Aunt Martha's Chocolate Mint Bars

Cut chocolate mint bars sitting in a layer on a dark wooden board. Christmas ornaments, a green plant in a silver container, and bottle of creme de menthe surround the bars.

5 from 9 votes

Impress your friends with these beautiful 3-layer chocolate mint squares! This easy dessert bar recipe is perfect to make for holiday gatherings, cookie exchanges, and to share with family and friends.

Prep Time30

Inactive Time3

Total Time3 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: Squares

Calories: 32kcal

Author: Meredith

Ingredients

1 +¼ C salted butter, divided between layers
½ C cocoa powder
3 +½ C powdered sugar, divided between layers
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 C crushed graham crackers (about 1 & ½ sleeves)
⅓ C green creme de menthe liqueur
1 +½ C semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
⅓ heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Step 1: Make the bottom layer and chill

Crush graham crackers (preferably using a food processor to get them finely crushed and of equal size). Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium or large size mixing bowl, melt ½ cup butter. Stir in cocoa until combined. Stir in ½ cup powdered sugar, egg and vanilla extra until combined.
Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and mix until all are coated.
Press the mixture into a 9x13 pan to create an even and tightly packed layer.
Bake for 10 minutes, and then allow the hot pan to cool on the oven until you are able to handle it (approximately 15-30 minutes).
Once the pan is cool to the touch, cover the pan with plastic-wrap and place into the refrigerator to chill (a minimum of 30 minutes).

Step 2: Make the middle layer and chill again

Melt ½ cup butter. Add the green creme de menthe and slowly beat in 3 cups of powdered sugar (I like to add it in ½ cup increments) until a smooth mixture has been created.
Pour the creme de menthe layer over the cooled chocolate and graham cracker bottom layer. Spread into an even layer with a rubber scraper.
Cover the pan with plastic-wrap and place into the refrigerator to chill (a minimum of 45 minutes) until set.

Step 3: Make the top layer and chill one last time

Melt chocolate chips, ¼ cup of butter, and ⅓ cup of whipping cream in a double-broiler over medium heat, stirring often, until melted and smooth.
Note: you can also do this in the microwave by placing the ingredients into a small, microwave safe mixing bowl. Melt in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth.
Pour the chocolate ganache layer over the cooled green creme de menthe layer. Spread into an even layer with a rubber scraper.
Cover the pan with plastic-wrap and place into the refrigerator to chill (at least 1 hour) until set.

Step 4: Cut into squares

After the top layer is set, let the bars sit at room temperature briefly and then cut into 1" x 1" squares using a sharp knife*
Plate, serve, and enjoy!
Store your creme de menthe bars in an air-tight container. I like to keep mine cold by placing the container in the fridge.

Notes

*Square size of 1" x 1" is approximate. The goal is to cut your bars in to equal sized squares.

*For the best bottom layer, use a food processor. Using a food processor ensures your graham crackers get finely crushed and helps you mix together your bottom layer ingredients quickly. Having finely crushed graham crackers in your bottom layer helps to give these bars a sturdy base that holds together well.

*Make sure to chill each layer before adding the next layer of your bars. This is especially important between layers one (the chocolate and graham cracker crust) and layer two (the green creme de menthe layer). If you add the creme de menthe layer onto a warm base layer it tends to soak into the crust, resulting in bars that are missing that pretty green stripe.

*Once all three layers have been made and chilled, bring your bars back up closer to room temperature to cut into squares. I know it’s hard not to cut right into these once your top ganache layer has set, but if you do it tends to crack. Let your pan sit at room temperature for at least 5-10 minutes before cutting for the cleanest cuts.

*Recipe variation: replace the booze. Want to make these without the creme de menthe? Replace the ⅓ cup creme de menthe with 1 teaspoon peppermint extract and 1-2 drops green liquid gel food coloring.

Nutrition