These brownies are perfect in the wintery months – they are reminiscent of peppermint bark, but in brownie form!
Our junior baker is back again with these wonderful peppermint bark brownies! With Addie getting more comfortable in the kitchen each day, she has been surprising us with new and exciting treats week over week.
She’s been researching recipes to try, and when she finds one she likes, she will add the ingredients to our weekly shopping list (assuming we don’t have it). Luckily, we had some candy canes in the pantry so we did not need to purchase those or peppermints for this recipe.
I advised her to allow the frosted brownies to set in the refrigerator before slicing. That way, the frosting would set up and cut more cleanly. Also, it would enable the flavors in the brownies to meld together better.
While we enjoyed this recipe, I preferred the base of my favorite brownies. If and when we make this again, I would use my favorite brownie as the base, and then use the frosting from this recipe to top it. I might also add some peppermint extract in the brownies for an extra boost of peppermint flavor.
Husband’s rating: 4.5 out of 5
Addie’s rating: 4.5 out of 5
My rating: 4 out of 5
Peppermint bark brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 16 Tablespoons) unsalted butter melted
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 1 and ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
Peppermint frosting
- ½ cup (1 stick or 8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 4 ounces white chocolate
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons milk of choice room temperature
- ½ cup crushed candy canes or peppermints
Instructions
Make the brownies
- Preheat your oven to 350℉Grease and line a 13" x 9" rectangular baking pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together the melted butter, oil, granulated sugar, and the brown sugar.
- Add in the vanilla and eggs and whisk vigorously for about 30 seconds.
- Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and the salt and mix until a few dry streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips and mix until no dry streaks remain. Do not over work the batter.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared baking pan and smooth out the top with a spatula.
- Bake in your preheated oven for about 25 minutes. The sides should appear set, but the center might look slightly underdone. Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool (it will continue to set as it cools).
Make the peppermint frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl if using a handheld mixer, cream the butter on medium high speed for about 1-2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar. Then add the vanilla and the peppermint extracts and mix on medium speed until the frosting appears to be light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave (in 30 second bursts) and mix well. Allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to the bowl with the frosting.
- Add in the salt and the milk and mix until the frosting is smooth and spreadable (if it's too lumpy, add more milk. If it's too liquidy, add more powdered sugar).
Assemble the brownies
- After the brownies have cooled completely, spread the frosting on top using a spatula. Smooth out the top and sprinkle on the crushed candy cane or peppermint pieces.
- The brownies are best if you chill them in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to allow the frosting to set for easier slicing.