Posted Nov 21, 2020, Updated Mar 16, 2024 Everyone makes baking Christmas cookies a tradition, but what about Christmas brownies?! These peppermint brownies are rich, chocolatey and easy to make from scratch (along with these salted caramel brownies and M&M brownies – which you can make festive using red and green candies)! They have a gorgeous crinkly top with a gooey middle, and a glossy chocolate & peppermint ganache. Christmas brownies make a great addition to any holiday dessert tray, along with these peppermint cookies – yum!
Peppermint Brownies: Ingredients and Substitutions
Let’s chat about the ingredients in these peppermint brownie, as well as possible substitutions.
Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil or ghee can also be used in this recipe, but salted butter is my favorite. Semisweet chocolate. Chips, chopped bars, discs, etc. all work equally well since it’s being melted. Granulated sugar. white sugar or organic cane sugar are good choices. All-purpose flour. For a gluten-free version, feel free to substitute a 1:1 gluten-free all purpose flour blend. Sea Salt. I recommend using pure, fine sea salt in baking and cooking! If you use iodized table salt decrease the amount of salt by half. Peppermint bark. Choose your favorite variety of peppermint bark and chop it into chunks. You can also use these peppermint baking chips, or chop up some Hershey’s peppermint bells or peppermint kisses.
Peppermint Ganache: Ingredients & Substitutions
If you’d prefer, you can use this chocolate buttercream frosting instead of a ganache. It hardens well and is perfect to use if you’re making these to put on a cookie tray.
Heavy Cream. I don’t recommend making any substitutions for the heavy cream. However, for a dairy-free version use full-fat coconut cream (the solid portion in the can). Chocolate chips. Same is true as in the brownies, any form of chocolate in milk to dark works in the ganache. Peppermint Extract. Choose a high-quality peppermint extract.
How to Make Peppermint Brownies
As always, we’ll walk through how to make peppermint brownies step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video! Begin by combining the flour, cocoa powder and sea salt together in a small bowl, then set it aside. Then, melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside. Next, in a large bowl with a hand-held mixer, or in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the wire whisk attachment, beat eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick. Add sugar and beat for an additional 1 minute, until the sugar is dissolved. After the sugar is dissolved, add melted chocolate/butter mixture, vanilla, and peppermint extract and stir on low speed until batter is smooth and homogenous (uniform throughout). Once the batter is smooth, add dry ingredients, mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps. Next, stir in in the chopped peppermint bark until evenly distributed.
Bake & Cool
Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Then, bake the peppermint brownies until the top is set and the peppermint brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes. Set the brownies on a wire rack to cool while you make the ganache.
Make the Ganache
While the Christmas brownies are baking, make the chocolate peppermint ganache. Warm the heavy cream over medium heat, whisking every 30 seconds until it just barely starts to boil. The sides will bubble and boil, but you should turn off the heat before the middle comes to a rolling boil. Turn off heat and whisk in chocolate, sea salt, vanilla and peppermint extracts until the mixture is smooth and begins to thicken. Pour the chocolate ganache over the cooled brownies and spread it evenly over the surface. If desired, top with extra chopped peppermint bark. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or until the ganache has set up. You can hasten this process by putting them in the freezer, however you will need to let them soften a bit before cutting/serving.
Serve
Cut into squares and serve. These peppermint brownies taste best when served at room temperature.
Store/Freeze
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. To freeze, set individual brownies on a baking sheet and flash-freeze them until the ganache hardens. Then wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container or plastic bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
