Frosted Peppermint Brownies

Name: Frosted Peppermint Brownies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 16 brownies
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 cup unsalted butter; ¾ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips; ¼ cup dark chocolate wafers (or chips); 1½ cups white sugar; 4 eggs; 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract); 1 cup unsalted butter (softened); 4 cups powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons milk (or heavy cream); 2 teaspoons peppermint extract; 10 candy canes (crushed)

Christmas Favorites Desserts

These Frosted Peppermint Brownies are thick, fudgy, and full of flavor. The classic chocolate brownie recipe gets a Christmas twist with a sweet and crunchy peppermint frosting. Easy to make from scratch, this homemade treat will be the hit of the holiday season!

Please excuse the explosion of peppermint treats that you may see on Pumpkin ‘N Spice.

First, it was these Vanilla Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting, and now it’s these Frosted Peppermint Brownies. You could say that I have a thing for peppermint frosting, and that’s not a bad thing!

Unless you don’t like peppermint, and in that case, I’ve got a ton of different holiday flavored treats to choose from!

But, before I get to the recipe, let’s talk about our furry friends. If you’ve been hanging around here for a while (or you follow me on Instagram Stories or Snapchat) then you know that my dog, Callie, and I do a lot together. She’s my fur baby and I’m not ashamed to admit that I spoil her.

From taking her to the dog park once (sometimes twice) a day, to getting her puppachinos at Starbucks and trying out the latest all-natural bone or treat, I do it all. Within reason, of course. I’m also firm with her and she’s currently in the second level of obedience school. But, she’s a wonderfully sweet, loyal, and friendly pup, so she deserves the best that the hubster and I can give her.

Anyways, you may also remember that it’s a tradition for the hubster and I to take a picture with Santa every year. It’s something that we’ve done every year since we’ve started dating (this will be our 7th picture this year!). And now that we’ve got Callie, we decided to add her to the mix. After all, she’s part of our little family!

The place where I take Callie for obedience lessons had Santa on-site for holiday pictures a few weeks ago, so the hubster and I reserved our spot and got our family portrait taken.

#ProudDogMamaMoment

Ok, if you’re still reading along, then thank you! I promise I have a wonderfully sweet recipe to share with you.

I don’t know about you, but thick, fudgy, and chewy brownies always hit the spot for me. And I’m definitely more of a fudgy brownie person than the cakey kind. And that’s what you’ll find in these brownies.

What Makes These Peppermint Brownies So Fantastic:

They’re rich and decadent, with three kinds of chocolate!
These Christmas brownies have a thick layer of peppermint frosting to sink your teeth into!
They’re simple to make from scratch. The directions are straight forward and you’ll get delicious, fudgy brownies in less than an hour!

Whenever the holiday season hits, I’m all about peppermint. So I couldn’t resist topping the brownies with an easy peppermint frosting. In fact, the frosting is the same recipe that I used with these Vanilla Cupcakes. And truth be told, I will be making it year round. It’s just that good!

How To Make These Peppermint Brownies:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Then line with parchment paper so that it is easy to lift the brownies out of pan once baked. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
In another medium bowl, combine butter, semi-sweet chocolate chips and dark chocolate wafers. Melt the ingredients in the microwave over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract. Stir in the melted chocolate. Slowly stir in flour mixture until just incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out with just a few crumbs, and edges are set. Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely.
To make the peppermint frosting, beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with fitted paddle attachment until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until fully incorporated.
Add in the milk and peppermint extract. Beat for about 2-3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Gently fold crushed candy canes into frosting, if desired, or reserve to sprinkle on top of frosted brownies.
Lift the brownies out of the pan by grabbing onto the parchment paper and pulling up and out. Spoon the frosting on top of the brownies and spread evenly with a knife or back of a spoon. Add the crushed candy canes, if desired. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Cooking Tips:

I find it helpful to first grease the baking pan with non-stick cooking spray, and then lining it with parchment paper before adding the batter. This helps ensure that you have easy removal of the brownies (and not a sticky mess when cutting them).
Be sure to use an 8×8 baking pan (if you have one). This results in that denser, chewier brownie, whereas a 9×13 inch baking pan will result in a flatter brownie.
If you like gooey brownies, be sure to bake them at at least 375F. The higher, the better for the gooey middle and crisp edges. Any lower in temperature, and it will result in a more even finish.

Variations:

Add crushed spearmint candies on top to get a red and green theme and double up on the mint!
Drizzle chocolate sauce on top to make these peppermint brownies extra decadent!
Substitute 1/2 cup of flour for whole wheat flour to add a little extra bit of fiber to these brownies.

So grab those ingredients and whip up these easy and oh-so festive Frosted Peppermint Brownies today. I guarantee you’ll love them!

Looking for more holiday favorites? I’ve got you covered!

did you make and love this recipe? give it your review below and make sure to follow along with me on facebook and instagram to get other great recipe ideas!

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