Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars

December 1, 2015
Rich and fudgy Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars are adorned with festive red and green for the holidays!  Whip up a batch for your cookie tray, and watch them disappear.
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Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars ~ rich & fudgy bars adorned with festive red and green for the holidays!   www.thekitchenismyplayground.com


It's December 1st, which means we can officially break out the festive red & green goodies for Christmas, right?  Like these fun red-and-green-adorned Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars!

There's just something about holiday baking that's so peaceful and relaxing for me.  I just love to get in the kitchen come holiday time, with the lights of our Christmas tree twinkling in the background and Christmas music softly playing.  And whipping up tasty treats to share with family and friends.  That's true baking pleasure, right there.

I think this love of holiday baking is something I inherited from my Mom.  I can remember her baking away during the holidays, too.  There was truly no shortage of delicious home-baked treats in our home come Christmas time!

And these Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars were one of those many delicious home-baked treats.

Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars ~ rich & fudgy bars adorned with festive red and green for the holidays!   www.thekitchenismyplayground.com

But I decided to dress up Mom's Chocolate Layer Bars with the extra-festive touch of red and green M&Ms.  Isn't it fun how something as simple as just a little sprinkling of red and green can bring beautiful holiday spirit to a treat?

Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars ~ rich & fudgy bars adorned with festive red and green for the holidays!   www.thekitchenismyplayground.com

The rich fudgy chocolate layer of these scrumptious Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars is made with semi-sweet chocolate chips and cream cheese melted together with a touch of milk.  Slivered almonds are then stirred in for added flavor and a bit of crunch.

This chocolatey goodness is then layered between a buttery-rich crumbly crust ... sprinkled with red and green M&Ms for the holiday touch, of course.

So kick off that holiday baking with these fun-&-festive, red-and-green-adorned Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars.  As for me ... if you're looking for me over the next few weeks, rest assured there's a pretty good chance I'll be in the kitchen.  With my Christmas music playing, my Christmas tree lights twinkling, and baking up a holiday treat to share.

Happy holiday season, everyone!

Check out these other totally fun & festive Christmas cookies:
Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars ~ rich & fudgy bars adorned with festive red and green for the holidays!   www.thekitchenismyplayground.com
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Christmas cookies, Christmas chocolate layer bars recipe, Christmas recipes
Cookies & Bars
Yield: About 36 bars

Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars

Rich and fudgy Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars are adorned with festive red and green for the holidays! Whip up a batch for your cookie tray, and watch them disappear.
prep time: 20 Mcook time: 45 Mtotal time: 65 M

ingredients:

For the crust:
  • 3 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened just slightly {do not substitute margarine}
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
For the chocolate filling:
  • 12 oz. (2 c.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 2/3 c. milk
  • 1 c. slivered almonds
  • 1 c. red & green M&Ms

instructions:

How to cook Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars

Prepare the Crust:
  1. Mix together flour, sugar, and baking powder. 
  2. Cut butter into small pieces. With an electric mixer on low speed, blend in almond extract, butter and eggs. (Mixture will be VERY crumbly ... do not over mix. If mixed together too well, the crust will bake up very hard.)
  3. Put 2/3 of the crumb mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13" baking dish; pat down very lightly with your fingers. Set aside.
Prepare the Chocolate Filling:
  1. Put cream cheese, chocolate chips, and milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute to melt, stirring after 30 seconds. (If not melted, microwave in 20-second intervals until melted.) Once melted, stir in almonds.
  2. Pour chocolate filling over prepared crust. 
  3. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly on top. 
  4. Sprinkle M&Ms on top and gently press down into crumb mixture with the palm of your hand.
Bake:
  1. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. 
  2. Cool completely and cut into small squares. Store in the refrigerator.
Created using The Recipes Generator


You might also enjoy these other Christmas treat recipes:





White Chocolate Peppermint Eggnog


Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars ~  These rich & fudgy bars are adorned with festive red and green M&Ms for the holidays! Such a tasty Christmas treat. #Christmassweets #Christmastreats #chocolatelayerbars www.thekitchenismyplayground.com
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27 comments

  1. Um, yum!! Those look like they are right up my alley! I'm pinning them and putting them on my must make list!

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  2. I'm so making these bars! They look sooo good with chocolate cream filling and m&ms! Pining it right now.
    Blessings,
    Leslie

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  3. Yum, yum!
    Thanks so much for sharing at AMAZE ME MONDAY!
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  4. Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop

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  5. What a great Christmas Bar, it looks awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your talent with Full Plate Thursday and have a great day.
    Come Back Soon!
    Miz Helen

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  6. These look AMAZING! Omgosh, YUM. Can you mail me some? ;) I'm semi-clueless when it comes to multiple ingredients and I always think I'll mess them up.

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  7. Can these be made ahead and then placed in freezer?

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  8. These look amazing! They might satisfy my boys too; one who likes chocolate and one who doesn't.

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  9. What delicious Christmas things !!
    Merry Christmas
    Elke

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  10. They sound delicious Tracey!!
    Thank you for sharing your recipe at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring it at tomorrow night's party and pinning too.
    Happy New Year!
    Kerryanne

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  11. Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party! Hope your holidays are wonderful!

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  12. Your awesome post was featured on Full Plate Thursday,464. Thanks so much for sharing your talent with us and hope you have a great New Year! Hope to see you in 2020!
    Miz Helen

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  13. August 2020 - Made the Christmas Chocolate Layer Bars. Found the Almond Flavoring to be very overwhelming. If I make again, will switch to vanilla. Pam

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the heads up. I'm not a huge almond flavored fan

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  14. Can these be made up ahead of time and frozen?

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  15. Hello - any suggestions for what to use in place of slivered almonds? A family member is allergic to nuts and these look really good!

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  16. Could this recipe be cut in half and baked in an 8x8 pan? Thanks

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  17. I wrote a while back asking if this festive looking recipe could be cut in half and then baked in an 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Maybe it didn't make it thru the first time. Thank you so much....

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  18. Want to add these pretty and yummy looking cookies on my Christmas cookie platters this holiday season. Was wondering if the recipe could be cut in half and baked in a 8x8 or 9x9 pan. Thanks so much!!

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  19. We suggest you use the 8X8 pan when cutting recipe in half. Enjoy.

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  20. Next time I make these I think I would use crushed candy canes in place of M & M’s. I love chocolate and peppermint together.

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    Replies
    1. Please let us know how they turn out. We hope you enjoy all the cookie recipes on the site.

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  21. Love these bars! I made them for Christmas, and just baked a batch with pastel M and M's for Easter.

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