Peppermint Hot Chocolate Granola Bars: Homemade granola bars loaded with hot chocolate and peppermint goodness. Enjoy one for breakfast and another one for snack.
Well, winter is officially here. Snow was on the ground yesterday morning. It was only a very light dusting...you could really only see in on the piles of leaves and on the rooftops.
But it was enough to get my kids super excited. My son is hoping for lots of the powdery white stuff this winter.
Is it bad that I am wishing against snow? Last year we only had one big snowfall. That's my kind of winter. LOL!
When snow comes, I think about hot chocolate. We almost always have a big container of the powdered stuff in the cupboards. We used to buy the little boxes with the packets because they were convenient and the kids could easily make their own.
But then we realized how much hot chocolate they go through that way. It is actually cheaper to buy one of those bigger containers...that way you aren't paying for all the packaging.
I actually got the idea for these granola bars from Target. They were in the holiday aisle with some pumpkin cheesecake cookies I think. It is one of their Target brand winter specials.
As soon as I saw it I knew I had to try to make some at home.
I mean peppermint and hot chocolate in a granola bar? We love that combo in these Oreo Peppermint Crunch Cookies, so I knew we would love these. Since we needed more hot chocolate mix anyway with it being colder outside now, I think it was perfect timing that I saw that box.
Never mind that I also saw so many other things that I "had" to have. Target sure knows how to get you to buy things you didn't even come in for.
These homemade granola bars got a thumbs up from my husband. That's huge because he isn't a big sweets eater. He took one as he was leaving for work.
As he walked past the outside kitchen window, he tapped on it to get my attention. He gave me a thumbs up with a nod of his head and a big smile. Score!!!
Then the kids had some after school. I had to stop them from eating more because dinner was soon. My youngest doesn't like sugar stuff that much either, and he even said they were good. Double score!
It is always an achievement to get my toughest critics to give things a thumbs up! So if they say it's good, you better believe it's good!
I was planning on being so good around these granola bars. One bar isn't bad...scratch that...now that I think about it, I think I had another one.
No wonder I have to work out so much. I can't even remember how much food I eat. It is so hard to resist eating the yummy stuff I make when I take pictures of it.
Granola bars are a great after school snack. My kids love when I have a pan of them sitting on the counter.
More granola bar recipes to try:
- Caramel Apple Granola Bars
- No Bake M&M Granola Bars
- Caramel Oatmeal Granola Bars
- Iced Gingerbread Oatmeal Bars
- Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Granola Bars
Recipe
Peppermint Hot Chocolate Granola Bars
Homemade granola bars made with powdered hot chocolate mix and peppermint crunch chips make a delicious holiday breakfast.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons chocolate extract*
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 ½ oats oats
- ¾ cup Swiss Miss powdered hot chocolate mix
- 1 cup Andes peppermint crunch chips
- 1 cup Kraft mini marshmallow bits
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon shortening
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, extract, and salt and beat again.
- Sift together the flour, oats, and hot chocolate mix. Slowly add to butter mixture.
- Stir in the peppermint pieces and marshmallow bits by hand.
- Press into a 9x13 greased pan. Bake at 350 for 22 minutes. Let cool. Cut into bars.
- Place the white chips and shortening into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 20 seconds and stir. Repeat until melted and smooth.
- Spoon into a plastic bag and cut a small hole in one corner. Drizzle over cooled bars. Let set. Store in a sealed container.
Notes
*Vanilla extract can be substituted if chocolate is not available.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 367Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 141mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 2gSugar: 25gProtein: 6g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
Ashley
I love homemade granola bars - so much better than store-bought! I saw them at Target recently too - I definitely need to give these homemade ones a try : )
Bailey @ Bailey Bakes
I haven't made homemade granola bars before, but I must try these! They look so good. 🙂 My hubby doesn't care for sweets much either. Always nice to get that stamp of approval!
Jocelyn
Yes, definitely try the homemade ones...they are so much better!!! What is it with our hubbies not liking the good stuff:-)
Tumbleweed Contessa
These are great. Saw them on Southern Lovely. I should have known that picture was you. Great find and lovely pictures.
