definitely doesn’t have that shortbread texture but still so delicious! can’t stop eating them!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great treat 🙂
This did not work. Tried the recipe twice, following the recipe exactly but the ‘crust’ turned into a sloppy mess and was not hard enough to be a crust. Terrible recipe. Wasted multiple bags of almond flour and coconut oil trying to do this. Not happy.
Sorry to hear you had such an issue! So many readers have tried this recipe with success and have rave reviews!
INSANE! Totally worth the effort. My only complaint is that I didn’t double the recipe. Will make again. Followed recipe exactly.
Absolutely! Glad you loved them 🙂
Made them last friday and they are great!
The recipe is easy even for someone like me who has not a lot of experience in baking.
I just made a little bit more dough for the crust because my pan was 9×9 and not 8×8.
But that worked out fine.
I took some with me to work which made my colleagues very happy.
Perfect! So glad everyone enjoyed!
So delicious! I only had a 9×9 pan and it still worked out okay.
Perfect! Happy to hear that.
Can we sub with a different flour and nut butter?
You can definitely use a different nut butter but i wouldn’t not recommend a different flour.
The taste of theses are soo good. I had a problem with the peanut butter becoming solid. My peanut butter layer stayed gooey. What did I do wrong?
Hmmm strange, did you use virgin unrefined coconut oil that is solid at room temp? If so, you shouldn’t have an issue. I recommend placing in the freezer for longer.
I’m really critical of replications of treats. These TWIX bars are fantastic that I don’t miss the real thing!!! So good. I will try a keto version with sugar-free maple syrup.
Thank you for this recipe!!
So happy you loved them! Let me know how that goes 🙂
Can I use molasses or corn syrup instead of maple syrup? Can’t find maple syrup here. Thanks!
I would not recommend, but you could try date syrup or honey.
These were amazing and easy to make!
So happy to hear that!
Hi. Just a question about coconut oil and what kind you use when baking this recipe. Do you use virgin or refined? Just did not know if you wanted the coconut flavor. Any help from past bakers recommended too!
Hi! I use a virgin, unrefined coconut oil.
THESE ARE INCREDIBLE! Run, do not walk, and make these ASAP. Pecan pie is my favorite and this recipe has answered my prayers of a healthier version that does not skimp on taste. I honestly would prefer this over pecan pie because you don’t get the gut ache or crash from all the processed sugar and carbs. THANK YOU for this recipe!!!
So glad you loved them!!
So good! We are gluten free, and this guilt-free treat was amazing!we used dark chocolate for the top layer to make it even healthier!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
The PERFECT gluten free/healthier alternative to Twix bars. My husband and I both love these, and I have to ration the portions every time I make them. (Bonus: When you’re baking the biscuit base, your kitchen will smell like pancakes!)
Absolutely! So happy to hear that!
I love this recipe! I’ve made it so many times and it never disappoints ☺️. Big hit with the fam as well! A true ambitious kitchen classic!
Absolutely! One of our fav desserts, too.
I made these for my family and they are a huge success. My main concern…. some of my chocolate on top cracked when I cut it. How can I avoid that next time?
Glad they were a hit! Let them warm up at room temp just a bit before cutting into them to help avoid that 🙂
I made these last weekend and this is the perfect guilt-free treat. Everything is well balanced. I used a mix of creamy and crunchy peanut butter and a mix of semi-sweet chocolate chips and a few squares of 80% dark chocolate.
I had to freeze it before cutting them up in bars (I had 22) because the peanut butter was way too soft. I wrapped them individually in foil and keep them in the freezer.
I looked at other recipes, but they use a lot of butter and sugar which double the calories.
Thanks for this great delicious alternative!
Love it! Glad you enjoyed!
I just HAD to come and leave a comment on this recipe, because it is straight up PERFECTION!!
I’ve made them twice (in the past week) and they’re just beyond amazing.
The first time I made them exactly as written – perfect.
The second time, I only had 1/2 of the almond flour required, so I did 1/2 almond flour, 1/2 coconut flour. And I use cashew butter instead of peanut butter. The result was the same: amazingness!
I looked in the container in the fridge and there were only a few left, and I asked my husband where they went, and he told me he’s been having one after lunch and dinner every day, and then kids all want them too when he’s eating one, so they go quick in our house.
I’m glad those swaps work out well! Perfect treat for the whole family 🙂
Absolutely LOVE these! Better than the real thing. Easy to make, healthy alternative, and perfect consistency!!
So happy to hear that!!
Excellent – I had to use butter for the filling portion (I didn’t have quite enough coconut oil for the whole thing) and it came out great. If things ever get back to normal, can’t wait to bring these into work – lots of chocolate/peanut butter lovers will be very into this.
Perfect! And absolutely 🙂
I think these are better than the real deal. I make these all the time, bring them everywhere and keep them in the freezer!! And now I want to go make more just thinking about them.
I think mine posted without the stars – I blame the thought of making more 😉
Amazing! So glad you love them!
These are SO delicious. The perfect sweet treat and super easy to make 🙂
i love these healthy twix! i have used almond meal as almond flour is hard to come by in Europe and it has worked out just great!
i love these!
Such a yummy treat!
I used all ingredients listed except vanilla extract & coconut oil (used coconut butter instead) and these are amazing! I think the vanilla would make them taste even better though. Coconut oil would have made it a little less crumbly. It was still so decadent and less guilty knowing you’re not eating junk! I feel totally fine giving these to my daughter as well which of course she loves. Will be making again and freezing to always have on hand when we need a specia treat.
I’m glad they still worked out! Such a great treat 🙂
I made these for the first a few days ago, and these are so amazing, a much healthy take on a traditional twix bar! Recipe was also very easy to follow.
Amazing! Glad you loved them.
These are a treat you don’t feel guilty about after! Sweet but not heavy. Will definitely make again!
The best dessert!
These are stupid good. You need them in your life right now. Easy to make, simple whole ingredients, and insanely delicious!
So glad you loved them!
Absolutely delicious! Every time I make these, the barely last two days. My family adores them and I can never have just one piece 🙂
Thank you, Monique for these amazing recipes that you create and share with us!
Love it! The perfect treat 🙂
Twix Bars got nothing on these! So delicious!
WOW! Delicious!!
Glad you loved them!
Simple and delicious!! The entire family loved these – including our kids (3 and 5 yo). I used Justin’s PB and it didn’t harden or set as quickly as the recipe described. So the first round of treats were a little messy (but that didn’t get in our way at all). I am storing them in the freezer now and they are perfection.
Perfect! I’m glad they turned out well 🙂
I made these yesterday- they will absolutely be a new staple in my home! They were so easy to prepare, they look perfect and taste really delicious!! Everyone in my family loved them. Thank you so much for sharing another amazing recipe!
So happy to hear that!
These are delicious my whole family loves these !
I’m so glad!!
Made these for Easter and they were a big hit! I didn’t have an 8 x 8 pan, so I used a 9 x 13 and tripled the recipe (we have a big family). Still turned out great. Definitely taste best straight from the fridge/ kept cold. Keeping this recipe for future use!
Perfect! Love that!
These are the BEST!
So glad you love them!!
I made these along with the Reese’s eggs for our Mother’s Day brunch today! They were both amazing!!! Everyone loved them!
Highly recommend trying both! ❤️
Love that! Perfect treats 🙂
Is there a sub for almond flour? Dying to make them
I haven’t tried anything else in this recipe, so not sure, sorry!
These are delicious! Just the right amount of sweetness and peanut butter.
So happy to hear you’re loving them, Tara! 🙂
These are delicious!! It’s hard to find gluten free vegan desserts that are easy and yummy but this is it! After pouring the chocolate layer I kept them in the freezer until ready to serve and everyone loved them. Just the write balance of salty and sweet. Unlike the millionaire shortbreads I found this to be not too coconuty!
Oh yay, I’m so happy everyone loved them! If you’re not a huge fan of the coconut flavor you can use refined coconut oil, which doesn’t have that same coconut-y flavor 🙂
Can you use any other flour? I am allergic to almonds.
Sorry to say I haven’t tried any other flours in here, so I’m not sure! Let me know if you try something else 🙂
This was so easy and quick to make and sooo good! I had all ingredients on hand. I stuck it in the freezer to help the peanut butter set up because it was taking a while in the fridge. But once it was I. The freezer it set up in no time. This is a great cleaner quick treat especially if you don’t want to dirty a lot of dishes and equipment.
Yay!! I’m so happy you loved these, Isabelle!
I would recommend making sure you don’t use a pan smaller than 8×8 like I did – the crust ended up being too thick and separated completed from the bottom crust. Overall the flavors of each layer were 10/10!
Sorry to hear that, I haven’t had that happen before! Did you use parchment paper? So glad it was still tasty 🙂
My absolute favorite dessert recipe!! So easy to make and the flavors just melt in your mouth. There’s nothing better than peanut butter and chocolate and this was the perfect balance.
These are delicious! And so so easy to make! We love these in our house!
Hands down best copycat Twix recipe ever!! I’ve made these so many times and they are the perfect sweet treat. So easy, healthy & delicious!
These were super delicious! I love that I could taste some coconut flavor coming through. I would definitely make these again or potentially explore other similar recipes on the site.
This is delicious!!!! The perfect treat to share at a party or gathering. It’s way tastier than actual Twix, in my opinion:):)
Don’t wait another day to make this treat!
I am 100% obsessed with these! They are SO good. I made them for a dessert after a family BBQ and everyone loved them.
I keep these in the freezer at all times now … just go ahead & make them. You won’t regret it!
So delicious and super easy to make. These are my favourite dessert snack to make.
These are my go to thing to make for a gathering or if you need something to drop off at someone’s house. They are super easy to make and people LITERALLY think I’m the most talented baker/dessert artist every dang time. Cuz they are that good. Make them!
This is my absolute most delicious dessert that I am constantly making. I’m a peanut butter lover so this really hits the spot. Thank you for always having such creative food recipes, I love your blog!!
These were a huge hit in my house! Super yummy frozen. As always, you knocked it out of the park. Every recipe I try of yours is a winner!
Another amazing recipe, loved them, froze some but I know they definitely won’t last long there, my son and husband love these.Perfectly peanut buttery with a satisfying chocolate crunch.
Aren’t they the best treat?! So addictive 😍
These healthy peanut butter Twix bars are just perfect! So easy to make, tasty, and a great snack when craving a little chocolate treat!
Right?! One of my fav treats, too! Glad you loved them 🙂
I made them and the shortbread didn’t turned out very soft with no crunch. Can it be that I needed to bake it longer?
Sorry to hear that! Yes you can try baking them longer if you prefer a crispier shortbread, but it should harden in the oven.
Could you use any kind of nut butter? Almond? Nuttzo?
I think so, as long as it’s “natural” (just nuts + salt as the ingredients) 🙂
This recipe is absolutely perfect! Really easy to follow, simple ingredients, and the ratios are spot on. Seriously, go make them!! I sprinkled some flaky salt on top before the chocolate hardened and it was a lovely salty-sweet taste. Those left plain were similarly fantastic. Can’t wait to make them again.
Yaaay! So happy you loved them, Sarah! GREAT call on the flaky salt 😍
Can you use coconut flour or regular flour in sub of almond flour? These look amazing!!!
I don’t think so, sorry!
These are delicious! My teenage daughter made them and they turned out perfect. She used crunchy peanut butter and I love the extra crunch. They are perfectly sweet. I can’t stop eating them!!!
I just made these right now. My whole family tried them and they absolutely loved them! They are SO good! I love how the ingredients are much more better for you than what you would see in a regular Twix bar as well. I don’t think these are going to last long in my house, half of it is already gone! This is for sure going to be a go-to treat now. I’ve tried several of your recipes already and they have all been so great! Thank you!
Absolutely love these!!! Delicious and easy to make. I store them in the freezer and my husband makes sure to remind me once we are out!
Haha NICE, so happy you both love these!
This came together perfectly! I love that my friends that love their sugar and flour loved these too!
Amazing dessert! The whole family loved it.
SO delicious and easy! I love that the bars are sweet, but also are filling because of the almond flour and they don’t leave you with a sugar high. My only tip would be to melt a bunch of coconut oil in the beginning to use for all three components – I ended up measuring and melting separately and it was a bit of a mess. Also, I topped with Maldon sea salt and it was delicious (I’ve also topped with holiday sprinkles before). And just note that if you’re looking for a true caramel in your Twix, this isn’t the recipe for you because it’s more PB than caramel – but I love it just as it is!
Great tip re: the coconut oil! So happy you love these!
I have been putting off making these because I knew I would lack self control…I was right. OMG THESE ARE THE BEST! Seriously, don’t hesitate to whip this together asap!
Haha so glad you finally had the chance to try them and that you loved them! Woohooo!
These are 😋! Better than Twix in my opinion!
YAY glad you think so!
