I still remember the first December I brought these Twix cookies to my mother-in-law's house. I had burned the first batch (we'll get to that), panicked, and nearly showed up empty-handed. Instead I scraped off the dark bottoms, hid them in my coat pocket, and handed over the good tray. My nephew Mateo took one bite and announced to the entire room that these were 'better than the actual candy bar,' and I have been making them every Christmas since.
Advertisements1
Here's the thing nobody tells you about candy-bar cookies: they can turn into hockey pucks in about ninety seconds. The caramel wants to leak, the shortbread bits want to crumble, and the chocolate drizzle wants to seize. I've made every one of those mistakes so you don't have to, and what's left is a cookie that stays soft for days, tastes like a Twix bar got a glow-up, and looks festive enough to gift on a plate with a ribbon.
If you're building a Christmas cookie box, this is the one people fight over. It comes together with one bowl, no chilling required, and the dough is forgiving enough that even a chaotic December Tuesday can handle it.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
Soft butter creams properly; if it's greasy or melty your cookies will spread flat. Salted butter works too, just cut the added salt to a pinch.
1 1/4 cups (250g) packed light brown sugar
Brown sugar is what makes these chewy instead of cakey. Dark brown sugar gives a deeper molasses flavor if you like that.
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
A little white sugar helps the edges set while the centers stay soft. Don't swap in all brown sugar or the cookies spread too much.
2 large eggs, room temperature
Room-temperature eggs emulsify into the butter instead of curdling it. If yours are cold, pop them in warm water for five minutes.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Use real vanilla, not imitation, since there are so few flavors here. Bourbon vanilla is my favorite for Christmas baking.
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
Spoon flour into the cup and level it off, or your cookies will be dry and dense. A 1-to-1 gluten-free blend works as a substitution.
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Cornstarch is the secret to that soft, chewy texture. You can substitute tapioca starch if that's what's in your pantry.
1 teaspoon baking soda
Check the date on your baking soda; old soda means flat cookies that won't brown properly.
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Salt keeps these from tasting cloying with all that caramel. If you only have table salt, use a scant 1/2 teaspoon.
1 1/2 cups chopped Twix bars (about 9 fun-size or 4 full-size bars), plus extra for topping
Chop them into rough 1/4-inch pieces so they distribute evenly. Milky Way or Snickers are fun substitutions if you want a different candy-bar spin.
3/4 cup (135g) semisweet chocolate chips, for drizzling
Semisweet balances the sweet caramel; milk chocolate makes it sweeter. Melt in 20-second bursts so it doesn't seize.
1/3 cup (80g) soft caramels or caramel sauce, for drizzling
Soft caramels melt smoothly; if using jarred sauce, warm it just until pourable. Kraft caramels are my go-to for this.
Tips & Tricks
Don't Overmix After the Flour Goes In
Stop the mixer the second the last flour streaks disappear, or you'll develop gluten and get tough cookies instead of chewy ones.
Chop the Twix Small
Big chunks create holes in the dough and the caramel oozes out onto the pan. Aim for pieces no bigger than a chocolate chip.
Watch the Last Two Minutes
These go from golden to burnt fast because of the caramel. Pull them when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone.
Cool on the Pan
Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes so the centers finish setting. Moving them too early makes them fall apart.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Parchment matters here because the caramel will stick to a bare pan like glue.
2. Cream Butter and Sugars
Beat the softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl so nothing hides at the bottom.
3. Add Eggs and Vanilla
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, mixing just until combined. The mixture should look glossy and smooth, not curdled.
4. Whisk the Dry Team
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together. This keeps the leavening from clumping in one spot.
5. Fold in the Twix
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low just until a few flour streaks remain, then fold in the chopped Twix by hand. Overmixing here is the number one reason cookies turn tough.
6. Scoop and Bake
Scoop 2-tablespoon mounds onto the prepared sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and set but the centers still look soft and slightly glossy.
7. Cool and Set
Let the cookies rest on the hot pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. The centers finish cooking from the residual heat during this rest.
