Nutty Twix Cookies – Recipe!

Halloween is just around the corner and with the season comes all sorts of candy.  I love candy, all candy – the sticky, chewy, sometimes chocolaty, crunchy kind.  I don’t discriminate with candy because I enjoy it all.  I’d like to think I don’t eat much of it, but I do eat some on most days, and that’s why I cherish this spectacular season because they make candy in miniature, or fun size bars and bags.  Little candy is a good thing because I don’t have to indulge on regular sized bars to get the same pleasure, and I can chop it up, and incorporate candy into my baking, which I thoroughly appreciate.

Twix bars are those cookie crusted, caramel and chocolate coated candy bars that we all have grown so fond of over the years.  The miniature version make a pretty perfect snack, but have you ever tried them in a cookie?  Hmm, well let me tell you, they’re awesome.  The little bits of cookie add crunch to a soft dough, while the caramel gives them chew after baking.  The chocolate, well you know, adds chocolate to every bite, and creates one amazing treat.  I also added chopped almonds, smoky almonds to be exact, because I wanted to build on flavor.  You could always use regular toasted almonds, but the smoked ones are pretty cool.  Everyone should bake a batch and enjoy these around this time of the year.

Ingredients

10 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 scant light brown sugar

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 mini Twix bars, or 4 regular sized bars (they sell 2 bars in one pack)

1/3 cup smoked or regular toasted almonds

(Makes a baker’s dozen or about 13)

To Prepare:

1. In a bowl, cream together butter and both sugars for 3 minutes.  Add egg and vanilla extract.  Cream for 1 minute.
2. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix on low for 1 minute.
3. Chop Twix bars into pea sized bites.  Add to dough.  Chop almonds and add to dough.  Stir by hand to combine.
4. Place dough in covered container and chill for at least 12 hours, up to 3 days.
5. Remove dough and let rest on counter for 30 minutes before scooping.  Spoon out onto parchment or silpat lined baking sheets.
6. Bake for 13 minutes until golden brown.  Cool on sheet pan for 5 minutes before removing.  Enjoy!