Peanut Butter Crunch Twix Bars (vegan, gluten free)
Making a healthier homemade version of the favorite Twix candies. A vegan gluten free shortbread topped with a layer of peanut butter salted caramel topped crunch almonds and topped with chocolate or carob "chocolate" layer. These are healthy enough to snack on and enjoy as a delicious treat!
Ingredients
Shortbread Layer
- 1 cup fine almond flour I used Bobs Red Mill brand
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Salted Caramel Peanut Butter
- 7 madjool dates, pitted soaked into about 1 cup of hot water
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup peanut butter I used organic creamy, unsalted (sub for other but or seed butter of choice)
- 2 tbsp dairy free milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp flakey salt I used Maldon brand
Chocolate Layer
- 1 vegan chocolate or carob bar I recommend using Hu Kitchen salted chocolate or Better Carob bar
- 2 tsp coconut oil unrefined
Additional Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds or peanuts
Instructions
Salted Caramel Peanut Butter
- Add pitted dates to a bowl and carefully pour about 1 cup of just boiled water onto the dates. Allow them to soak for 15-20 minutes then drain the water.
- To a personal blender or food processor, add soaked dates, maple syrup, peanut butter, vanilla extract, dairy free milk and sea salt and blend until smooth. (If there's still a little chunks or the dates don't worry, you can add a little more dairy free milk by the tsp if needed).
Shortbread Layer
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- To a medium-large bowl combine almond flour, coconut flour, maple syrup, coconut oil and sea salt. Use your hands to mix together evenly to form a solid ball of dough.
- Press the dough into a loaf pan lined with a piece of parchment paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the sides begin to get slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Add the the salted caramel peanut butter onto the shortbread layer and use the back of a spoon to evenly spread out.
- Top with slivered almonds, peanuts or nut of choice. (this step is optional if you don't want an added crunch layer, it's still delicious)
- Place into the freezer for 2-3 hours.
- To a bowl add a melted chocolate bar and coconut oil together until smooth.
- Remove from the freezer and add the chocolate layer to the top and smooth out until it covers the bars. Freeze for at least another 5 minutes.
- Remove from the freezer and remove from the loaf pan. Cut into 4 candy bars or amount of choice. Freeze and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.