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Stix: Shortbread Cookie Bars - Au Naturale!

8/15/2014

 
STIX bars!  (Like Twix bars, but much healthier ingredients!  Paleo/Primal, Gluten free, Grain free)  Absolutely rich and delicious!  By www.AuNaturaleNutrition.com

​If you've been a fan of Twix(TM) candy in the past but value your health more now, then this is the recipe for you!  These Stix bars taste very similar, better actually, but contain much more natural ingredients. Similar to the store-bought variety, they contain 3 layers: shortbread cookie, caramel, and chocolate.  But, nothing artificial, no additives, and no refined sugars.  Just pure YUM!

This is the ingredient list for Twix(TM) bars (with about a dozen ingredients that I certainly wouldn't recommend!):
​
MILK CHOCOLATE (SUGAR, COCOA BUTTER, CHOCOLATE, SKIM MILK, LACTOSE, MILKFAT, SOY LECITHIN, PGPR, ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS), SUGAR, ENRICHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), PALM OIL, CORN SYRUP, SKIM MILK, DEXTROSE, LESS THAN 2% - FOOD STARCH-MODIFIED, SALT, COCOA POWDER, BAKING SODA, SOY LECITHIN, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Remember: Sweet treats are just that... a treat.  So, I don't suggest eating a pan-full. The Stix are so rich, you may only want a small portion anyway.  My kids and husband absolutely LOVED this recipe, especially the nice crunchy layer.  No one will ever know they're "paleo treats"!


The Shortbread Cookie Crust:

  • 2 cups blanched almond flour or cashew flour
  • 1/2 cup organic coconut palm sugar OR Swerve (lower-carb option)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup soft butter OR ghee OR coconut oil
  • 1/4 tsp real sea salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
​
Directions:
  1. Mix all ingredients together with an electric mixer.
  2. Use a rubber spatula to press the batter as flat as possible into an un-greased 9X13 glass baking dish. Or, for ease of removing from the dish, line it with parchment paper first.
  3. Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes, until golden brown.
  4. Allow to cool completely. It will turn from soft to hard & crunchy.
STIX bars!  (Like Twix bars, but much healthier ingredients!  Paleo/Primal, Gluten free, Grain free)  Absolutely rich and delicious!  By www.AuNaturaleNutrition.com
I used cashew meal here. It's a little more coarse than almond flour.


​The Caramel Layer:

  • 3/4 cup grassfed butter (12 Tbsp)
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp raw honey

Directions:
  1. Simmer on medium-low until nice & thick (approx 30 -40 minutes on the stove).  It will definitely be a different (thicker) consistency once it's turned into caramel, but don't burn it - be patient! 
  2. Pour the caramel over the cooled cookie crust and spread it out evenly.
  3. Cool the pan in the fridge until the caramel is hardened and solid.
Make your own caramel for: STIX bars!  (Like Twix bars, but much healthier ingredients!  Paleo/Primal, Gluten free, Grain free)  Absolutely rich and delicious!  By www.AuNaturaleNutrition.com
The caramel is just about ready!!
STIX bars!  (Like Twix bars, but much healthier ingredients!  Paleo/Primal, Gluten free, Grain free)  Absolutely rich and delicious!  By www.AuNaturaleNutrition.com
The caramel spread over the cooled shortbread cookie crust. Allow the caramel to harden in the fridge before adding the chocolate layer.


​The Chocolate Layer:

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  • 1 cup Enjoy Life Mini Chips
  • 2 Tbsp coconut oil or palm oil shortening

Directions:
  1. Melt the 2 ingredients in a small saucepan pan on low heat.
  2. Pour the chocolate mixture over the cooled caramel layer & spread out evenly.
  3. Refrigerate again to harden the chocolate.
  4. Cut the Stix bars into any shape you wish. (I cut them into skinny rectangles, like the store bought Twix candy.)
  5. Store in the fridge.

THESE ARE DELICIOUS!!!!!


Pin it:
STIX bars!  (Like Twix bars, but much healthier ingredients!  Paleo/Primal, Gluten free, Grain free)  Absolutely rich and delicious!
STIX bars!  (Like Twix bars, but much healthier ingredients!  Paleo/Primal, Gluten free, Grain free)  Absolutely rich and delicious!
Mari
8/15/2014 11:09:10 pm

I could never eat Stix because of the wheat and sugar primarily,and I have never been tempted. These tempt me, and I plan on giving in to temptation as soon as I go shopping this week. I need to seriously start keeping the Enjoy Life chips on hand.

Jenny
8/16/2014 12:53:34 am

Thanks, Mari! I can't wait to hear how you like them!

