If your favorite candy bar is a Twix then you are going to love these shortbread TWIX Cookies!
I pretty much love any candy bar that has caramel in it. I would have to say that my all time favorite is a Milky Way but a Twix candy bar runs a close second. So if you like caramel too, you are going to love these cookies.
The cookies start off with a buttery, flaky shortbread base then topped with caramel and finished with chocolate. I need to warn you that they are a very rich cookie so make sure you have some nice, cold milk on hand! Perfection!
Although these cookies look super decadent, they are easier to make than you think. You can easily use the Kraft wrapped caramels but my favorite caramel of all time is Peter’s Caramel. I get mine at a local cooking store called Gygi’s but you can get yours HERE. It is a large block of caramel but then you will have plenty left over to make these super yummy Apple Pie Caramel Apples!
So treat your caramel-loving self and your family to some of these TWIX Cookies. You will love them!
Twix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups softened butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 15 oz caramel **See notes
- 2 cups milk choc chips
- 2 tsp shortening
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Cream butter and sugar together. Add your vanilla, flour and salt. Mix well.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to ½ inch thick.
- To cut cookies you can use a biscuit cutter or I just used a small glass that was 2 inches wide.
- Place round cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350 for 14-16 minutes.
- Let cookies cool.
- Melt caramel and spread the caramel over the cooled cookies.
- Let caramel cool completely.
- Add your shortening into the chocolate chips and melt in the microwave. Use a microwave safe bowl and watch so that the chocolate does not burn.
- Spread melted chocolate over cooled caramel.
- Let chocolate set before serving.
- Do not put in the refrigerator as it will discolor the chocolate.
Notes
You will need these items for this recipe!
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how many does this recipe make??
I would say 2-3 dozen depending on the size of your circle.
These are fabulous! Gorgeous photos! Can’t wait to try them. Thanks for sharing!
They are rich but oh so yummy. Thanks for your kind words Aimee!
Hi Debbie,
I’m going to try and make these cookies for a cookie exchange and was wondering if you have ever doubled the recipe and if it still turned out ok? Thanks, Paula
Paula, I haven’t ever doubled it but my best guess is that it would be fine!
did you use actual shortening or butter?
Hi Melissa, I just used real butter!
Was the butter salted or unsalted? I’m assuming unsalted, but just wanted to be sure.
My butter was salted!
Do you think I could use butter rather that the shortening?
Dawne, I have always used butter when I have made this recipe.
Hi Debbie! Just wanted to make sure I’m doing the chocolate melt right. I don’t have shortening, just coconut oil or butter. Butter is ok to use to thin the chocolate? Thanks! 🙂
Ooohhh I think I would use the coconut oil over butter if you don’t have shortening. Crossing my fingers that works!
Hi Debbie,
Good news! I doubled it and it was totally fine!
However, I used the small little caramels (that are separately wrapped) and had a heck of time getting the caramel on the cookies (it wouldn’t stick) and once they all hardened…the caramel is so hard that it makes it hard to eat the cookie. The cookie itself is velvety smooth and yummy…but you can barely bite through the caramel!!
My guess is that the caramel you used didn’t do that. I live in Canada and wasn’t able to find the kind you mentioned.
If I make them again, I will definitely have to try and do something different for the caramel.
Thanks for getting back to me though!
Paula
I just followed the recipe for caramel apples on the caramels package, it does not get hard. It said to add water.
Maria! You just made my day! After a couple of other people made it and it didn’t turn out for them I am SO glad to hear that it worked for you!
When I make cookies with caramel.. I use the Kraft individually wrapped caramels.. put 15 caramels in a bowl, add 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream (I would start with 2 tablespoons & add more if needed) and microwave until melted.. put on cookies.. the caramel will stay soft and gooey! ☺
I agree with you Klaudia! When using the Kraft caramels you either need to add evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream to keep them soft!
I agree with the caramel comment, my cookies were as hard as rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow. So sorry that did not work for you Alexandra. I’ll take a look at the recipe again!
did you add a little heavy cream while melting your caramels? I have not made these yet but have read that adding the cream will help keep the caramels soft
I used Peter’s caramel but if you are using Kraft, then you should definitely add something like evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream!
