Enjoy fantastic Peppermint Patty Bars year-round! These miniature bars have the same great flavors you love in classic peppermint patties.
Do you enjoy York Peppermint Patties or Junior Mints? We sure love the flavor combination of chocolate AND peppermint! I’ve made 3-4 different recipes for peppermint patties over the past 20 years, but never found one I genuinely, truly LOVED… until THIS one.
I received a recipe for peppermint patties from a friend (it was from a magazine she subscribes to), and I really liked the filling ingredients that were used in it. I decided to try it and “slightly” tweak the recipe a bit. This recipe for peppermint patty bars is the result.
These bars are not the “traditional” ROUND patties, but are rectangular and the shape of a mini candy bar! For this recipe I use dark chocolate candy wafers for the coating, and love the crispness, once the chocolate hardens on the peppermint filling.
They are ABSOLUTELY delicious, and a perfect dessert treat for the holidays, or a GREAT food gift for friends or family! We cannot stay out of them, because they are SO YUMMY! Here’s how to make these decadent peppermint patty bars.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Make The Peppermint Filling
Combine powdered sugar, vegetable shortening, light corn syrup, water and peppermint extract in a large bowl. Use electric beaters on LOW speed to mix these ingredients together. NOTE: The filling will be very crumbly, even after being mixed.
NOTE: The dark chocolate candy wafers (shown below) are used later, to cover the peppermint bars. **You can find them in big craft stores (like Hobby Lobby or Michael’s), or large grocery stores. It can also be called almond bark. If you can’t find this ingredient, you can substitute dark chocolate chips.
Use clean hands to pinch and knead the filling crumbles together. Continue to do this until the dough becomes fairly smooth in texture and binds together well.
Shape this peppermint filling into a basic log form, then carefully transfer it to wax paper or parchment paper on a hard surface.
Shape Then Refrigerate Peppermint Patty Filling “Log”
Continue to shape the filling into a rectangular log about 1½” wide and about 9″ long, compacting the filling as you form it.
Wrap the peppermint log tightly in plastic wrap, place it on a cookie sheet, and then REFRIGERATE FOR 1 HOUR!
Now Let’s SLICE It And FREEZE It!
After the peppermint filling has fully chilled, remove the plastic wrap from the “log”. Use a serrated knife to carefully slice the log into ¼” thick slices. You should end up with a total of about 32 rectangular-shaped slices.
Place the slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet and pop them back in the FREEZER for 15 minutes. This will make them very cold, so they hold together as they’re dipped in melted chocolate.
Time To Melt The Chocolate
Once the peppermint bars have been in the freezer for 15 minutes, it’s time to melt the chocolate for dipping. Place about 1/3 of the chocolate into a bowl, along with about 1/3 of the vegetable shortening.
IMPORTANT TIP: The bowl, spoon, etc. that you use must be DRY. Any water that gets into the chocolate could make the chocolate “seize up” and get too hard.
Melt the chocolate and shortening on High power in a microwave for 45 seconds. Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir. At first the chocolate will be hardly melted, but that’s okay. Stir it anyway.
Repeat this process in 30 second intervals, stirring after each heating, until eventually the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.
ANOTHER TIP: Dip only about a third of the peppermint patties at a time, then re-melt more chocolate, etc.. Continue until all the peppermint patty bars are dipped.
Time For Chocolate “Dipping” Each Bar
Carefully place one peppermint bar at a time into the chocolate, and gently turn it over until all sides are covered with chocolate.
I typically use a spoon to help coat the bar with chocolate, and a small fork to lift the bar out of the bowl. Let the excess chocolate run down, and into the bowl.
Immediately place the peppermint patty bar onto waxed paper OR parchment paper. Add colorful sprinkles immediately after each bar is dipped, so they adhere before the chocolate hardens!
Repeat this process with each peppermint bar, until all are chocolate-dipped and decorated with sprinkles (if using).
