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Easy Peppermint Magic Bars Recipe

Easy Peppermint Magic Bars

These festive peppermint magic bars feature a soft sugar-cookie crust, layers of white vanilla and semisweet chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and crushed peppermint candies. The recipe yields about 24 bars and is ideal for holiday cookie trays.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust
  • 1 17.5-ounce pouch Refrigerated sugar-cookie mix
  • 1/2 cup Butter, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon Peppermint extract
Toppings
  • 1 cup White vanilla baking chips
  • 1 cup Semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1 14-ounce can Sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup Crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving enough overhang on the sides to lift the cooled bars out later, and lightly grease the foil.
  2. Mix the refrigerated sugar-cookie mix, softened butter, and peppermint extract until a soft dough forms. Press the dough evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan.
  3. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven while the crust is still warm.
  4. Immediately sprinkle the white vanilla baking chips and semisweet chocolate chips evenly over the warm crust. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the chips, distributing it as evenly as possible.
  5. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies over the top. Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the center is set.
  6. Cool the bars completely in the pan, preferably for about 2 hours. Lift them out using the foil overhang, then cut into bars with a sharp knife; chill briefly after cooling for especially neat pieces.

Notes

Do not cut the bars while warm because the chocolate, condensed milk, and peppermint topping need time to set. Store covered at room temperature for short-term serving or refrigerate for firmer slices.