Twix Style Cookies
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Bite-sized cookies with a creamy butter and cream cheese base, gently sweetened with sugar and vanilla. Flour blends in with salt and baking soda to give a subtle lift. Rolled and flattened dough yields soft, palm-sized rounds—baked just until edges turn slightly brown, tops no longer wet but moist. Topped with a quick homemade caramel melted from individually wrapped squares plus heavy cream for extra creaminess, spread carefully so it won’t spill off. Finished with a shiny chocolate ganache from melting milk chocolate chips into hot cream; chilled till shiny firm. Close attention to texture and timing keeps these from drying out or scorching. Balanced sweetness, soft chew with contrasted layers. Swap cream cheese with mascarpone or caramel squares for dulce de leche for a twist. Perfectly measured but follow instincts on doneness.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
14 min
Total:
39 min
Servings:
33 servings
#cookies
#caramel
#chocolate
#cream cheese
#baking
#American desserts
#snacks
Butter and cream cheese whisked till that creamy feeling melts in. Sugar with egg and vanilla punch up the softness and flavor, while flour aerates with a pinch of salt and baking soda to wake it up. Dough scooped and rolled, flattened gently so cookies maintain moist centers and crisp edges, but not paper thin. Baked with a practiced eye — not a minute more than they need — edges hint brown, tops no longer glistening wet but velvety. Next comes the caramel layer melted from little squares softened with cream to keep it luscious yet spreadable, carefully pulled toward edges but contained, no slips. Topped with a milk chocolate ganache made from melting chips in hot cream, resting till glossy, then smoothed over. Cold fridge sets everything firm yet tender. Past batches taught me not to overcook or skip chilling between steps, else you lose that magic chew and shine. These are a nod to classic candy bars but with home baked integrity.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened (or substitute mascarpone for tangier flavor)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 40 individually wrapped caramels (or use dulce de leche for twist)
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream (plus extra for ganache)
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
About the ingredients
Butter softened not melted is key — too warm makes dough greasy, cookie shape lost. Cream cheese substitutes like mascarpone add little tang and silkiness, but skip low fat versions—too watery. Granulated sugar fine grain preferred; can swap half brown sugar for molasses note if bold. Vanilla should be pure; extracts vary widely but it’s crucial for aroma. Flour must be sifted or well whisked with salt and baking soda to prevent clumps and ensure rise. Salt balances sweetness—never omit. Caramels unwrapped individually—helps melting uniformity; dulce de leche swap adds caramel twist but less firm. Heavy cream in caramel adds silkiness and thins caramel to spread easily, don’t skip. For ganache choose milk chocolate chips with at least 30% cocoa solids; higher cocoa darkens flavor. Careful with measuring chips and cream ratio—too cold cream or too little liquid leaves clumps. Microwave heating cream just till steaming hot, not boiling, preserves chocolate texture. Chill steps keep layers from melting into each other, preserve shape and shine.
Method
- Preheat oven 345 to 355 degrees F, seeking a balance between browning edges and soft center. Line three sheets with parchment to avoid sticking and ease cleanup.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together until silky, roughly 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Watch for no lumps but don’t overbeat into runny.
- Add sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Beat again until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. The air incorporated here lightens final texture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, and baking soda to combine evenly. Fold this into wet mixture carefully — beat briefly, no more than 30 seconds — just till incorporated. Overmix dries cookies.
- Scoop dough with tablespoon or cookie scoop around 1 1/2 tbsp. Roll between palms; flatten into patties about 2 inches diameter. Don’t press too thin or edges crisp too much, center dries.
- Arrange cookies on sheets 2 inches apart so heat circulates well and edges brown evenly.
- Bake 9 to 12 minutes. The tell: tops stop looking wet, edges get light brown. Not cracked or darkened. Cool slightly on sheets to firm up.
- Caramel time. Place unwrapped caramels with 2 tablespoons heavy cream in microwave safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds, stir; another 30 seconds till smooth. If not melting, add small splash cream carefully.