Serve And Enjoy The Peppermint Patty Bars
Let the chocolate completely harden on the peppermint patty bars before serving. Give them time to rest and set up (without moving them) for about 15 minutes, and then dive in!
My husband enjoys peppermint patty bars at room temperature, but I like to refrigerate them before I gobble them up. Try them both ways to determine how you enjoy them the most!
Keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for quite a while, if stored properly.
Be warned, though. Peppermint patty bars are so absolutely delicious, minty and refreshing, it will be hard to keep out of them!
I hope you enjoy these classic treats, and trust you will love them like we do! They also make a great food gift! Put them on a decorative plate or in a Christmas tin, and embellish it with a pretty bow or tag. Your friends and family will love this gift!
Thanks for stopping by, and please come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a GREAT day!
Looking For More CHOCOLATE Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of yummy chocolate treats for you to check out, including:
- Chocolate Caramel Clusters
- Mocha Truffles
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Mom’s Old-Fashioned Fudge
- Chocolate Raspberry Torte
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Filling recipe adapted from: Joanna Gaines, via Magnolia Magazine (a friend had the original recipe)
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
Enjoy fantastic Peppermint Patty Bars year-round! These miniature bars have the same great flavors you love in classic peppermint patties.
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 2½ Tablespoons light corn syrup
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 2 teaspoons water
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
- 12 ounces dark chocolate candy melts (* see NOTES) can sub. dark chocolate chips/almond bark
- 1½ teaspoons vegetable shortening
- decorative sprinkles, for garnish (OPTIONAL)
Combine powdered sugar, shortening, corn syrup, water and peppermint extract in a large bowl. Use electric mixer on LOW speed to mix ingredients. NOTE: Filling will be very crumbly, even after mixing.
Use your hands to pinch/ knead the filling crumbles together. Continue until dough is fairly smooth in texture. Shape into a basic log form; transfer to wax paper or parchment paper. Continue to shape the filling into a rectangular log about 1½" wide and about 9" long, compacting filling as you form it. Wrap log tightly in plastic wrap; place on cookie sheet. REFRIGERATE FOR 1 HOUR!
Remove wrap from chilled "log". Use a serrated knife to carefully cut log into ¼" thick slices. You should end up with about 32 slices. Place slices in a single layer on baking sheet(s). Place them in the FREEZER for 15 minutes.
Place about ⅓ of chocolate and ⅓ of the vegetable shortening in a microwave-safe bowl. Place bowl in microwave. Cook on High power for 45 seconds. Remove bowl and stir chocolate. Chocolate will be barely melted, but stir anyway. Repeat this process in 30 second intervals, stirring after each heating, until chocolate is fully melted and smooth. IMPORTANT TIP: The bowl, spoon, etc. you use must be DRY. Any water that gets into the chocolate can make chocolate "seize up" and get too hard. Dip about ⅓ of the peppermint patties at a time, then re-melt more chocolate, etc., as needed. Continue until all bars are dipped.
FOR EACH BAR: Carefully place 1 bar at a time into chocolate; gently turn it over until all sides are chocolate-covered. TIP: Use a spoon to help coat bar with chocolate, and a small fork to lift the bar out of the bowl. Let excess chocolate run down and back into bowl. Immediately place the peppermint patty bar onto waxed paper OR parchment paper. Add colorful sprinkles immediately after each bar is dipped, so they adhere before chocolate hardens! Repeat this with each peppermint bar, until all are chocolate-dipped and decorated.
Let chocolate completely harden before serving. Keep any leftovers stored in an airtight container in refrigerator. Enjoy!
FYI NOTE: Depending on the variety of dark chocolate melts used, the total calorie count of each bar can vary quite a bit. I used Make n' Mold chocolate candy wafers (sold at Hobby Lobby), but most grocers (or hobby shops) have a variety of candy wafers, almond bark or dark chocolate chips, which can be used for chocolate coating for the bars. Each differing variety will produce a different total caloric count.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!