Hi, is it possible to use the caramel sundae topping that comes in a jar?
Unfortunately I think that the sundae topping might be a little too runny. Great idea though….it would make it even easier!
For those that had issues with hard caramel, I used 30 Werther’s Originals soft caramels and added 4-5T of cream (or you can make cream substitute with margarine and milk). Microwave the caramels and cream until they are melted and mix together well. I let the caramel mix cool slightly so it was thick and wouldn’t roll off the cookie. Worked perfectly!
Wow! What a great idea! These look amazing!
How long can these be stored? Can they be frozen? Thanks for this amazing recipe.
Hi Marie! Ours don’t stay around long enough that I’ve stored them but I would guess around a week in an airtight container. I don’t think I would suggest freezing them however.
need to try this soon!
Sure hope you do! I’d love to hear how you like them.
These look delicious! I am wondering if you could make these as bar cookies? What size pan do you think would work?
Wow. I’m not sure. My best guess is that it would make a 9×13 pan just fine. You might have to adjust the caramel and chocolate but it shouldn’t be too hard to figure that out. Probably just whatever is to your liking. If you try it we’d love to hear how it turned out!
Just made these fabulous cookies for my family and grandkids! They love them! No trouble with the caramel or the chocolate! Just need to move quickly with putting the caramel on the cookies because it will harden if you procrastinate. The shortbread is divine and could easily stand on its own. This is a keeper!!
Heather you just made my day! I am so happy that this worked for you!
i like it, i was inspired to create a cookie with waffle creased cross design but hard to find in store, asking friends and store they dont have it, couldnt imagine i will find it shorisuperstore.com where they offer varieties for bake/cookware…more cheaper than amazon…
These were delicious. Big hit with everyone at the party I was at! I added a few tbs of heavy cream to the caramel, this kept it softt.
So glad to hear it was a hit! And great tip of adding cream to the caramel! Thanks Tamie!
I’m no baker – and unfortunately had a lot of trouble with these cookies 🙁 The dough was so soft and sticky even coated in flour that I couldn’t transfer to the grease cookie sheet after cutting them. I also doubled the recipe and only yielded about 30 (2in x .5in) cookies. I used Kraft carmel bits which worked well and were still soft after cooling, however the Hersey chocolate chips did not melt well and was very hard to spread even after adding milk. If I were to make again I would definitely cut smaller cookies (1 inch) and maybe chill the dough so it’s firmer and easier to work with?
I melted the kraft carmels with evaporated milk instead of water ( it was left over from making fudge). I put the melted Carmel in a disposable piping bag with a tube tip, worked very slick. I am going to try to freeze.
I’d love to hear how that turns out!
Hi Debbie,
Can you make the dough ahead and store in the fridge overnight? I want to make them for my son’s Christmas cookie exchange and would like to make the dough ahead of time. Thanks! 🙂
Hi Desiree! I have not frozen the dough but my best guess is that it would work. And some people have mentioned that the caramel can be hard. If that’s a problem, add a teaspoon or two of evaporated milk and hopefully that will help. With the caramel I had, I didn’t have a problem, but just in case!
Just made these today as part of my holiday baking. Unfortunately they are now in the compost 🙁 I too used Kraft caramels and had a heck of time getting them to melt. I added about 2 tsp of shortening to them and they melted perfectly. However, like a few have mentioned, the caramel turned so hard after cooling you can’t even bite thru them.
Made these for a Christmas party “cookie-off”. Added water to the caramel as others have, and they turned out perfectly! I won the contests too! Thanks for the recipe!
Congratulations Gabby! That’s awesome!
Just made these cookies and everything turned out great except the caramels! It’s hard to bite down on these since the caramel is hard as a rock. There were two recipe on the bag of caramels and the one I looked at didn’t mention adding anything, so I didn’t. Other than that, this was an easy and delicious recipe.
Thanks for stopping by Rosanna! Depending on what kind of caramel you use, sometimes you can add a couple of teaspoons of either evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream and that will keep the caramel soft!
Is there really no eggs or baking powder or sofa in these????
I don’t have shortening and tried butter but the chocolate came out super thick. How much butter 2 tsp? or is it more?
They came out perfect so far just issue with the chocolate part!