Mint Chocolate Squares are a classic recipe that has been around for many years now. They begin with a cakey chocolate crust, and then they’re topped with a mint cream layer. Mint Chocolate Squares are finished off with a good layer of chocolate.
My Mom used to make these Mint Chocolate Squares every December when I was growing up. It wasn’t her recipe creation. I’m quite sure she tore it out of a magazine, or perhaps it was one of those Pilbury contest winning recipes.
It’s a good recipe though, and we’ve hung on to this recipe and have made it every year since. You know how you have that pile of recipes that you make on repeat every single year during the holidays? This recipe is in that pile at my house!
How to store Mint Chocolate Squares:
Since they have a mint cream filling and a chocolate layer on top, we like to keep these in the refrigerator until we’re ready to eat them. They’re better eaten chilled anyways. And you can get good, clean slices of these when they’re well chilled.
Christmas, of course, is the obvious, festive time to make these and enjoy them. If you don’t want the green layer to be green, then just leave out the green food coloring and plan for them to have a white mint cream layer instead.
St. Patrick’s Day is another day to celebrate Mint Chocolate Squares. That bright green layer is perfect for spreading a little bit of green cheer!
What kind of food coloring makes the best green color?
Speaking of coloring, how can you get your green layer to be bright green like these photos? Instead of using liquid food coloring, pick up some gel food color on Amazon instead (or at a baking supply shop or craft store).
Mint Green will get you a color more like what you see in the photos here. Forest Green will get you a darker color green. I think the mint green is prettiest! Add just a little smudge of the gel into your cream layer to see how that green looks, and then you can add more as needed until you get the color you were looking for.
As I mentioned before, it’s totally okay to leave out the green color and enjoy these as a mint chocolate dessert instead. You’ll get a white mint cream layer, and it will resemble what the inside of a Peppermint Pattie looks like. I promise these Chocolate Mint Squares will be just as good without the color if you want to go that route.
Here are a few more green themed recipes you might enjoy:
Chocolate Mint Squares
Ingredients
CRUST:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
- 4 large eggs
- 24 ounces Hershey's chocolate syrup
MINT CREAM LAYER:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (do not use spearmint)
- 3 drops green food coloring
CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
- 1 cup mint or semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.
PREPARE THE CRUST:
- In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the flour, sugar, butter, eggs and chocolate syrup until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked in the middle. Cool completely.
PREPARE THE MINT CREAM LAYER:
- Use an electric mixer to combine the powdered sugar, butter, water, mint extract, and green food coloring. Spread evenly over the cooled cake. Chill.
PREPARE THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
- In a medium glass bowl, microwave on high the butter and chocolate chips until melted (or heat on low in a small saucepan on the stove). Stir until smooth. Pour the chocolate topping on top of the mint layer. Spread evenly. Cover and chill. Cut into squares when firm. Keep squares refrigerated until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
