The Ultimate No-Bake Twix Cheesecake
There are desserts, and then there is the No-Bake Twix Cheesecake: a towering, glistening, four-layer monument to everything that is right with the world. Imagine biting into a giant Twix bar that someone secretly upgraded with silky vanilla cheesecake and an obscene amount of salted caramel. That is this dessert. It is the reason springform pans were invented. It is the reason “no-bake” exists as a category. It is, without exaggeration, one of the most dangerously delicious things you will ever make.
This isn’t just a recipe; it’s an event. When you carry this beauty to the table, conversations stop. Phones come out. Someone whispers, “Is that… a Twix… cheesecake?” And then the feeding frenzy begins. It has ended parties early because people refuse to eat anything else. It has started marriage proposals. Okay, maybe not the last one, but it could.
Why This Recipe Is Different
Most Twix cheesecake recipes online are lazy: a basic biscuit base, some cream cheese mixed with Cool Whip, a drizzle of store-bought caramel, and a prayer. This version is the unapologetic, over-the-top, “I have zero chill” edition. Every single layer is made from scratch, balanced to perfection, and engineered to give you that perfect cross-section photograph that will break the internet (or at least your family group chat).
Serves: 14–16 generous slices
Total hands-on time: 60–75 minutes
Total chilling time: minimum 8 hours (overnight strongly recommended)
INGREDIENTS (FULLY LOADED)
Chocolate Shortbread Crust
- 350 g chocolate-covered shortbread cookies (e.g., 4½ regular packs of Twix with chocolate removed, or Maryland chocolate cookies, or 300 g Oreos + 50 g extra shortbread)
- 120 g unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
Vanilla Cheesecake Layer
- 900 g (four 225 g blocks) full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
- 300 ml cold double/heavy cream
- 180 g icing/powdered sugar, sifted
- 2½ tsp real vanilla bean paste (or seeds from 1 pod)
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 14 g powdered gelatine (usually 2 sachets)
- 80 ml cold water for blooming
Salted Caramel Layer (the star of the show)
- 350 g granulated white sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter, cubed and at room temp
- 200 ml double/heavy cream, room temperature
- 1–1½ tsp flaky sea salt (adjust to taste)
Dark Chocolate Mirror Ganache
- 300 g best-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa), finely chopped
- 300 ml double/heavy cream
- 1 tbsp liquid glucose or light corn syrup (for insane shine)
- Optional: 20 g unsalted butter for extra gloss
Decoration
- 3–4 Twix bars, roughly crushed
- Extra shortbread crumbs
- Gold leaf or edible glitter if you’re extra (and you should be)
DETAILED METHOD (FOLLOW THIS AND YOU CANNOT FAIL)
- Prepare the pan
Line the base and sides of a 23 cm (9-inch) springform pan with parchment paper. This is non-negotiable for clean release. - Chocolate Shortbread Crust
Blitz the cookies into fine crumbs. Add melted butter and salt; pulse until it looks like wet sand. Press very firmly into the pan (use a metal measuring cup). Freeze 20 minutes. - Cheesecake Filling
Bloom gelatine in 80 ml cold water for 5–10 minutes.
Whip the cold cream to medium-stiff peaks.
In a separate large bowl, beat cream cheese, icing sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice until completely lump-free and silky (3–4 minutes on medium-high).
Gently melt the bloomed gelatine (10-second bursts in microwave). Temper it by adding 2 large spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture and whisking fast, then pour back into the main bowl while beating.
Fold the whipped cream in three stages with a large spatula. Pour over frozen crust, smooth the top, and refrigerate 60–90 minutes until just set on top but still wobbly underneath. - Salted Caramel (the make-or-break layer)
In a large, light-coloured saucepan (so you can see the colour), melt the sugar over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula. It will go clumpy, then eventually turn into a smooth amber liquid (about 8–10 minutes).
When it reaches a deep golden amber, remove from heat and immediately add the butter cubes (stand back – it will erupt). Whisk until incorporated.
Slowly pour in the room-temperature cream while whisking. It will bubble violently again. Return to low heat if needed to smooth it out.
Stir in the salt. Cool for 15–20 minutes until thick but still pourable (around 28–30 °C). Pour slowly over the semi-set cheesecake. Return to fridge for at least 3 hours. - Dark Chocolate Ganache
Place chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat cream and glucose to just below boiling. Pour over chocolate, let sit 3 minutes, then stir gently from the centre outwards until emulsified and glossy. Add butter if using. Cool to 32–35 °C (thick but pourable). Pour over the fully set caramel. Tilt the pan for even coverage. Immediately scatter crushed Twix and crumbs around the edge. Chill overnight. - Unmoulding & Slicing
Warm the sides of the pan very briefly with a cook’s blowtorch or hot towel. Release the springform. Peel away parchment. Slice with a hot, dry knife (dip in hot water, wipe clean between cuts).
A BRIEF HISTORY
Twix was born in 1967 in the UK and arrived in the US in 1979 with the legendary “left Twix vs right Twix” campaign. The no-bake Twix cheesecake trend detonated around 2019 on Instagram and TikTok when creators started turning childhood candy into luxury desserts. This particular version is the culmination of three years of obsessive testing to achieve perfect layer separation, maximum flavour, and that viral dripping photo.
NUTRITION (PER SLICE – 1/14TH)
Calories: 685 kcal
Fat: 52 g
Carbohydrates: 51 g
Protein: 7 g
Sugar: 42 g
Worth it? 1000 %.
BENEFITS (FOR YOUR SOUL)
- Contains dairy → bone health
- Contains chocolate → happiness chemicals
- Contains caramel → childhood nostalgia
- Makes you extremely popular at gatherings
- Guarantees at least 47 compliments
FINAL CONCLUSION FROM A CERTIFIED TWIX CHEESECAKE LOVER
This is not a casual Tuesday dessert. This is the dessert you make when you want to be remembered. It is the dessert that turns “I’m full” into “maybe just one more sliver.” It is the reason friends suddenly remember your birthday. When you taste the combination of crisp chocolate base, creamy cheesecake, oozing salted caramel, and that snap of dark chocolate on top, you will understand why some of us have abandoned all other desserts forever.