You can always order the Enjoy Life Chips by the 6-pack. They're about the same price each as at the store. ;-)
Find here: http://astore.amazon.com/aunatunutr-20/detail/B000HDJZWO

Amanda
8/16/2014 01:01:13 am

Does the Carmel layer taste like honey? I think I would rather use coconut sugar.

Jenny
8/16/2014 01:38:30 am

Hi Amanda, You can definitely taste the honey, but it's light in flavor. My family says it tastes like toffee. Do you have a recipe for homemade caramel using coconut sugar? I'd love to have it! If you make the Stix recipe, please tell me how it all turns out!

Stacy
9/6/2014 03:25:33 pm

I made these today, and am not a huge honey fan. I could not taste a distinct honey flavor, just tasted like a toffee. It was so good! I will definitely be making this again around the holidays!!

Jenny
9/6/2014 11:54:21 pm

Hi Stacy, I appreciate that you let us know about the flavor & how much you like the Stix. They've become my most popular recipe ever!

Devona Neal-Ellis
6/28/2015 11:05:06 am

Try brown rice syrup in the place of honey, it is very similar to Carmel. I hope that helps.

Audry link
9/4/2014 08:02:33 am

My kids are going to LOVE these!! This looks so simple and delicious :)

Jenny
9/4/2014 09:07:42 am

Thanks, Audry! I just know your whole family is going to love the Stix!

Michelle
9/10/2014 06:05:09 am

Hi,

Is there anything I could substitute for the honey? I do more of a Keto based diet & honey is not really an option.

Devona Neal-Ellis
6/28/2015 11:13:03 am

Brown rice syrup will give you a comparable taste to Carmel, I'm just not sure if it's compatible with your diet

Jenny
9/10/2014 06:48:39 am

Hi Michelle, I've seen recipes for caramel made with equal parts sugar and butter melted over the stove. So, for a Leto option, you could try it with some Swerve (low glycemic sweetener) and see if it works.
If it turns out, come back to let me know! :-)

Jenny
9/10/2014 06:49:21 am

* Keto

Michelle
9/10/2014 02:39:27 pm

I'll try that. Thanks!

carly
9/28/2014 06:28:46 pm

Hi. If I can't get enjoy life chips out of my local supermarket, is there any thing else I could use please? I'm in the U.K. Thanks

Jenny
9/29/2014 12:54:29 am

Greetings from Tennessee, Carly! The next best thing would be organic, dark chocolate chips or a dark chocolate candy bar. Use a brand you trust & they'll turn out delicious!

carly
9/29/2014 08:08:10 am

Thank you so much! I'm definitely going to try them! they look amazing. :) x

roddie
9/30/2014 08:33:13 am

I just pulled the bottom layer out of the oven and the house smells DELICIOUS. It took me longer to spread the base over the pan than it did to mix everything up. This recipe is crazy simple.

Jenny
9/30/2014 08:46:12 am

Thanks, Roddie! It is a pretty easy recipe, even with the 3 layers. Totally worth it! ;-)

Elizabeth Lopez
10/7/2014 02:44:56 pm

HI, could you use maple syrup instead of honey? I can't wait to make these after my Whole30 is over. lol

Jenny
10/7/2014 11:36:09 pm

Hi Elizabeth, I've never tried making the caramel with maple syrup, but in theory it should work fine. Give it a try! Thanks for reading!

Amy
12/28/2014 02:15:59 pm

i made these today with Nature's Hollow honey (xylitol) and they are scrumptious!

Jenny
12/28/2014 02:20:12 pm

I'm so glad you liked them, Amy. You chose a great option to make them lower-carb, too!

Susan
1/3/2015 11:06:03 am

Hi Jenny, Can you substitute coconut oil or some other fat for the butter? I am allergic to milk. Thanks!

Jenny
1/3/2015 11:12:19 am

Hi Susan, I assume you're wondering about the butter in the caramel. I'm not sure if coconut oil will work; I've never tried it, sorry. It would be worth a try! If it doesn't work, just put the chocolate on the cookie layer. It'll still be delicious. If it does work, please let me know and I'll note it on the recipe. Thanks for reading!

Susan
8/18/2015 02:50:10 am

Hi Jenny, I was able to create caramel using a combination of honey, syrup, baking soda and a little almond butter. I have made them several times this way so the recipe works.

Jenny
8/18/2015 03:00:18 am

Susan, Almond butter is a great idea! It's music to my ears that you've made the recipe several times. YAY! ;-)

Jen link
1/5/2015 10:13:37 pm

I shared your recipe on my blog today and my experiences with it. IT was awesome and was gone faster than I could have imagined. Thanks for sharing!!