Huge hit! Super delicious and easy to make
YAY I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for the review 🙂
I made these Twix Bars and they are definitely yummy and a keeper for sure. The peanut butter + chocolate combo is one of the best. I love the whole peanuts inside the bars surprisingly add so much crunch and add another layer o deliciousness. I keep them in the freezer and they taste good frozen or thawed abit. A must make! Janet
So glad you tried them, Janet! They’re one of my fav treats on the blog 🙂 Thanks for the review!
These are my absolute favorite! Everyone goes nuts for these (even my boyfriend that doesn’t like “healthy” desserts)! I sun honey in for the maple syrup, same measurements, and it works perfectly! Thank you!
Absolutely amazing – my new favorite dessert 😍
Ahhh I’m so glad!! Mine too 🙂
This recipe looks amazing. As a type 1 diabetic, though, the carb count as published would be too high for me to eat comfortably. Would this recipe work with maple flavored monk fruit syrup instead? Has anyone tried it?
Hi, Erin! I haven’t personally tried it so I can’t say if it would work in here, sorry!
I haven’t tried this recipe but it sounds delicious; however, coconut oil is no longer considered a healthy fat, so this snack is not a healthy alternative. Perhaps you could update the recipe using a different oil.
Here is just one reputable site that addresses the myth of coconut oil being healthy. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-there-a-place-for-coconut-oil-in-a-healthy-diet-2019011415764
Hi, Gail! I haven’t found any other oil/fat to work as well in here so I can’t provide an alternative, sorry to say. Let me know if you try anything else in here!
Delicious! These are a household favorite. I make a pan weekly and usually have to double the recipe to make it last long enough. After giving them time to cool in the refrigerator, I cut them into small squares and freeze them – my 20 month old loves to eat them cold. I make sure to throw a little extra oil and syrup into the crust and the salt on the top is a must. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
I’m so happy these are on repeat for you and the fam!! Love that you eat them frozen, too. YUM.
Very easy and very good!
YAY I’m so happy you enjoyed them, Carol! Thanks so much for the review 🙂
One bite and it’s like OMG…taste bud Heaven! Better than the candy bar hands down. It’s a gourmet treat in my book.
Haha YAY I’m so glad they turned out amazing, Angie! Thank you!
These turned out so good. I think next time I will bake the crust slightly longer so it holds together better. I used peanut butter with a little oil in it and it took a long time to set. Also used a 9×9 cause that’s all I had and I don’t feel like they were too thin!
Really easy to make, I love the base of these bars.
This recipe sounds amazing!! Can’t wait to try! Would it work to use honey instead of maple syrup?
Hi! Honey should work, but the flavor will be different and not quite as caramel-like in the middle.
THESE ARE AMAZING! I’ve been trying lots of healthier desserts recipes from Pinterest lately (#pregnancy) & I’ve had no luck- so much to the point where my husband came into the kitchen while I was making these & said, “oh no not another Pinterest experiment” lol All that to say, these bars passed his test! He ate multiple after dinner this evening! I would say they’re a bit time-consuming, but definitely worth it!
Monique I cannot tell you how much I love your recipes. I have made many with great success, and have referred you to others often. I’m looking forward to making these Twix Bars for the gluten free option baked good that I’m taking to church Sunday.
Thank you so much, it means so much to me that you’re here! Enjoy these Twix bars, they are sure to be a hit 😊
Truly AMAZING!!!!! A knew one pan would not be enough for my crowd so I doubled the recipe and put it in a 13 x 9“ pan. I did end up cooking the crust almost 10 extra minutes but it was absolutely amazing! Love this recipe.
AMAZING!! So glad everyone enjoyed ❤️
The best!! So indulgent & filling. Such a great snack for when you’re wanting something sweet.
I made these over the weekend – they are absolutely delicious! It is so hard to stop at just one piece! They are so sweet, and with a bit of salt sprinkled over the top – amazing little snack! Thanks for the recipe! I will be making these often!!
Love this! So glad you are loving this recipe and that it came out great 🙂
Anyone looking at the comments to see if this is worth it….MAKE THESE! I have made them 3 times now and they’re truly amazing. I did one batch with unrefined coconut oil and the slight coconut flavor was delicious. I was curious about the textures and after the first bite I knew this would be a favorite in my house.
Ahh this is amazing! So glad you are loving this recipe and that it is a hit!
