Make your own keto Twix bars! Tender shortbread crust topped with sugar-free caramel and milk chocolate. A delicious low carb way to satisfy those chocolate cravings.
Oh hello delicious homemade keto candy bars! I first published this Keto Twix Bar recipe back in 2014. But the keto lifestyle has come a long way since then and I decided it was time for a delicious update.
Are you a milk chocolate fan or a dark chocolate fan? Or are you like me, entirely ambidextrous when it comes to chocolate, happily swinging both ways depending on your mood?
I do love some really good, anti-oxidant rich dark chocolate, but there are some keto desserts that just scream milk chocolate. Like these homemade keto Twix. It simply wouldn’t be right to make them with dark chocolate. It would take away from their Twix-ness, if you know what I mean.
It really is remarkably fun to make your own keto candy and chocolate. Remaking your old junk food favorites into healthier alternatives means you are less likely to be swayed into temptation. And you can indulge without guilt!
Maybe you weren’t a fan of Twix back in the day. But I have any number of copycat keto candy recipes, so you’re sure to find something you love.
Updated Keto Twix Bars
When I decided to re-visit this recipe, I was happy to find that I didn’t have to change all that much about it. But the caramel filling really needed an overhaul.
Back when I first created keto twix, I made my caramel sauce with a few tablespoons coconut sugar. Good brown sugar replacements like Swerve didn’t exist back then and it was a compromise to get the deep, rich caramel flavor I was seeking.
But I’ve vastly improved my keto caramel sauce with the combo of Swerve Brown and BochaSweet. Not only does it have a rich and deep flavor but it also stays soft and doesn’t recrystallize.
But for the filling of these homemade Twix, I needed the caramel to be thicker. So I used much the same method as I did when making my Keto Turtles. It turned out perfectly!
Tips for making Keto Twix
For the crust:
- Be sure to line your pan with parchment paper, so that you can lift the bars out in one piece and cut them to your liking.
- Almond flour makes the best keto shortbread crust, but if you need to be nut-free, you can try sunflower seed flour instead. Coconut flour will not work in this recipe.
- Press the crust mixture firmly into the pan with your fingers. Then take a flat bottomed glass to even it out.
- Bake until golden brown and then let it cool completely before adding the caramel. Otherwise it won’t crisp up properly.
For the caramel:
- There’s no getting around it… if you don’t use the mix of two sweeteners, you won’t get the perfect caramel filling.
- While I highly recommend Swerve Brown, you can use Golden Lakanto instead. It really doesn’t have the deep brown color and flavor but it will work. If you can’t get any brown sugar substitutes, try using ½ cup granular erythritol with 1 teaspoon molasses. That small amount of molasses will only add about 0.5g carbs per serving.
- If you can’t use BochaSweet, try xylitol or allulose instead.
- Boiling the caramel in two stages helps it thicken up better. In the second stage, you know it’s ready when the bubbles move more slowly to the surface.
- Don’t pour the caramel sauce right away or it will soften the crust. Let it cool for 10 minutes first.
- Freeze the bars after putting the caramel filling on, so that it firms up enough for you to spread with melted chocolate.
For the chocolate topping:
- This part’s easy! Just be sure to melt your chocolate double-boiler style. Milk chocolate tends to seize more easily than dark chocolate and the gentle heat of a double boiler will help prevent that.
- Also stay near your chocolate as it melts and stir frequently. Once it’s melted, remove from the heat right away.
How to cut and store your keto Twix bars
You can cut these however you like. It’s fun to cut them into long thin bars, to truly resemble the real deal. But it does make them a bit more fragile, so you can also just cut them into 16 even squares. They taste the same either way!
I do recommend a good sharp knife for slicing through the bars evenly. If the bars have just come out of the fridge, it’s a good idea to heat up the knife first to make clean slices. I like to hold my knife over the open flame of my gas stove.
Simply store in a covered container on the counter for up to 5 days, or in the fridge for 10 days.
Now go make yourself some delicious keto Twix bars. You can thank me later!
