So when Halloween came around as a kid, like many, I dumped the evening’s candy collection on the floor in the middle of our family living room. The highest piles were always snickers, Reeses’s, and Twix. I’d of course make serious swaps with my brother — I’d give him anything with mint in exchange with anything for peanut butter. My parents had their requests too. My Mom got the Peanut M&M’s in the yellow wrapper and my Dad got any of the Almond Joy’s or Mounds.
If you’re nostalgic for those childhood favorites, but your waistline or your self-control is telling you otherwise, then try making them instead with wholesome ingredients! Today’s recipe uses very simple ingredients that also happen to be vegan and gluten free. And while in my opinion they taste absolutely nothing like a Twix bar — because of the peanut butter — they do taste amazing and follow the same layered principles: A shortbread cookie crust, a creamy peanut butter filling, and a smooth chocolate topping.
They look a whole lot like a Twix, but they’re so much healthier. They’re so good in fact, that I’m going to try another recipe soon that will mirror a Twix with a caramel layer. Stay tuned. Until then, enjoy these this summer! The only baking part is the cookie base, which takes 10 minutes, the rest uses the refrigerator so it’s a hot-day kind of recipe.
Peanut Butter Twix Bars (Vegan & Gluten Free)
A revisit to the classic candy bar, Twix with the addition of peanut butter! A crunchy shortbread base, a peanut butter filling, and thick chocolate topping. Oh, and vegan and gluten free!
Base
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour, blanched
- 3 tbsp. coconut oil, melted (or butter if not vegan)
- 2 tbsp. maple syrup, pure
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Filling
- 2/3 cup peanut butter, natural (creamy or crunchy)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup, pure
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (or butter if not vegan)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Topping
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips (dairy free to make vegan)
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil (or butter if not vegan)
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, prepare the base by combining the almond flour, coconut oil (or butter), maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Mix with a fork until a thick crumb is formed. Spread the mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes.
While the crust bakes, make the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil (or butter), vanilla, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes, until the mixture bubbles slightly. Stir frequently. Pour over the crust.
Place in the fridge for 1 hour. If you’re in a rush, place in freezer for 20 minutes. You want the peanut butter to harden.
To make the chocolate topping, microwave the chocolate chips and coconut oil (or butter) in a microwave safe bowl in 30-second increments, until melted. Pour the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter layer. Place in fridge for 10-20 minutes, until the chocolate is almost hardened. (They are easier to cut when not completely cold).
Remove the bars from the pan and cut into 16 bars (the size of Twix). Cut the bars in the pan in half, and then cut each half into 8 (1-inch) bars, for a total of 16.
Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen.
A Bee Bakes 