The cookie base didn’t crisp up for me! I baked for 12 minutes. Should’ve probably done more but I didn’t know what it should look/feel like. Otherwise they look great and I love the flavor, I don’t know what I did wrong but I will probably try again.
This recipe looks and sounds amazing. I am in the middle of making them right now. I wasn’t for sure if the cookie layer was supposed to be hard or not because the recipe didn’t state it. I baked them for exactly 10 minutes, but they were still soft when done baking. I saw in another comment afterwards, that they were supposed to be hard. I am waiting for the peanut butter layer to harden right now. It has been in the freezer for almost an hour and is still very runny. I did not substitute anything, so not sure what’s going on. Hopefully it hardens up. They smell wonderful! If it doesn’t work, I may try again later. Thank you!
I love Twix bars and haven’t had one in so many years. Would love to make this but I’ve recently developed a sensitivity to almonds 🥲 is there another gf flour that could work here? Could Oat,Cassava or Coconut be a replacement?
Hi Katherine – unfortunately I do not recommend another flour for this recipe! so sorry
Can I substitute almond flour for oat flour?
Hi – I do not recommend subbing a flour in this recipe, so sorry.
Love this recipe – it’s a real winner. I used almond butter, vegan butter, and honey. So decadent and delicious!
YUM! Sounds delicious, glad you are loving this recipe!
I made this recipe yesterday because my husband is a Huge Twix lover, but they fell short for us. I followed the recipe exactly, everything went smoothly and they came out looking great, but for us, the flavor was extremely coconut forward, which neither of us like. I’ve made many recipes in the past that use coconut in chocolate or pb so it will harden later on, and usually the flavor is secondary, but in this recipe it was the first thing we tasted and it took a couple more bites to really taste anything else. There didn’t seem to be a solid substitution other than using butter and more of it, and I wanted this to be somewhat “healthy”. I think the amount of coconut oil used in the shortbread portion of the Twix is what overdid it flavor wise, so I may try again and just use butter in that part and the coconut oil in the other two layers. As I said, this recipe came out great and we have loved just about everything I’ve ever made from AK, especially the brown butter chocolate chip cookies 🙂
Thanks so much for your feedback, Lauren. Really appreciate it!
can I substitute other nut butters in place of the peanut butter?
Hi Pam – drippy almond butter or cashew butter would also work, but I highly suggest peanut butter for the best result! Enjoy!
Can you do normal flour???
I don’t recommend subbing flours in this recipe – so sorry!
These are such a waste of ingredients!! I’ve never had a twix that tasted like coconut.. I didn’t even add coconut to my chocolate mixture because it just seemed like to much. The amount added to the crumble was enough to wreck this recipe.. If it wasn’t for the stupid coconut oil they would taste good. So mad,, I do love coconut but not in my twix bar..
So sorry this recipe did not turn out as you had hoped. I recommend using refined coconut oil, it will taste less like coconut.
The best bars ever! I recommend to all of my friends. Even kid approved! They’re so easy to make, decadent and really a wonderful treat!
Yay! I am so glad you are loving this recipe ❤️
Oh my gosh, these are SO bomb!!
These are delicious! I accidentally used 1c of coconut flour instead of all almond flour and it still worked! They did crack despite the tips. I would make them in mini cupcake pans next time as they just don’t look good but taste delicious!
Glad these turned out great of you. Mini cupcakes sounds like a fab idea, let me know how those turn out!
So good! The crust fell apart but I have a new oven and I’m still getting to know it. But they really do taste like Twix! Thank you for an amazing recipe!
Ahh this is amazing. SO glad you’re loving these Twix bars, they are definitely one of my faves!!
I loved the Twix slice and I made a few changes . I had no almond flour and used natural almond and blend it in my Vitamix really fine , the crust turned out really well . So did the caramel layer , left the pan in the freezer overnight and it hardened up nicely . The problem was the chocolate layer , I could only just spread it out over the top and it went really hard within seconds and the chocolate was sitting loose op top . I managed to cut it but had several breaks . Should I have taken the pan from the freezer much earlier or not to add the coconut oil to the chocolate ? I think next time I may try my round silicone cups , so I don’t have the problem with cutting the chocolate. It tasted very good , my husband reckons they are the best . Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Glad to hear that you are loving this recipe. Yes, sounds like the caramel was too frozen and it hardened your chocolate too quickly. Let me know if you give it another try and how it turns out for you!