Jenny
1/5/2015 11:04:26 pm

What a wonderful compliment, Jen! Thank you! Can you tell me the link to your blog post? I'd love to read it & maybe share it. 😊

Antonia
3/3/2015 02:47:17 am

Hi! I was wondering instead of those chocolate chips, if I could use sugar-free hershey's mini bars and melt them down? also, someone mentioned xylitol honey...where would I find that?

Jenny
3/3/2015 05:11:52 am

Hi Antonia,
I'm not sure of the ingredients in sugar-free Hershey's bars. If it's a bunch of chemicals like malitol or aspartame (mosy sugar-free things are), then... you can do better/healthier. ;-)
The xylitol honey is a slightly healthier option, but it's not fantastic.
You can get it here:
http://astore.amazon.com/aunatunutr-20/detail/B000TQBEFK

Michelle
3/21/2015 04:00:59 pm

I'm wondering if there is supposed to be some sort of milk or cream for the caramel portion...I've now tried this twice and failed. I don't know what I'm doing wrong :(

Jenny
3/22/2015 01:02:07 am

I'm sorry you're having trouble with the caramel. My guess is that you aren't cooking it long enough & perhaps at too low a temperature. Allow at least 1/2 hour of nice bubbling (but not so hot that it burns). It should definitely appear much thicker than when you started. Good luck & thanks for reading!

Meg
7/11/2015 01:37:24 pm

Has anyone tried this with an egg substitute? I'm thinking because it only calls for one egg, perhaps a flax or chia "egg" would work?

Eileen
7/25/2015 04:08:37 pm

I am also wondering about a substitute for the egg, or if you think the recipe would be fine without the it!

Jenny
7/26/2015 01:18:41 am

Hi Eileen, a flax egg might work. Give it a whirl!

Eva
11/12/2015 07:12:08 pm

My caramel did not turn out well either. Maybe the heat was too high. I went on line and found a recipe with chilled coconut milk fat, honey, coconut palm sugar, salt, ghee and vanilla extract. It turned out so good.
I think the caramel wasn't set enough and it blended with the chocolate. It still tastes really good. I will make this again to try to perfect it.
Is ghee okay to use with the honey for the caramel?

Jenny
11/12/2015 08:42:37 pm

The recipe you found for caramel sounds yummy, too. Ghee is great! I've found that it's important to simmer the caramel for a long time, patiently, for it to harden properly. And definitely chill it thoroughly before adding the chocolate.

Victoria
12/10/2015 12:12:38 am

Can you recommend a substitute for chocolate chips? I don't think they're paleo friendly since they contain sugar. Do you have a recipe for a topping that uses cocoa powder and honey, or other paleo friendly ingredients?

Thanks

Jenny
12/10/2015 06:50:16 am

Hi Victoria, Glad you asked! ;-)
When it comes to Paleo, the whole point is nutrient density. As far as sugar, it can be paleo-friendly, although all sugar types are pretty low in nutrients. So, the amount consumed is much more important than the type of sugar eaten. These Stix are definitely treats, so I'd treat them as such (only eat a few).

You can read more about the topic of sugar from the Paleo Mom: http://www.thepaleomom.com/2012/03/is-sugar-paleo.html
She often just uses regular brown sugar in her recipes.

The nice thing about Enjoy Life chips is that they're nut, dairy, and soy free. Gotta love that!

Ty
12/10/2015 02:27:24 pm

is there a dairy free alternative for the butter?

Jenny
12/10/2015 02:32:36 pm

Hi Ty,
I assume you're wondering about the butter in the caramel. I'm not sure if coconut oil will work; I've never tried it, sorry. It would be worth a try! If it doesn't work, just put the chocolate on the cookie layer. It'll still be delicious. If it does work, please let me know and I'll note it on the recipe. Thanks for reading!

AnneMarie
12/21/2015 11:44:51 am

I made these last night. Oh, so yummy! Thanks for sharing this recipe. I brought them to work so as not tempted to eat too many. The crew loved them. I messed up my first batch of caramel so I had to made another batch. All in all it was very easy and worthwhile.

Jenny
12/21/2015 12:10:07 pm

I love hearing that everyone liked the Stix, AnneMarie! Glad the caramel worked for you, too. Thanks for reading!


Comments are closed.
Jenny Yelle, MHNE  Holistic Wellness Educator & founder of Au Naturale Nutrition

Jenny Yelle, MHNE  Holistic Wellness Educator


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