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These frosted peppermint brownies are fudgy, chewy, and made from scratch, with cocoa powder, dark chocolate, and white chocolate chips in the batter. A peppermint buttercream frosting goes on top, finished with crushed candy canes. There are no tricky steps, so they’re an easy addition to any holiday cookie tray.
Peppermint in the Brownie and the Frosting
The base for these brownies is adapted from my fudgy brownie recipe, made with melted dark chocolate and cocoa powder, so the chocolate flavor is deep enough to stand up to the peppermint. The peppermint goes into both the batter and the frosting, but only in small amounts, because too much extract is what makes a brownie taste like toothpaste.
A short chill after frosting sets the topping so you get clean squares instead of a smeared mess. I make a pan every year for my daughter Natalie’s birthday, which comes a few weeks before Christmas when it’s easy to find candy canes.
Keep the Frosting Thick
I keep the peppermint buttercream thick on purpose. A runny frosting is sticky and gets all over your fingers, which makes the brownies messy to serve. Beat in the heavy cream a little at a time and stop as soon as the frosting spreads easily, because you want it to sit on the brownies instead of pour over them. A thicker frosting also gives the crushed candy canes something to hold onto. I use this same frosting on peppermint white chocolate blondies with crushed candy cane.
White Chocolate and Peppermint Belong Together
I love the combination of white chocolate and peppermint, and the chips add small, sweet pockets against the deep chocolate base. If you’d rather skip them, you can leave them out or use semi-sweet chocolate chips, and the brownies will still work. If you want a more subtle mint flavor and no frosting, try mint brownies with mint chocolate chips.
Take Them Out When the Top Looks Set and Shiny
Oven time is what decides whether these brownies stay fudgy or turn dry. Bake them for 25 to 30 minutes, and start checking at 25, since a few extra minutes is all it takes to dry them out. They’re ready when the edges start pulling away from the sides of the pan and the top looks set and shiny. Overbaking is the one mistake frosting can’t hide.
Mailing Them? Leave Off the Frosting
One year I mailed a pan of these to Natalie at college, and the frosting melted on the way. She said they still tasted great, but then hungry college students will eat just about anything. If you plan to ship them, leave the frosting off. The brownies are really good without it.
A Few Things That Keep These Brownies Neat
- Line the 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray. This lets you lift the whole slab out and cut it on a board.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before you frost them. Warm brownies melt the butter in the frosting and turn it runny.
- Break each candy cane in half before unwrapping, and the wrapper peels right off. Crush them in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin until they’re finely crushed.
- If it isn’t candy cane season, use crushed peppermint candy bits. If you only have salted butter, leave out the added salt.
Everything That Goes Into These Peppermint Brownies
The exact amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Dark chocolate: Chop a dark chocolate baking bar instead of using chips. A chopped bar melts smoothly into the butter, which gives you a smooth batter.
- Peppermint extract: Use pure peppermint extract, not mint extract, which can taste more like spearmint. It goes in both the brownies and the frosting.
- Heavy cream: Use heavy cream in the frosting, not milk or half-and-half, so it stays thick enough to spread without running.
How to Make Peppermint Brownies
1. Prep the Pan
Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment so the brownies lift out easily.
2. Melt the Chocolate and Butter
3. Make the Batter and Bake
4. Make the Frosting
5. Frost and Chill
Give the brownies time to cool and the frosting time to set, and you’ll have a pan of peppermint brownies worth sharing, and when you’re ready for a different type of brownie, you’ll find more variations in my brownie recipes.
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Equipment
Ingredients
Brownies
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 1/4 sticks
- 3 ounces dark chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes about 6
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper and spray it with cooking spray.
- Microwave the chopped dark chocolate and butter on medium power, stirring every 30 seconds, for about 2 minutes, until smooth.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder, then the sugar, until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract and whisk again.
- Gently fold in the flour and salt just until combined, then fold in the white chocolate chips. Do not overmix.
- Spread the batter in the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges start pulling away from the sides and the top looks set and shiny.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Put the candy canes in a plastic bag and pound them with a hammer or rolling pin until finely crushed.
- Beat the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and peppermint extract with a hand mixer. Add the heavy cream and beat until thick and spreadable.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes. Refrigerate until the frosting is set, then cut into squares.
Notes
- Start checking the brownies at 25 minutes, since a few extra minutes in the oven will dry them out.
- Cool the brownies completely before frosting, then chill them until the frosting is set so they cut into clean squares.
- To freeze, place the brownies flat on a cookie sheet until firm, then transfer them to an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. They keep for up to 2 months.