- Spoon half tablespoon caramel onto each cookie’s center. Spread gently towards but not over edges — caramel sticks, drips easily. Use back of spoon gently.
- Chill cookies in fridge while making ganache. Keeps caramel stable and prevents run causing melt down.
- For ganache, heat 1/3 cup heavy cream in microwave 30-45 seconds just bubbling hot. Pour over 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips in bowl. Rest 5 minutes - very important for even melt without scorching.
- Stir till ganache is glossy and smooth. Spoon about 1/2 tablespoon on each caramel center, spread gently towards edges but leave gap to prevent dripping. Too thin, it pools. Too thick, soggy.
- Refrigerate cookies until chocolate sets fully, firm to touch, not sticky.
- Store in single flat layer in airtight container at room temp or fridge. Avoid stacking or chocolate cracks. Let come to room temp before eating for best chew.
Cooking tips
Start by heating that oven a bit higher than usual for even color contrast. Creaming butter and cream cheese well but not too long keeps the air light without mush. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla with pauses to check texture—too fast and egg whites bind unevenly. Incorporate dry ingredients swiftly; overbeating gluten toughens for unwanted chewiness. Cookie shaping matters—practice consistent size and flatten just enough to avoid lopsided bakes; too thin = crunchy; too thick = underdone center. Bake sets on color cues, not timer. If unsure, gently press cookie tops; slight softness means ready. Caramel melts easier when cubed and cream warmed. Stirring stops scorching; homemades need eye on microwaves. Dolloping caramel and spreading near edge risks drips; err on smaller dollops. Cooling caramel before chocolate ensures proper layers separate rather than mixing. Ganache benefits from resting melts before stirring, otherwise texture grainy. Temperature of cream and chocolate affects smooth finish. Final chilling makes spreading chocolate less slippery and more manageable. Storing single layer avoids cracking, saves texture. Room temp brings out chew and flavors better than fridge cold.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Dough texture matters. Softened butter never melted or dough turns greasy fast. Cream cheese gives silkiness—mascarpone option but skip low fat, watery mess. Sugar granules impact texture; fine granulated preferred. Half brown sugar swap adds chew but watch moisture.
- 💡 Caramel layer tricky. Use individually wrapped caramels unwrapped for uniform melt. Heat cream just warm, not boiling. If caramel resists melting, add small cream splash, stir constantly. Spread carefully near edges but avoid drip; caramel like glue but slick.
- 💡 Baking cues over timers. Look for edges light brown, tops shift from wet shine to velvety matte. Press top lightly, slight softness means done. Overbake and cookie turns dry or burnt edges. Oven temps 345-355 to balance softness, crispness. Rotate sheets for even browning.
- 💡 Ganache needs patience. Heat cream till bubbling hot, never boiling. Pour on chocolate chips, rest 5 min minimum before stirring. Stir gently, avoid air bubbles. Ganache too thick, add cream sparingly; too thin, chocolate pools and soggy final.
- 💡 Chill stages essential. Caramel layer must stabilize before adding ganache, else layers mix. Final fridge set firm but not frozen tight. Store cookies flat single layer; stacking leads to cracks and chocolate breaks. Bring to room temp before serving for chew texture.
Common questions
Can mascarpone replace cream cheese?
Yes but note mascarpone softer, richer flavor. Skip low fat versions—too watery messes dough. Texture changes slightly; creaminess up, tang down.
How to tell when baked enough?
Tops lose wet shine, edges light brown. Press top; if slight give, done. Overbaking dries. Timers only guides, oven varies. Watch cues, practice.
Caramel too thick or grainy?
Add small cream splash. Microwave in short bursts. Stir constantly. Melted sugar can harden—reheat gently. Sugar quality matters; old caramels clump.
Best storage method?
Airtight single layer, room temp or fridge fine. Avoid stacking to stop cracks. Refrigerate lengthens shelf life but chocolate dulls faster. Warm slightly before eating brings softness.
