Small Cookie Sunday: Minty Bars
MINTY BARS
For lovers of chocolate and peppermint!
These were made for a Halloween party, but I can see them equally wonderful as party favors for a baby shower, little one’s birthday, or wedding favors. As fancy as they look, these cookies are surprisingly easy to make. This was my fist time making them, and they turned out wonderfully delicious, pretty, and easy to package. Be careful in the baking, because it’s hard to detect when chocolate dough is getting brown. One thing to look for is if the surface becomes dull and loses its shininess; at this point you know it’s cooked. For crisper cookies, allow to cook a few minutes longer.
- Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup butter, very soft but still holds its shape
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 6 ounces (1/2 bag) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tsp peppermint extract
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9×13” pan, line it with waxed paper, then lightly butter the waxed paper.
- Sift together the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. Stir together the butter and sugar until thoroughly mixed, then stir in the beaten egg. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Press dough into prepared pan – bring all the way to the edges, evenly thick throughout. Bake for 17-19 minutes. Cool completely. Remove from pan and place on a soft towel. Trim off the edges with a sharp knife.
- Put chocolate chips and vegetable oil in the top of a double boiler. Heat until melted and smooth when stirred with a spoon. When the cholocate is completely melted and creamy smooth, stir in the peppermint extract. Then allow to cool for about five minutes so it will thicken a bit. Spread over the cooled cookie crust. Sift cocoa powder over the chocolate if desired.
- Let harden for several hours or overnight. When the chocolate topping has hardened and is at room temperature, they are ready to cut into bars. Measure carefully to make sure the size you cut will fit into your containers.
- This recipe, baked in a 9×13 pan, will make bars that fit perfectly in the Evermine small Rectangle Favor Boxes. I measured the bars VERY carefully, marked with a knife where I wanted to cut, checked my measurements, and then cut the bars carefully to 2 – 3/8” x 1 – 1/4”.
Place two bars on their sides into a box, separated with a piece of waxed paper. Add labels, wrap with kraft paper ribbon and seal the ribbon with a small circle label.
For packaging:
• Evermine Rectangle Favor Boxes. They measure 2.5” x 1.25” x 1.25” I cut the lids off so you could see the bars.
• label shape 03, 2.5” x 1.25” rectangle, for the two long sides of each box. Label style is Iconic Halloween, with a pumpkin icon
• label shape 28, the .938” circle, in Iconic Halloween style
• thin kraft paper cut into 7/8” strips
You are sure to have a boo-tiful party with these adorable snack treats! Enjoy!
Jeanne and her husband David launched My Own Labels in January of 2000. It was a spin-off of their successful graphic design firm, plus it allowed Jeanne to incorporate her love of baking, making, sewing and creating. Today David and Jeanne continue to be the heart of the operation both creatively and practically.