Peppermint Mocha Bars

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, MARS Incorporated. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias

I have a slight obsession with those little tins you get at Christmas time filled with treats.

When I was a kid, my Mom used to have a stockpile of them because giving out homemade goodies was something we did every single year. We spent days baking and making candy and then packaged everything up to give to family and friends. I still use many of the same recipes that my Mom received from my Grandmother. Now, as an adult with a family of my own, I find myself collecting containers of all sizes and designs. We follow tradition and prepare edible gifts for teachers, bosses, volunteers, and everyone we want to show a little extra love. We make it together and we deliver it together. And that is what it is all about, right? Time with family and making sure that those who are most important in your life really know it. When making my list of treats this year, I found myself gravitating toward my favorite flavors: coffee, chocolate, and peppermint. I am guilty of drinking peppermint mochas year round (I never seem to get sick of them) and I love the fact that the holidays showcase them even more! When I saw these White Peppermint M&M’S® (available for a limited time!) I immediately thought of chocolate and coffee and these bars were born! With an M&M’S® in almost every bite, they are irresistibly minty! And can we just say, gorgeous? So festive! Be prepared to hear the shrieks of delight when you hand a Christmas tin of these babies to your boss/babysitter/piano teacher/ballet instructor.

I picked up my ingredients at Walmart and stocked up on all kinds of goodies for snacking and baking! You can find the candies in the holiday isle! Such an easy thing to do with such a loving impact on those we care about. You know what else has an impact? Every time you buy M&M’S® candies at Walmart, milk is donated to local food shelfs through Feeding America*! Its true! Want to learn more about the Great American Milk Drive and how it is helping families this holiday season? Head to milklife.com/give to get details and donate. So each batch of goodies is the gift of quality time spent with family, the tangible gift of sweet treats, and even the gift of donation.
Want to see what else is happening with the MARS company this season? Click here to follow along so you won’t miss a thing!

Peppermint Mocha Bars
These travel great!

1 box brownie mix for a 9X13 pan
1 T instant espresso powder or instant coffee
1 bag (9 oz) M&M’S® Brand White Peppermint (Limited Edition) Candies
1 c good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 tsp canola oil
1/3 c chocolate covered coffee beans, chopped

Mix the brownies according to package directions. Stir in the instant coffee powder. Pour into prepared 9X13 pan and evenly sprinkle the bag of candy over the top. Bake as directed. Cool. Cut the bars into squares or use a cookie cutter to punch out shapes. Combine the chocolate and the oil in a microwave bowl and heat in 30 second intervals until JUST MELTED! Do not overheat! Drizzle the melted chocolate over the bars and sprinkle with chopped coffee beans. Let chocolate set and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

*For every purchase of M&M’S® Brand Chocolate Candies product purchased at Walmart between 11/7/16 and 12/25/16, Mars Chocolate, Inc.® will contribute $5.00 to Feeding America® on behalf of its national network of food banks to secure and deliver one (1) half-gallon of milk or more based on local markets. Maximum contribution is $100,000.