Description
Chocolate Peppermint Brownie Bars are rich, fudgy brownies topped with a creamy peppermint frosting and finished with a smooth chocolate ganache and crushed candy canes — a festive treat perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the brownies:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- For the peppermint frosting:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- For the chocolate ganache:
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- Topping: 1/4 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix until smooth.
- Stir in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder until just combined. Spread batter evenly in the pan.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
- To make frosting, beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, milk, and peppermint extract. Mix until light and fluffy. Spread over cooled brownies.
- For ganache, heat heavy cream until just simmering. Pour over chocolate chips and let sit 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly, then spread over frosting.
- Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Chill for at least 1 hour before slicing into bars.
Notes
- Use room-temperature ingredients for smoother mixing.
- Let each layer cool/set before adding the next to avoid melting or mixing.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- For extra mint flavor, add chopped peppermint bark to the brownie batter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 26g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg