It wouldn’t be the holidays without copious amounts of delicious, drool inducing food. From the potatoes to the cocktails, desserts, appetizers and everything in between, there is no shortage of calories between November and December and all I have to say about this is I am here for it. Fortunately, the LIY team is as well.

We recently gathered for our second annual holiday meal where we each bring a dish [or drink] to share and because we want to make sure you’re well fed this holiday season, we are bringing you all of the recipes that we made [and devoured] in this free holiday cookbook! Included are a festive bruschetta, vegan stuffed shells, a delectable green bean casserole, stuffing, a turkey worth talking about, holiday rose and a must make dessert which you’ll see below! There is nothing greater than gathering around the table with people you love and spending time catching up, laughing, sharing stories and of course – eating. Full stomachs = full hearts and empty glasses = fuller hearts. I think we can all cheers to that!

Before you snag your free copy of our holiday cookbook, I’d love to share the star of this year’s show — these Chocolate Peppermint Bars that Steph on the team contributed. If you are a lover of shortbread, peppermint and chocolate, this is the dessert for you. With every bite we couldn’t stop raving just how delicious it actually was. You can find the recipe below [and in the cookbook] and I promise, it will be a hit at your next holiday gathering. Don’t forget to click here to receive the FULL cookbook with this recipe included!

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Chocolate Peppermint Bars

Course Dessert

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

• 1 Cup Salted Butter
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 Cups Flour
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Peppermint Filling

• 5.9 oz box Box Instant Chocolate Pudding
• 2 Cups Milk
• 24 oz Cream Cheese softened
• 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Peppermint Extract
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• Chocolate shavings, sprinkles, chocolate chips

Instructions

Shortbread Crust Instructions

1. Mix ingredients together, press firmly into well greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 300° for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. [This is my secret, no stick ingredient https://shopstyle.it/l/bawvY]. Cool completely.

2. Bake at 300° for 35-40 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Cool Completely.

Filling Instructions

1. Mix together pudding and milk, refrigerate for 5 - 10 minutes or until set.

2. While chocolate pudding rests in the refrigerator, mix together Cream Cheese, Powdered Sugar and Peppermint Extract. Stir in pudding.

3. Pour into cooled crust and refrigerate overnight.

4. Top with Cool Whip (mix with red or green food coloring if you desire) and top with chocolate shavings, mini chocolate chips, or crushed candy canes.

Thank you for spending a small part of your holiday with us here at LIY, we are so grateful to be able to serve you [not just food on your plate ;)] on a daily basis. Wishing you the brightest and tastiest holiday yet!

GET YOUR FREE COPY OF OUR HOLIDAY COOKBOOK HERE!

Erin Schrader

Founder and creator of LIY, Erin turned her dream of a hobby blog into a full-time career which she now runs alongside the LIY team! When not in front of her computer screen [with a La Croix or wine in hand] or in front of a mirror taking mirror selfies, you can find Erin spending time on the water, cuddled up with her two pups and husband most likely watching the latest Shark Tank episode, or getting lost in an easy beach read.