8. Drizzle and Finish
Melt the chocolate chips in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring between each, then drizzle over the cooled cookies along with the warmed caramel. Sprinkle with flaky salt if you like and let the drizzle set for 15 minutes before stacking.
Delicious Variations
Salted Caramel Twix Cookies
Add 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt to the dough and finish each cookie with an extra pinch on the caramel drizzle.
Double Chocolate Twix Cookies
Swap 1/2 cup of the flour for cocoa powder and use dark chocolate chips for the drizzle.
Peanut Butter Twix Cookies
Replace 1/2 cup of the butter with creamy peanut butter and use chopped Twix with peanut butter in the middle if you can find them.
Gingerbread Spiced Twix
Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger and a pinch of cloves to the dry ingredients for a holiday twist.
How to Store Soft and Chewy The Best Twix Cookies Ever – Christmas Cookie Idea
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; refrigerate only if your kitchen is warm, and let them come to room temperature before serving so they soften back up.
Freezer
Freeze baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months; the dough also freezes well as scooped balls for up to 2 months.
Reheating
Warm frozen or day-old cookies in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the caramel softens, or microwave one for 10 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why did my Twix cookies spread flat?
Your butter was probably too warm or the dough needed a chill. Pop the scooped dough in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking, and make sure your butter is soft but not greasy or melting.
Q: Can I use full-size Twix bars instead of fun-size?
Yes, four full-size bars chopped into 1/4-inch pieces gives you about 1 1/2 cups. Just freeze the bars for 10 minutes first so they chop cleanly instead of smushing.
Q: Do I really need to chill the dough?
No, this dough bakes straight from the bowl in most kitchens. Chilling is only necessary if your butter got too soft or your house is warm, and it mainly helps the cookies stay thicker.
Q: How do I keep the caramel from oozing out and burning?
Keep your Twix pieces small and tuck any exposed caramel inside the dough ball before baking. If caramel does escape, it will bubble at the edges, which is normal, but small pieces keep it from pooling and scorching.
Q: Can I make these Twix cookies ahead for a Christmas cookie box?
Yes, baked cookies keep for 5 days at room temperature and freeze beautifully for 3 months. Add the drizzle after they cool so it sets into a clean finish instead of smearing.
If you make these Twix cookies this Christmas, I want to hear about it. Snap a photo, tell me whether your family guessed the secret ingredient, and drop a comment below. Happy baking, friend. You're doing better than you think.
Soft and Chewy The Best Twix Cookies Ever – Christmas Cookie Idea
The Best Twix Cookies Ever are soft, chewy and loaded with caramel, shortbread and chocolate for an easy Christmas cookie idea everyone loves.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups (250g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups chopped Twix bars (about 9 fun-size or 4 full-size bars), plus extra for topping
- 3/4 cup (135g) semisweet chocolate chips, for drizzling
- 1/3 cup (80g) soft caramels or caramel sauce, for drizzling
📋 Instructions
- 1Heat the Oven — Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Parchment matters here because the caramel will stick to a bare pan like glue.
- 2Cream Butter and Sugars — Beat the softened butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl so nothing hides at the bottom.
- 3Add Eggs and Vanilla — Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, mixing just until combined. The mixture should look glossy and smooth, not curdled.
- 4Whisk the Dry Team — In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together. This keeps the leavening from clumping in one spot.
- 5Fold in the Twix — Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low just until a few flour streaks remain, then fold in the chopped Twix by hand. Overmixing here is the number one reason cookies turn tough.
- 6Scoop and Bake — Scoop 2-tablespoon mounds onto the prepared sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and set but the centers still look soft and slightly glossy.
- 7Cool and Set — Let the cookies rest on the hot pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. The centers finish cooking from the residual heat during this rest.
- 8Drizzle and Finish — Melt the chocolate chips in 20-second microwave bursts, stirring between each, then drizzle over the cooled cookies along with the warmed caramel. Sprinkle with flaky salt if you like and let the drizzle set for 15 minutes before stacking.
Sofia writes about parenting and family wellness, exploring the messy, joyful reality of raising kids. She offers relatable stories and practical advice on everything from sleep training to managing screen time, always with a dose of humor.
