Christmas Chocolate Marshmallow Bars Recipe
These festive Christmas bars are a delightful blend of crunchy graham cracker crumbs, rich cocoa, sweet powdered sugar, and gooey marshmallows, all held together with melted butter and sweetened condensed milk. Perfect for holiday gatherings, they offer a chewy, chocolatey treat studded with chocolate chips and optional nuts for added texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Total Time: 40-45 minutes
- Yield: 16-20 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 2 cups (200 g) graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup (25 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted (or ¾ cup (150 g) melted coconut oil for dairy-free option)
- 1 can (14 oz / 397 g) sweetened condensed milk
Mix-ins
- 3 cups (150 g) mini marshmallows
- 1½ cups (270 g) chocolate chips (dark, milk, or white)
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This step ensures your bars bake evenly with the perfect texture throughout.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar until well combined and free of lumps.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Pour in the melted butter and sweetened condensed milk, stirring until the mixture is thick, sticky, and fully combined.
- Fold in Mix-ins: Gently fold in the mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and chopped nuts (if using), careful not to overmix to keep the marshmallows fluffy and evenly distributed.
- Spread and Bake: Transfer the mixture to a greased baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the edges are set and the center is slightly firm.
- Cool and Cut: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely. Once cool, cut into bite-sized squares and serve.
Notes
- You can substitute melted coconut oil for butter to make these bars dairy-free.
- Feel free to use any type of chocolate chips according to your preference—dark, milk, or white chocolate all work well.
- Omitting the nuts makes these bars nut-free and suitable for those with nut allergies.
- Be sure to wait until the bars are completely cool before cutting to ensure clean squares.
- Storage: Keep bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Keywords: Christmas bars, holiday dessert, chocolate bars, marshmallow bars, graham cracker dessert, festive treats, easy baking
