Vegan Creme de Menthe Bars-No Bake/Gluten & Soy-Free

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But, now that fall has passed us by, nothing screams Winter Holidays to me like Peppermint or Minty Flavored Desserts.  And there’s no better way to enjoy mint than with chocolate.  You agree, right?

Growing up I loved my moms’ Creme de Menthe Bars but since I am a gluten & soy-free vegan, and the traditional recipe is very heavy on dairy, eggs, and crumb-cookie crusts, I had some major tweaking to do.  But I succeed and present you with:

Averie’s Vegan Creme de Menthe Bars-No Bake/Gluten & Soy-Free
This is a 3 Layered Bar: The Chocolate Base/Crust, the White Minty Buttercream-Inspired Middle Layer, and the Chocolate Mint Top Layer.
It is definitely like Thin Mints meets Buttercream Frosting meets Dipped in a Minty Chocolate Bath.  And the whole thing is done in less than 20 minutes.


Base/Crust
1/4 c Earth Balance-Soy Free Buttery Spread (or your preferred butter/margarine).  Melt the Butter.

Soy Free Buttery Spread in bowl

Then add:
1/4 c cocoa powder
1/4 c almond meal
1/4 c ground oats/oat flour (note: you can just use 1/2 c almond meal OR whatever combo & type of flour you prefer, i.e. cashew, oat, rice, almond, wheat, etc.)
1/4 c powdered sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Optional: 2 Tbsp Agave

Melted butter with remaining ingredients to make crust for bars in bowl

Stir everything together.  Pour into your container & flatten.

Stirred crust ingredients in bottom of clear container

You may have some leftover crust mixture, about 1/4 c worth.  Or just make a thicker crust.  Yummy stuff.

Set in the freezer while you make the middle layer.

Middle Layer
1/4 c of Buttery Spread.   Melt it.

Butter in bowl

Then add:
1.5 c powdered sugar (I said it’s vegan, not low cal)
Scant 1/4 c Creme de Menthe (If you don’t have access to Creme de Menthe, use Peppermint Extract and start with 1 Tbsp, adding slowly and carefully until just slightly minty or to taste)
Optional: Green Food coloring to make it look minty.  Or a shot of green juice.

Bottle of Creme de Menthe
Measuring spoon adding Creme de Menthe to melted butter
Powdered sugar added to melted butter and Creme de Menthe

Whip Until Blended, Creamy, & Fluffy.  (This is basically Buttercream Frosting.  Tip of the Day: Vegan Buttercream frosting is 1 part buttery spread to 3 parts powdered sugar, dash of vanilla extract, blend, devour.)

Powdered sugar mixture stirred with spoon
Spoon holding up powdered sugar mixture

Pour this mixture over the crust forming the middle layer.

Powdered sugar mixture in bowl next to crust mixture in container
Hand pouring powdered sugar mixture over crust

Put in fridge/freezerwhile you make the Top Layer

Powdered sugar mixture spread over crust in clear container

Side View of Crust + Middle

Side view of crust and powdered sugar middle layer

Top Layer
1/4 c Buttery Spread.  Melt it.

Buttery spread in bowl

Add 1/2 c Chocolate Chips (I used the Chocolate and Mint Holiday Edition chips, not technically vegan.  But you could use Baker’s Chocolate, or Cocoa Powder, Agave, Coconut Oil, with an optional Peppermint Extract to keep the top layer truly vegan)
1/4 c powdered sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Add all the ingredients to the melted buttery spread and whisk until combined

Package of Nestle Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels
Chocolate Morsels added to melted butter in bowl

Retrieve Crust + Middle Layer from Freezer, and Pour the Chocolate Top Layer over it

Gloved hand holding melted chocolate and butter mixture over container
Hand pouring chocolate mixture over powdered sugar layer

Place back into Freezer to Cool & Set Up

Chocolate covered bars in container

Can anyone say Crust + Middle + Top = Vegan Oreo Mint Cookie Adaptation?

Side view of bars showing crust, center and chocolate topping

After the Creme de Menthe Bars have set up, retrieve them from the freezer and Devour with Wild Abandon.

Finished set up Creme de Menthe Bars with one bar cut out

These are the adult-themed version of Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mints meet Minty Buttercream Frosting meet Chocolate Decadence.

Cut Creme de Menthe Bars in container showing each layer

You’ve got a crunchy chocolaty minty base layer, with a fluffy minty frosting-like center, with Chocolate on the Top.

Close up of one Creme de Menthe Bar

They are soooo good.  Sooo rich.

Layers of Creme de Menthe Bars in clear container

You really only need a tiny piece to feel satisfied…

Up close of one bar on white plate

….Or a big square to feel stuffed.

Up close of one Creme de Menthe Bar in clear container

I included lots of photos for a step-by-step Creme de Menthe making tutorial and it looks like alot, but the whole recipe only takes about 20 minutes of active kitchen time and the rest if just waiting for set-up in the freezer.

Plated Creme de Menthe Bar

Enjoy!

Close up of crust, center and chocolate topping of Creme de Menthe Bars
 
Have you ever tried Creme de Menthe Bars?

 

About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

Comments

  1. Hi I really want to try this as I live in Australia and right now we are having 40 degree summer weather. No oven for me! Just one question. Is powdered sugar just icing sugar? Thanks!

    1. I believe they are the same sugar…you want a super-fine, snow-white sugar. Not like granulated sugar but bright white powdery sugar. Enjoy!

  2. I had this recipe printed out from when you first posted it, but I seem to have lost it between last year and this year.
    I’ve come back to print it out again, as it is a real favourite at Christmas gatherings and I love that is is Gluten Free.