Twix Couldn't Hold A Flame To One Long-Gone Little Debbie Snack We Still Crave

Zebra Cakes (and their festive holiday cousins, Christmas Tree Cakes), Cosmic Brownies, and Nutty Buddy bars (which, in our opinion, is the best Little Debbie treat) — if you grew up in the '80s or '90s, Little Debbie snacks were a quintessential part of lunch (anyone else spend all their money on them instead of, you know, milk?). Thankfully, many of these delights are still available on grocery store shelves today. One Little Debbie item, however, is not: Caramel Cookie Bars. These sticks of sugary, gooey delight are seriously missed by those of us who remember them fondly. 

Little Debbie Caramel Cookie Bars hit store shelves in March of 1988 (they're listed as Salted Caramel Cookie Bars on the Little Debbie website, but we're pretty sure the "salted" part of the name was added later, as it's missing from early photos of the snack's packaging). Sure, they had the same basic components as a Twix, but the caramel was different—in the best way. Instead of that chewy texture, the caramel here was softer, almost liquid. And the chocolate coating on the outside wasn't quite chocolate so much as a chocolatey shell (not a dig—it was fantastic). While there are Reddit rumors that they can be found in Big Lots stores, the company says that they were discontinued after 25 years (joining the ranks of other discontinued Little Debbie snacks), meaning the last of them likely hit store shelves around 2013.

If you, like us, miss these uber-gooey treats, you're not alone. While you can no longer find them on store shelves, there are a few ways to recreate something similar at home. For a quick, easy version—especially if you're a peanut butter fan — you can grab Little Debbie Peanut Butter Crunch Bars (they've got a similar chocolate coating and crunchy cookie base) and top them with a store-bought caramel. If you've got a little more time and feel like going the extra mile, you can make your own caramel instead — the easiest version just needs canned sweetened condensed milk and a bit of patience.

For a totally from-scratch version, try creating a copycat recipe with a shortbread base and a layer of caramel on top, then dip the whole thing in your favorite melted chocolate. If it's simply the crunchy cookie topped with gooey caramel and chocolate that you're after (and you don't mind a little extra flavor from shredded coconut), Samoa Girl Scout cookies can be a good fit — try microwaving them for a few seconds to emulate the same liquidity caramel we all loved in the Little Debbie bars. Either way, you're basically chasing that same perfect bite: chewy, crunchy, and a little bit over-the-top.