Creme De Menthe Bars

These look a little bit like Nanaimo Bars, don't they?

They are pretty similar.

Well, except for the fact that these are minty and green instead of custardy and yellow.

And...minty and green just happens to be perfect for Christmas time. (Also St. Patrick's Day)

I am one of those people that goes out and buys a bottle of Creme De Menthe liqueur just to make a recipe. Then I have a bottle of Creme De Menthe sitting in the cupboard staring at me...mocking me.... daring me to use it in something for months. 

Today I decided to show that bottle of liqueur who was boss. I went crazy and whipped up some Creme De Menthe bars for a Christmas platter I was making. 

Turns out... this was a fabulous idea. 

Creme De Menthe may taste like Scope mouthwash if you drink a shot of it BUT put it in a recipe and it is just the perfect amount of pepperminty goodness.

Creme De Menthe Bars

Ingredients

Bottom Layer

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 egg

2 cups graham crackers 

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Middle Layer

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup Creme De Menthe liqueur

3 cups icing sugar

Top Layer

1/4 cup butter

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9 X 9 pan with parchment paper, set aside.

Bottom layer - In a medium sized mixing bowl, place the melted butter. Stir in the cocoa powder until smooth. Stir in egg, graham crumbs, brown sugar, and vanilla until well combined.

Press evenly into prepared pan.

Bake at 350 for 13 - 15 minutes (until set).

Remove from heat and let cool. When base is at room temp, prepare the middle layer.

Middle layer -- Beat together the melted butter, Creme De Menthe, and icing sugar until smooth.

Spread evenly over cooled bottom layer. Chill for a good 15 - 20 minutes before spreading on top layer.

Top Layer - In a microwave safe bowl, place butter and chocolate chips. Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring well in between, until melted and smooth. (Be careful not to overheat or chocolate will seize.)

Spread evenly over the chilled middle layer. 

Set in fridge for 20 - 30 minutes to firm up the chocolate before slicing. You can use the parchment paper to help you lift the bar out of the pan to make cutting easier.

A tip to making sure you don't smear chocolate as you cut -- rinse the knife blade and wipe it between each cut. Yes...kind of a pain in the butt...but... it really does help your bar look nicer. 

These bars freeze really well too.

If you want it even more chocolaty... you can use Oreo baking crumbs instead of graham cracker crumbs for the base.

If you want a deeper green color you can add green food coloring to the middle layer. I like the light green color you get from just the Creme De Menthe so I didn't add any. 

For some fabulous, fun, and tasty links, be sure to visit -- Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons, My Turn (for us), Or So She Says, Horrific Knits, The Chicken Chick, and Ms. enPlace.