Chocolate Bar Cookies
If you grew up in Canada, Halloween meant a pillowcase full of candy — and certain bars always felt like a jackpot. Twix was one of those treasures, right up there with Coffee Crisp and KitKat. The combination of crisp biscuit, gooey caramel, and milk chocolate was worth a careful trade with your siblings or friends. These homemade squares capture the same magic: buttery shortbread, golden caramel, and smooth chocolate layered together. Not just for Halloween night, they shine on cookie trays and at gatherings — and they disappear just as quickly.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour (plus cooling)
Makes: About 24 cookies
Ingredients
Shortbread base
1 cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
Caramel layer
1 can (300 ml / 10 oz) sweetened condensed milk
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
2 tbsp corn syrup (or maple syrup for a Canadian twist)
Pinch of salt
Chocolate topping
300 g (10 oz) milk chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vegetable oil (for shine)
Method
Make the base: Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla until light. Stir in flour and salt until dough forms. Press evenly into the pan. Bake 18–20 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool completely.
Cook caramel: In a saucepan, combine condensed milk, brown sugar, butter, syrup, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and golden (8–10 minutes). Pour over cooled shortbread and spread evenly. Chill until firm.
Add chocolate topping: Melt chocolate with oil until smooth. Spread over caramel. Let set at room temperature before cutting into squares or bars.
Variations
Maple Caramel Twix Cookies: Replace corn syrup with maple syrup in the caramel.
Coffee Crisp-Inspired Bars: Sprinkle crushed coffee wafer bits over the caramel before the chocolate sets.
Sea Salt & Maple: Add a pinch of flaky sea salt over the chocolate before it cools.
Holiday Crunch: Mix in crushed candy cane or pretzels into the caramel for a festive twist.
Halloween is a big deal in Canada — in 2023, Canadians spent nearly $1.8 billion on cookies, confectionery, and snack foods. Twix was always one of the most traded and treasured bars, making these squares a nostalgic reminder of trick-or-treating, candy swaps, and the thrill of a full haul. Tremendously nostalgic and decidedly Canadian, they channel the taste of that candy bucket in homemade form.
