Peppermint Brownies

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These Peppermint Brownies are rich, chocolatey and easy to make from scratch. They have a gorgeous crinkly top with a gooey middle, and a chocolate & peppermint ganache. Christmas brownies make a great addition to any holiday cookie tray!

Peppermint Brownies on a tray


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!

front view of a stack of 4 Peppermint Brownies

Peppermint Brownies: Ingredients and Substitutions

Let’s chat about the ingredients in these peppermint brownie, as well as possible substitutions.

overhead photo of the labeled ingredients in this Peppermint Brownie recipe
  • 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

overhead photo of the ingredients in the chocolate peppermint ganache

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. 
front view of a Peppermint Brownie showing the fudgy inside

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.

two overhead photos showing how to make Peppermint Brownies

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.

two overhead photos showing how to make Peppermint Brownies

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.

two overhead photos showing how to make Peppermint Brownies

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.

two overhead photos showing how to make Peppermint Brownies

Next, stir in in the chopped peppermint bark until evenly distributed.  

two overhead photos showing how to make Peppermint Brownies

Bake & Cool

Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Peppermint Brownie batter spread into a baking dish before baking

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. 

Peppermint Brownies in a baking dish after baking

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.

two photos showing how to make peppermint ganache

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.

Peppermint Brownies with ganache on top

Serve

Cut into squares and serve. These peppermint brownies taste best when served at room temperature. 

front view of Peppermint Brownies cut into squares

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.

16 Peppermint Brownies with peppermint bark candies on top

Peppermint Brownies Recipe FAQs

Can I double this recipe?

Yes, you can double the ingredients and bake them in a 9×13″ pan.

What’s the best peppermint candy to use?

Choose your favorite peppermint bark. You can also use these peppermint baking chips, or chop up some Hershey’s peppermint bells or peppermint kisses.

What can I make with peppermint extract?

Try these recipes:
Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Peppermint Hot Chocolate
Peppermint Bark

front photo of a peppermint brownie with a bite taken out of it

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Peppermint Brownies

Laura
These Peppermint Brownies are rich, chocolatey and easy to make from scratch. They have a gorgeous crinkly top with a gooey middle, and a chocolate & peppermint ganache. Christmas brownies make a great addition to any holiday cookie tray!
5 from 3 votes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 Brownies
Calories 300
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
chilling time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 55 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Peppermint brownies:

Peppermint Ganache:

Instructions 

Make the Brownies

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, grease an 8×8” baking dish, set aside.
  • Mix flour, cocoa powder and sea salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
  • Melt chocolate and butter together in a microwave safe bowl, or on the stovetop over low heat. Stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat eggs for 1 minute or until pale and thick.
  • Add sugar and beat for an additional 30-60 seconds, until 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).
  • Add dry ingredients, mix on low speed until just incorporated and there are no lumps.
  • Stir in in chopped peppermint bark until evenly distributed.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan; bake until the top is set and the brownies are only very slightly “jiggly”, 25-30 minutes.**
  • Place brownie pan on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the 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.
  • Remove from the warm burner and let the ganache cool slightly while whisking.

Assemble

  • 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.
  • Cut into squares and serve.

Video

Notes

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.
Ingredient 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.
Doubling the Recipe
Double the ingredient amounts and bake in a 9×13″ pan. 
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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 111mg | Potassium: 84mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 347IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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1 Comment

  1. Great recipe for a rich brownie. I found really easy to make. However, I did not use the peppermint. I used instead Brazil nuts (in chunks) mixing them with the solid ingredients.