The Story—Or Why I Can’t Keep These Bars in the House

I honestly can’t remember when Peppermint Crunch Chocolate Bars became tradition in our place, but if you’ve ever had a batch disappear before they’ve cooled, you’ll know what I mean. One year, I made them as a late-night craving fix (I was binge-watching old British sitcoms and really wanted something minty), and now they’re a December staple. Funny, even in July once, when it was boiling out, I made a pan—my logic was ‘peppermint’s cooling’, though my sweating oven said otherwise. Lesson learned—sort of. And full confession here: sometimes I eat the crushed candy canes straight out of the bag. Should I be embarrassed by that? Probably, but here we are.

Why You’ll Love This (Or, Honestly, Why I Make Them Anyway)

I usually whip these up when the snack cupboard looks dire but I need to trick myself (and my very chocolate-fixated family) into thinking it’s a fancy dessert. There’s some magic in that peppermint chocolate combo—like, everyone suddenly shows up in the kitchen. I also can’t mess these up, which I appreciate since I once accidentally swapped baking soda for baking powder in cookies and, well, disaster. These bars? Pretty forgiving. Even my brother, who still thinks a spatula is a type of fish, has managed these. Bonus points because you can throw almost anything chocolatey into the mix, and no one complains.

What You’ll Need (But, Eh, Use What’s Handy)

200g (about 7 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips – sometimes I sub dark chocolate if I’m feeling grown-up; my grandma swears by Hershey’s, but I’ve used store brand plenty and no one’s noticed
100g (3.5 oz) butter – salted or unsalted, just go a bit lighter on extra salt if you use salted
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk – honestly, a squeeze more or less doesn’t make a huge difference
1 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes – if I’m in a hurry, the uncrushed “bits” work too (takes longer to melt in your mouth, not a big deal)
3/4 cup plain flour – all-purpose, and I’ve even tried a gluten free blend once (pretty good, just don’t overmix)
1/3 cup brown sugar – or white, but brown keeps it a bit fudgier, I think
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract – though once I used peppermint extract, and whoa, that was…a lot
Pinch of salt (unless your butter is already salted)
Optional: Handful of mini marshmallows for topping, or a drizzle of white chocolate if you want them to look all posh

Let’s Get Baking (But Seriously, Don’t Stress)

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Or, well, a bit under if your oven runs hot like mine. Line an 8-inch square tin with baking paper, leaving some hanging over the sides. (Makes it easier to yank them out later.)
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a biggish bowl—microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring each time, or over a pot of just-barely-simmering water if you’re feeling classic. Sometimes I lose patience and give it one long zap. Don’t let it burn or you’ll regret everything (I sure have.)
Let that cool for a couple of minutes. This is where I sneak a little taste—just, mind the heat!
Stir in your sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. (If you accidentally grab peppermint extract instead, it’ll still work but might clear your sinuses, just warning you!)
Mix in eggs one at a time—no need to get your mixer, just a fork or whisk is fine.
Fold in the flour, brown sugar, and pinch of salt. The batter might look a bit stiff or weird on top; that’s normal.
Toss in about 2/3 of your crushed peppermint candy. Save the rest for the top—if you eat a few, I won’t tell.
Scrape the mixture into your prepared tin. Sprinkle over the rest of the candy and, if you feel wild, the marshmallows or a bit more chocolate.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, till a skewer comes out with fudgy crumbs. Overbaked? Eh, still delicious, just more like a chewy cookie.
Let cool (or don’t, but if you try to slice them hot, you’ll have a lovely mess—not the worst fate!)

Things I Wish I Knew the First Time

Trying to slice these before they’re totally cool is a sticky, chocolatey adventure. Worth it, but messy.
Don’t stress too much if your candy canes melt into little colored puddles on top—they look kinda jazzy, actually.
If you go heavy on marshmallows, cover with foil for the last 10 mins to avoid charcoal puffs. Ask me how I know…

Some Fun (& Not So Fun) Variations

I tried subbing half the chocolate for white chocolate once—eh, bit too sweet for me, but the kids inhaled them. Go figure.
Used gluten-free flour one time for my friend—came out just a bit denser, totally decent though.
Don’t swap the brown sugar for honey, I learned the hard way. It turns into some kind of strange chewy caramel. (Seriously, don’t.)

Do You Need Fancy Stuff? (Here’s What I Use)

Aside from the tin—a square one is ideal, but a loaf pan works in a pinch—the only “must” is a bowl big enough to mix in. I use my trusty silicone spatula for scraping every last bit, but a big spoon would do. If you don’t have baking paper, a good greasing works, though you might need to wrestle them out with a butter knife.

Keeping Them—Aka, Will They Even Last?

Store in an airtight tin (if you even have leftovers—ours are usually gone within hours). In theory, they’re good for three days on the counter, but I’ve only managed to test that once. Oh, and if you refrigerate them, they get a bit firmer and the peppermint flavor sort of intensifies. I think they’re tastier the next day, but that’s just me.

How We Like to Serve ‘Em

I always cut the bars a bit small—something about bite-sized makes me feel like I can have four without counting. Occasionally, we pop them on the side of big mugs of hot chocolate or crumble them over vanilla ice cream. Christmas Eve, we leave a plate for “Santa” (ie, whoever’s up last watching reruns). Little tradition, big smiles.

Real-World Tips I Wish I Had the First Go

I once tried to ice them before they were cool and just ended up with a sticky brown river all over the counter. Wait it out, trust me.
Don’t use the super cheap, waxy chocolate chips—they taste kind of plasticky melted. Actually, even the mid-range store brand is fine!
When in doubt, line your tin. Cleaning baked-on chocolate is not my favorite part of the process.

Questions I Actually Got Asked (and My Sometimes Scatterbrained Answers)

Q: Can I double the recipe?
A: Absolutely, but use a bigger tin or two tins! I once tried cramming double into my trusty 8×8 and got a weird, gooey mess that wouldn’t bake through. Lesson learned. Also, be aware these bars are rich—so don’t cut em too big.
Q: Can you freeze them?
A: Yup, I wrap individual squares in clingfilm and freeze. Probably best within a month, but, let’s be real—I always defrost too many at once! Oh, you can also thaw them straight on the countertop, and they’re pretty good a bit chilly.
Q: Do I really need the condensed milk?
A: I’ve tried with regular milk and it just doesn’t hack it. The condensed stuff helps bind and makes them fudgy (not just sweet). But you could try coconut condensed milk for a dairy free version; worked okay for a vegan friend of mine!
Q: Help! My candy canes all melted in the oven, what did I do?
A: Happens to me when the pieces are too small, or if I bake them too high. Not a big deal—they’ll taste great, just not quite so textured on top. Next time, chunkier bits and slightly lower heat seem best.
Q: Can I make these without eggs?
A: Yes, you can use a chia or flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water per egg; let it sit till goopy). Texture not quite as rich but still really good.

One more thing—if you like to geek out about chocolate brands, check out this breakdown on chocolate chips from Serious Eats—really helped me justify my splurges! Oh, and for a wintery drink on the side, I’ve gotten a lot of inspo form Sally’s hot chocolate guide.

Little digression—but if you’re into kitchen music while you bake, may I recommend some vintage jazz? For some reason, it makes these bars taste even more festive. No science, just vibes.

Peppermint Crunch Chocolate Bars: A Real Home Baker’s Guide