I’ve made Creme de Menthe Brownies for years, but when I found this recipe over at The Kitchen is My Playground I instantly fell in love.
The classic combination of a Grasshopper cocktail (creme de cacao and creme de menthe with cream) turned into a beautifully layered cheesecake treat is so very delicious! and a nice change from the deeper, darker and heavier brownie version.
GRASSHOPPER CHEESECAKE SQUARES Yield: 9 squares
1 1/2 cups (30-40 cookies) chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (gingersnaps are also quite good)
1/4 cup butter, melted
24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 LARGE eggs, at room temperature
4 tablespoons white creme de cacao
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons green creme de menthe
2 drops green food coloring (optional)
2 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate squares, chopped
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Spray a 9×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter, mixing well.
- Press cookie crumb mixture into the baking dish. Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese for a minute at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating well.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Stir in creme de cacoa.
- Scoop out 2 and a 1/2 cups of the cheesecake batter and pour it over the cookie crumb crust, spreading evenly with a spatula.
- Stir creme de menthe into remaining cheesecake batter.
- Using a spoon or small measuring cup to work with small amounts of batter at a time, GENTLY pour the green cheesecake batter on top of the white cheesecake batter in the baking dish. You don’t want to disturb the layers too much.
- Bake 45 – 55 minutes.
- Cool to room temperature and then chill over night.
- Cut cheesecake into small bars. cutting the bars prior to putting on the chocolate drizzle helps keep the drizzle intact and pretty.
- Microwave chocolate squares in 20 second intervals until melted, stirring after each interval.
- Add melted chocolate to a ziplock bag and seal.
- Snip a very tiny hole in one corner of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the bars.
- Store covered in the refrigerator.