Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars

These chocolate peppermint cream bars have three layers: a bottom layer of dense, fudgy chocolate peppermint brownie filled with a middle layer of peppermint frosting, then a layer of chocolate. Rather, four layers if you count the optional crushed candy cane garnish.

I make these bars pretty much every year around Christmas time and they go over well in any setting. This recipe will surely make you popular at holiday parties, and they are a great gift idea (try a gift box with a ribbon!).

This recipe was originally published in my vegan cookie cookbook, The Vegan Cookie Connoisseur. The book contains over 140 vegan cookie recipes from the basics to decadent desserts like these chocolate peppermint cream bars. The book makes a great holiday gift for winter baking—just make sure to allow adequate shipping time so it arrives in time for the holidays!

🍫 Ingredients

• Sugar
• Vegan Butter/Margarine
• Chocolate Chips
• Non-Dairy Milk
• Cocoa Powder
• Vanilla Extract
• Flour
• Salt
• Powdered Sugar
• Peppermint Extract
• Green Food Coloring
• Vegetable Shortening
• Candy Canes (optional)

🔪 Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the chocolate chips either in the microwave or in a glass bowl placed in boiling water. Remove from heat and stir in the soy milk and the cocoa powder.

Cream together margarine and sugar with a strong fork.

Add in the chocolate/soy milk/cocoa mixture and stir until incorporated.

Add the vanilla, then the flour and salt. No need to sift.

In an 8×8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper, press out the dough evenly. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the center is firm and the edges are done, then cool.

To make the peppermint cream, cream together the margarine and powdered sugar. Add in the peppermint extract and food coloring (if using). Gradually add the soy milk until the mixture kind of resembles frosting. If it’s liquid, add more powdered sugar. If it’s stiff or dry, add more soy milk.

Chill in the fridge until the bottom layer is cooled.

Spread the bottom layer evenly with peppermint cream, then chill in the freezer for about 5 minutes.

When you remove the brownie and frosting layers from the freezer, smooth out the cream with a knife.

Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a glass bowl in boiling water, or over a double boiler. Remove, then spread the top with the chocolate.

Sprinkle with crushed candy canes, if using. Let set, then cut as you like and enjoy!

🍭 How to crush candy canes

1. Place the candy canes (make sure to unwrap them) in a ziptop bag.
2. Take a rolling pin or other heavy mallet and gently smash them on the countertop.
3. Once you have the pieces in the size you want, pour them into another bag or airtight container. There will be small holes in the bag from smashing them so don't store them in this bag.
4. Use for these chocolate peppermint cream bars, Double Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies, or peppermint bark!

💭 Tips

• Be sure to keep them refrigerated so the cream doesn't melt.
• These bars freeze well. If you freeze them individually, you can take them out one by one all winter long when a craving strikes.

🎄 More Vegan Christmas Recipes

Double Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

Need a recipe for all your extra crushed candy canes? These double chocolate cookies are studded with chocolate chips and candy cane bits.

Vegan Sugar Cookies

A basic recipe for vegan cutout cookies! Top them with vegan royal icing or buttercream, or keep them plain.

Vegan Stollen

Have you ever had stollen? It's a more delicious version of the notoriously inedible fruitcake. Stollen is an orange and spice-flavored yeast bread with rum-soaked dried fruit and nuts mixed into the dough filled with a marzipan center. Delectable!

📖 Recipe

Chocolate Peppermint Cream Bars

Yield: 5 dozen

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Total Time: 58 minutes

Fudgy chocolate brownies with a minty buttercream center, topped with chocolate and crushed candy canes

Print

Ingredients

Bottom Layer

• 1 cup sugar
• ⅓ cup margarine
• 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips
• ½ cup soy milk
• ⅔ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Peppermint Cream

• ½ cup margarine
• 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 3-4 drops green food coloring, optional, but attractive
• 2 tablespoons soy milk, plus more if needed

Chocolate Layer

• 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• Optional addition: crushed candy canes

Instructions

For the bottom layer:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Melt the chocolate chips either in the microwave or in a glass bowl placed in boiling water.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the soy milk and the cocoa powder.
4. Cream together margarine and sugar with a strong fork, then add in the chocolate/soy milk/cocoa mixture and stir until incorporated.
5. Add the vanilla, then the flour and salt. No need to sift.
6. In an 8×8-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper, press out the dough evenly.
7. Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the center is firm and the edges are done, then cool.

For the peppermint cream:

1. Cream together the margarine and powdered sugar.
2. Add in the peppermint extract and food coloring (if using).
3. Gradually add the soy milk until the mixture kind of resembles frosting. If it’s liquidy, add more powdered sugar. If it’s stiff or dry, add more soy milk.
4. Chill the peppermint cream in the fridge until the bottom layer is cooled.
5. Spread the bottom layer evenly with peppermint cream, then chill in the freezer for about 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the freezer and smooth out the cream with a butter knife.

Assembly:

1. Melt the chocolate and shortening together in the microwave or a double boiler.
2. Pour the melted chocolate atop the peppermint cream and spread out immediately. You can shake the pan a bit to smooth it out.
3. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes, if using.
4. Let set, then cut as you like and enjoy!

Notes

• Store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.
• The bars freeze well.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  McCormick Pure Peppermint Extract, 1 fl oz
• 
  Wilton Icing Colors, 8-Count Icing Colors

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 64 Serving Size: 1 small bar
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 105Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 6mgCarbohydrates: 15gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 1g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on seitanbeatsyourmeat.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram