Description
Sweet graham crackers meet rich chocolate and cool peppermint in this festive chocolate peppermint grahams dessert. Holiday cheer sparkles through crisp layers of indulgent flavor, inviting you to savor each delightful, minty bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies:
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
Chocolate Layer:
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Peppermint Topping:
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing excess to hang over the sides for easy removal.
- Pulverize graham crackers into fine crumbs using a food processor or rolling pin, ensuring a uniform texture.
- Melt butter and combine with graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar, mixing until the mixture resembles wet sand and can hold its shape when pressed.
- Press the graham cracker mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan, creating a compact base layer.
- Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes until golden and fragrant, then remove and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
- Create the chocolate layer by melting chocolate chips and heavy cream together in a double boiler, stirring continuously until smooth and glossy.
- Whisk butter into the chocolate mixture until fully incorporated and silky.
- Pour the chocolate mixture over the cooled graham cracker crust, spreading evenly with a spatula.
- Refrigerate the pan for 15-20 minutes to allow the chocolate layer to set and firm up.
- Crush candy canes into fine, delicate fragments using a food processor or rolling pin.
- Melt white chocolate chips and stir in peppermint extract and a pinch of salt to create a fragrant drizzle.
- Sprinkle crushed candy canes generously over the set chocolate layer.
- Drizzle the peppermint white chocolate across the surface in elegant, crisscrossing patterns.
- Chill the dessert for an additional 30 minutes to fully set and develop flavors.
- Lift the dessert out of the pan using parchment paper edges and slice into squares or triangles for serving.
Notes
- Crumb Consistency Matters: Pulverize graham crackers thoroughly to ensure a smooth, compact base that holds together perfectly without crumbling.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow butter and chocolate to slightly warm up for smoother mixing and more even incorporation, preventing lumpy textures.
- Chocolate Melting Technique: Use low, gentle heat when melting chocolate to prevent burning and maintain a silky, glossy finish that enhances the dessert’s overall quality.
- Peppermint Intensity Control: Adjust peppermint extract quantity based on personal preference, starting with less and tasting to achieve the desired minty flavor without overwhelming the chocolate.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 335
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg