Super Easy Twix Cookies (2024)

In today’s post: These Twix cookies are easy to make with just a few ingredients. This version starts with a cake mix and doesn’t require any chilling or rolling before you bake, making it much simpler than other Twix cookie recipes.

Twix cookies are really pretty amazing. There’s a cookie shop near me that sells them occasionally and my son checks their site religiously to see when they’ll be available again. Since everyone in our family likes them, I decided I should just start making them at home, so I looked up some recipes online…

…and they all required that you mix the dough, then chill it for an hour, then roll it out and cut it, then bake it…and THEN let the cookies cool so you can add the caramel and chocolate. Delicious, without a doubt, but too much work to satisfy a weekday cookie craving!

So I turned to my old standby, the trusty cake mix, to come up with an easier version that takes way less time.

Why You’ll Love Them

With Cake Mix Twix Cookies there’s no chilling, no rolling, and no cutting. There’s hardly any measuring involved! You can have your first tray of cookies ready to go into the oven in less time that it will take your oven to heat up.And this recipe calls for caramel bits, saving you the time it would take to make a homemade caramel.

Twix Cookie Recipe

With layers of cookie, caramel, and milk chocolate, these taste a lot like Twix candy bars! Now, for any Twix purists out there, I will say this: using a cake mix gives you a softer cookie with a faint cake batter flavor. None of my testers cared (and most couldn’t even tell the difference). If you want a cookie that tastes just like the candy bar, you can either bake the cookies a little bit longer than directed in my recipe so they are crunchy OR make my Homemade Twix bars instead. They have a traditional shortbread crust, but since they are made as bars instead of cookies there’s still no chilling, rolling or cutting, so they come together quickly.

If you’d like a Twix cookie, however, without all the work, these cake mix twix cookies are the way to go! Not only are they easy to make, they turn out gorgeous, making them a perfect cookie for gifting.

How to make Cake Mix Twix Cookies

Most of my cake mix cookies use two eggs and melted butter, so you can just stir the dough together with a wooden spoon. But to make these cookies a bit more shortbread like, we use softened butter and just one egg. That makes it easiest to mix with a hand mixer.

Mix Up The Dough

Use a hand mixer to mix the cake mix, egg, and melted butter until the ingredients are incorporated and the dough is very crumbly (first picture below). Then you can use your hands to quickly bring the crumbs together – they’ll turn into a stiff cookie dough (second picture).

Scoop, Flatten + Bake

Next you want to form balls that are just smaller than 1.5 inches in diameter. I use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie dough scoop and underfill it just a little. If you underfill your cookie dough scoop you’ll get about 24 cookies from this batch; if you fill it completely you’ll get 18-20 cookies.

Place the cookie dough balls on a lined cookie sheet and use a flat bottom cup or glass to flatten them down to 2 inches in diameter.

Note: I always use these Nordic Ware Half Sheet Pans for baking cookies – they cook evenly and clean up beautifully. I also like to use silicone baking sheet liners but you can also use parchment paper.

Bake for 11-12 minutes until edges feel set. Cookies will still be quite pale in color. Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool. You want to cool the cookies at least a little bit (ideally to room temperature) before adding the caramel and chocolate or the topping will end up too melty and will drip off the edges.

Add the Caramel Layer

Microwave the caramel bits and milk in 30 second intervals until smooth and runny. Scoop a little more than a teaspoon of caramel onto each cookie. After every 6 cookies, stop and use a butter knife or offset spatula to spread caramel near the edges to the cookie.

Add the Chocolate Layer

Microwave the milk chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until melted. Be sure to use a good quality milk chocolate chip for this and DO NOT overheat the chocolate. You want it just barely melted. I stir a teaspoon of oil or shortening into the melted chocolate to help it set up nice and shiny. Scoop a generous teaspoon of chocolate onto each cookie, and spread using a knife or offset spatula.