Becca @ Crumbs and Chaos
Sweet!!! We tried some of the Target ones that you're talking about...they were yummy. But I'll definitely take an entire 9x13 pan of these, I like the size of your granola bars much better than the ones in the box 😉
Jocelyn
Yes, my bar size is about double the size of one prepackaged one. Bigger is always better:-)
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl
I am IN LOVE with these. I probably say that about all of your recipes, though--you come up with the best stuff! But I often eat a granola bar in the car on the way to work, and these would be a welcome change from the packaged ones. Peppermint and cocoa is an awesome combo!
Jocelyn
You are so sweet...I heart you:-) These bars were so good...I seriously just ate the last two. Now I need more!!!
Ashton @ Something Swanky
So YUM!! And I totally agree about the snow. SO glad I'm not in Utah anymore!!
Jocelyn
I am really glad that I am not in Utah too:-) I am good with one good snowstorm per winter!!!
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Jocelyn these are so creative and love the flavors involved and using hot chocolate mix IN the recipe - I bet it adds such a great flavor, then with the mint, too!
Leigh
Up and down the baking and spice aisles and no luck with chocolate extract :-(. Any other suggestion, shoppin now and can't wait to make these for the kids.
Jocelyn
I bought the chocolate extract at Walmart. The brand is Watkins. You can also just use vanilla if you can't find it. Happy shopping!!!
Meghan
These are so fun! They sound delicious, I wouldn't be able to have just one either 😉 Great photos!
Hayley @ The Domestic Rebel
What the what?! Peppermint hot chocolate in a granola bar? This is what dreams are made out of!
Jocelyn
You know it;-) Best dream ever!!!!
nicole
Do you think I could do this as just regular granola or would I have to change things up? I've only masse granola once so I'm not really sure what I'm doing. Thanks!
Jocelyn
You could make them plain too...I actually added another one to the bottom of the post for you. All you would have to do is leave out all the extra things...chips, caramel, and marshmallows. They will still bake the same.
nicole
that recipe looks delicious and i have pinned that one as well. i guess i should rephrase what i was trying to say. can i make this and not put it in bar form? just bake everything and then add the stuff that would melt after it's cooled? sorry for the confusion!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust
These are right up my alley Jocelyn! LOVE peppermint hot chocolate - and in a granola bar? I'm right with you - I eat so much I forget I had 4 cookies at lunch when I eat 4 more after dinner... 😉
Jocelyn
I adore peppermint and hot chocolate this time of year. Putting it into breakfast food was my best idea yet:-)
Erin | The Law Student's Wife
Long live mint chocolate everything at Christmastime! Love the idea of working the flavor combo into a granola bar. Thanks for the inspiration!
Michele @ The Scrap Shoppe
These look GOOD, Jocelyn!! I think these will make for a great treat for my boys. 🙂
Jocelyn
Thanks Michele. Your boys are going to love them...at least I hope so;-)
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen
Oh those look amazing! A great way to start the day! I eat a granola bar almost every morning on the way to work!
Jocelyn
I love how quick and easy they are to make and to eat:-) One every morning sounds like a good idea!!!
Elaine @ Cooking to Perfection
Homemade granola bars totally beat anything that you can buy in the store. And the flavor combo of chocolate and peppermint sounds delicious!
Jocelyn
I totally agree with you. Homemade granola bars are so much better tasting than store bought ones!!!
sally @ sallys baking addiction
i love granola bars, as you know miss Jocelyn! And I am ALWAYS looking for new flavors and combinations. Never thought to add peppermint to a chocolate granola bar - but I like your style. 🙂
Jocelyn
Thank goodness for Target inspiring this fun combo! I know how much you love your granola:-)
Liz
These look and sound amazing! Your pictures are beautiful too! Thanks for sharing....adding to my must-try list!
The Witch's Kitchen
My boys always loved granola bars when they were young. Now you've got me thinking to switch out the chocolate extract for coffee extract and watch them disappear!
Jocelyn
You read my mind:-) I actually have a mocha one with coffee extract that I haven't posted yet. I'm sure those will disappear too!!!
The Witch's Kitchen
great minds think alike!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
These look delicious Jocelyn! I love making homemade granola bars!!! This is such a fun, christmas-like twist!
Jocelyn
Thanks girl! I am all about the Christmas twists these days:-)