These Christmas Tree Brownies are the cutest and most festive holiday dessert! They're the perfect recipe for Christmas parties, classroom treats, or gifting to neighbors - everyone loves these adorable chocolate brownie trees.
Why This Recipe is the Best
We love how thick, fudgy, and chewy these brownies are thanks to a touch of cornstarch in the batter. They bake up beautifully in a metal pan, making them easy to cut into tree shapes and decorate for the holidays.
For more Christmas treats, try our Italian Christmas Cookies, Christmas Cookie Bars, and Grinch Cookies.
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Key Ingredients
These homemade fudgy brownies, in cute Christmas Tree shapes, are fun to make every Christmas season.
- Baking Chocolate- Make sure to get high-quality baking chocolate for the best texture and fudgy taste.
- Corn Starch. - Our secret ingredient is corn starch. it makes the brownies thick, fudgy, and chewy. If you want them more cake like, skip the corn starch and add a ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
- Festive Sprinkles- Make these Christmas Trees shine with your favorite Christmas sprinkles. Get candy stars to top the tree with.
How to make Christmas Brownies
Learn how to mix Christmas Brownies with these easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions.
- Begin by melting the chocolate and butter in 30-second intervals in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Add the other ingredients, starting with the eggs and vanilla. Once those are beaten together, add the dry ingredients and mix.
- Pour the prepared batter into a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350° F.
- Remove from the oven and cool. When the brownies are cooled, cut them into triangles.
- Add a squiggle of green frosting, and then sprinkle festive Christmas sprinkles to act as the ornaments. Then add a candy star on top.
Hint: Don't use a glass pan! It can cause uneven baking with crispy edges and an underdone center.
Common Mistakes
People often overbake their brownies. If you overbake the brownies, they will be dry instead of soft and fudgy - check them with a toothpick near the end of the baking time for the best results.
Top tip
For perfectly shaped Christmas Tree Brownies, let them cool completely before cutting. Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies into triangles, then decorate with green frosting, sprinkles, and a candy star on top for that classic holiday look.
Recipe
Easy Christmas Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter salted
- 5 ounces baking chocolate
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs large
- 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 1 ½ Tablespoons corn starch see note 1
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- buttercream frosting
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a metal 9x13 pan with parchment paper, spray with cooking spray and set aside (see note 2 for glass pan).
- Melt butter and baking chocolate and combine together in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and mix to combine. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on high for 1 ½ minutes, using the whisk attachment or whisk vigorously by hand for 2 minutes. Add the flour, corn starch and salt and fold together with spatula just until combined. Place in lined and greased baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until the brownies are fully cooked and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely, then chop brownies into triangles (see photos above for a visual). Dye frosting green and place some in a baggie or piping bag. Snip the end/ a corner off. Swirl onto each triangle then top with your favorite Christmas sprinkles to look like a Christmas tree. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I love using corn starch in my brownies because it makes them thick, fudgy and chewy. For a more cake like brownie skip the corn starch and add ½ teaspoon baking powder.
- We highly recommend a metal pan for this recipe. We have found that brownies baked in a glass pan are often too crispy on the edges and not quite done in the center as well as more dense. If all you have is a glass pan, add 3-8 minutes to the time, using a toothpick to check for doneness in the center.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Serve chilled for a more fudgy brownie.
Nutrition
Variations
Try these fun variations for more festive fun.
- Fudgy vs. cakey: For extra fudgy brownies, keep the cornstarch; for a lighter, more cake-like texture, skip it and add ½ teaspoon baking powder.
- Decorations: Use red and green M&Ms, gold sugar pearls, or crushed candy canes for different festive designs.
- Flavors: Add a little peppermint extract to the batter for a minty twist or swirl in caramel before baking for a rich flavor. Try our peppermint brownies!
- Brownie base: Use your favorite homemade brownie recipe or a boxed mix to save time - both turn out beautifully!
Storing Christmas Brownies
Store leftover brownies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. They taste even richer chilled, so try serving them straight from the fridge for a deliciously fudgy texture.
FAQ
Once your brownies have fully cooled, lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper edges. Trim off the uneven sides, then slice the brownies into long rectangles. From there, cut each rectangle into triangles - these will be your Christmas trees! If you want clean edges, wipe your knife between each cut and chill the brownies slightly before slicing.
After cutting them into triangles, use green frosting to create the look of a Christmas tree. Pipe it in a zigzag pattern from top to bottom, then decorate with festive sprinkles or small candy ornaments. Add a mini star sprinkle or a small candy on top for the finishing touch. For the tree trunk, you can stick a small piece of a pretzel rod into the base of each brownie.
Christmas Tree Brownies start with a fudgy homemade brownie base made rich with butter, cocoa powder, and a touch of cornstarch for that chewy texture. Once baked and cooled, the brownies are sliced into triangles, frosted, and decorated to look like Christmas trees. They're as fun to make as they are to eat - a perfect family baking project!
There are endless ways to make brownies feel festive for the holidays! Try drizzling white chocolate over the top, dusting them with powdered sugar for a snowy look, or adding crushed peppermint candy for a fun seasonal flavor. You can also wrap individual Christmas Tree Brownies in cellophane bags tied with ribbon for the cutest edible gift idea.
Andrea says
Loe these tree shaped Christmas brownies! The make great neighbor gifts and school treats!