Keto Twix Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups almond flour
- ¼ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 ½ tablespoon butter melted
Caramel Filling
- ½ cup Swerve Brown
- 5 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup BochaSweet (can sub allulose or xylitol)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon glucomannan or xanthan gum
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- 4 oz sugar-free milk chocolate chopped
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 325F and line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper, allowing some overhang for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until the dough begins to clump together.
- Press mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and bake 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and let cool completely.
Caramel Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the Swerve, butter, and BochaSweet. Bring to a boil and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until bubbling and the sweeteners have dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add the cream and vanilla. The mixture will bubble vigorously. Sprinkle the surface with the glucomannan and whisk vigorously to combine. Whisk in the salt.
- Bring the mixture back to a boil, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbling thickly.
- Remove from heat and let caramel cool about 10 minutes, until thickened but still pourable. Pour over the cooled crust, making sure to spread to the edges.
- Place the pan in the freezer 1 to 2 hours to set the caramel.
Topping
- Set a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Add the milk chocolate and stir until melted.
- Pour the chocolate over the caramel and spread to edges with a knife or offset spatula.
- Refrigerate 30 minutes to set the chocolate before cutting into bars. You can cut long thin "Twix" bars or squares, your choice!
Ann says
Hi there. I’ve just made them and the last layer is setting in the fridge. Yum.
Just a question though – my caramel didn’t set/thicken :-(. In the end I stuck it in the freezer and that hardened it up, but I’m wondering how it’ll turn out when I go to cut it.
Do you know why it didn’t thicken? I did change one thing to the recipe and that was to replace the coconut sugar with the sweetener. Could that be the reason?
Thanks!
Carolyn says
No, it sounds to me like it didn’t actually cook long enough. But what sweetener did you use? Was it erythritol?
Ann says
Yes I used erythritol. I let it boil about 3 minutes. It’s absolutely delicious!! But I have to keep it in the fridge so that the caramel holds together… I used black chocolate on the top by the way, really yum!!
Rebecca says
Um, that should have been Years, not tears. 😉
Rebecca says
Yum! Tears before there were Twix, these were called “Millionaire’s Bars” and you’ll find the “all sugar, all the time” versions in cookbooks under that name! I used to love to make (and eat them) so thanks for the sugar-free version!
Karin says
What coconut sugar do you use? These bars are amazing!! Thanks!
Carolyn says
Just a brand I got from Whole Foods. I can’t remember what it is now, actually. I have a few bags of Bob’s Red Mill to try out now too.
Karin says
Thanks! I love your recipes!
Sara says
After reading through the comments, I saw you would recommend replacing the coconut sugar with more granulated Swerve for those who don’t have it on hand, but just that it would harden a bit more. It would still retain some softness, yes? Or would this end up being something like a HARD caramel candy in the middle of the bar?
Also, would ZSweet be alright to use instead of Swerve? Thanks so much!!
Jessica w says
hazelnut chocolate
Lori says
I don’t play favoites, I love chocolate any way, shape, or form it is served in.
Volanta says
Dark chocolate all the way.
Lorraine says
Bittersweet dark chocolate is my favorite.
Lindsay says
The darker the better!!
Karen Olayo says
Dark Chocolate.
Christy L. says
I love milk chocolate especially paired with caramel. I am in heaven!!!
Erin says
Love dark and milk chocs equally!
Angela Boehm says
I will definitely have to check these out next time I go to whole foods!!
Kathy Nehus says
Dark. I once threw Lilly’s chocolate chips into a nut and fruit trail mix that melted in a hot car. I had the most delicious clusters. Now I will do it on purpose. Yum.
Stacy T. says
Dark is my absolute favorite, especially the Lindt dark chocolate truffles!!!! Thanks for the chance to win!!
Gina demaree McKee says
I love it all, but milk chocolate is my ultimate favorite.
Debbie Stanton says
my favorite is dark chocolate.
barbara n says
I love milk chocolate!
Margaret Mayfield says
I love dark chocolate best, but chocolate is chocolate!