Ingredients
✓ 2 cups all-purpose flour
✓ 1 cup butter
✓ 1 cup sugar
✓ 1 egg
✓ 1 tsp vanilla extract
✓ Red and green sprinkles or food coloring
✓ 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
✓ 3 cups chocolate chips
✓ 1 tsp peppermint extract
✓ 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
✓ 1 package chocolate sandwich cookies (crushed)
✓ 4 oz cream cheese
✓ 8 oz melting chocolate
✓ 1 box vanilla or chocolate cake mix
✓ 1 cup frosting (colored red, green, or white)
✓ 12 mini tart shells
✓ 1 cup pastry cream or vanilla pudding
✓ 1 cup fresh fruit (kiwi, raspberries, blueberries, etc.)
Instructions
✓ Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment.
✓ Mix butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
✓ Add egg and vanilla; beat until fully incorporated.
✓ Sift flour and fold into butter mixture just until combined.
✓ Stir in peppermint extract and optional sprinkles until evenly colored.
✓ Portion dough onto sheets, flatten to ¼‑inch thickness; bake 10‑12 minutes until edges turn light golden brown.
✓ Combine crushed chocolate sandwich cookies with sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan; heat over low heat, stirring until smooth.
✓ Melt chocolate with half of the chocolate chips, stir in crushed candy canes, then let cool until set.
✓ Prepare cake mix according to package, adding butter and eggs; pour into a 9‑inch round pan and bake 25‑30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
✓ Whisk cream cheese with a splash of milk until smooth; fold in remaining chocolate chips for speckled frosting.
✓ Cut cooled cookies into festive shapes and set aside.
✓ Spread condensed‑milk cookie layer onto parchment; smooth and refrigerate 15 minutes.
✓ Pour melted chocolate over the set layer, sprinkle additional crushed candy canes, and cool 20 minutes.
✓ Slice chilled chocolate bark into bite‑size squares and arrange on a platter.
✓ Drizzle remaining melted chocolate over baked cake, swirl for marble effect, and let set 10 minutes.
✓ Pipe colored frosting onto the cake in decorative ribbons and sprinkle extra sprinkles if desired.
✓ Fill each mini tart shell with pastry cream, top with fresh fruit, and press gently to settle.
✓ Place a layer of peppermint cookies on a large platter, adding dollops of cream cheese frosting between rows.
✓ Arrange chocolate bark squares around the perimeter, scattering crushed candy canes for sparkle.
✓ Center the frosted cake on the platter, surround with mini fruit‑topped tarts, and finish with fresh berries and a sprig of rosemary.
Notes
Chill dough before baking for flat cookies; store assembled items airtight for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 90
- Cook Time: 60
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 210
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 5