Make frosted Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Brownies with this easy recipe. Made from a box mix, they are quick and easy and perfect for Christmas and the holiday season. Fudgy, decadent brownies frosted with a creamy peppermint frosting, then topped with festive sprinkles.
They are the best treat to take to a party or for an easy treat for a night of entertaining. We also love to add these to cookie plates we send to the neighbors. Everyone loves gooey, fudgy, homemade chocolate Christmas brownies. Add the festive flair of peppermint frosting and you won't have any leftovers! Pair it with our Cosmic Brownies for even more fun! Or for a holiday party pair it with our Peppermint Puppy Chow, Eggnog Milkshake, Christmas Bark recipe, Peppermint Bark Milkshake, and White Chocolate Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies. Or our Gingerbread Loaf, Christmas Rice Krispie Treat and Original Fantasy Fudge recipe.
Ingredients
Below is a list of ingredients needed for this recipe. Follow our tips on each ingredient for best results.
- Brownies - Use your favorite recipe or box mix!
- Butter - I use salted for that that little hint of savory to complement the sweetness. If you use unsalted, feel free to add a pinch of salt, if desired.
- Peppermint Extract - Quality of peppermint extract will make the biggest difference when making this recipe. After a lot of testing, we decided pure peppermint extract was our favorite. We like it much better than peppermint oil or peppermint flavoring.
- Powdered Sugar - This will work better if you sift the powdered sugar first, but you don't have to.
How to Make Peppermint Brownies
Use these process shots to help get the results you are wanting. The pictures can help with texture and be a visual guide for best results.
1. Make your brownies! I like to use a box mix, but feel free to use your favorite brownie recipe, these will work great with them. I like to make a normal size brownie mix that can be baked into a 9x13, then bake mine into a 9x9 pan so they are nice and thick.
2. Make the buttercream frosting. Start with slightly softened butter. It should still be cold, but you should be able to make a slight indent when pressing on it with your finger. Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, beat the butter on high until it lightens, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Add in the peppermint extract and beat another 30 seconds. Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined. Scrape down the sides and mix again until everything is combined. Do not put frosting on brownies until they have cooled to room temperature, or it will change the texture of the frosting.
4. Smooth the frosting over the brownies and top with your favorite sprinkles or festive decorations. I don't always love the texture of sprinkles, so I used some Hershey's Trees & Stockings White Creme Chips. You could use anything that's small and fun that can be found in the Holiday section of your local grocery store.
Hint: Make sure the brownies have cooled completely before frosting.
Variations and Substitutions
We love switching things up when we're in the kitchen. Try any of these variations for something a little different.
- White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies- make frosting and let it warm up to room temperature. Melt 4 oz white chocolate and stir it into your frosting for that yummy white chocolate peppermint flavor.
- M&M- top with red and green M&Ms instead of sprinkles for more chocolate! Or for a fun pop of surprise throw on one of their holiday varieties like mint or cookie crunch! Have fun with the design and make them cute and festive!
- Mint- instead of peppermint, use mint extract for those iconic mint brownies instead. Feel free to add green food coloring to this one!
- Dark Chocolate- add 3 Tablespoons Hershey's baking cocoa powder into the brownie mix. Add 1 extra teaspoon oil and 1 extra teaspoon water to the mix.
- Red Velvet- simply use a red velvet cake mix and follow these directions for how to make brownies with a cake mix.
- Ghirardelli- use a ghirardelli brownie mix, but check the size! Some ghiradelli mixes make smaller pans.
- Cream Cheese Frosting- use 4 oz cream cheese and 2 Tablespoons butter instead of 8 Tablespoons butter, then make as directed.
- Cookies- check out and make our recipe for Brownie Cookies, then make this frosting and put it on top!
- Nuts - feel free to stir in one cup of your favorite nuts. We recommend pecans.
- With Candy Canes- Make these yummy Peppermint Christmas Brownies with chunks of candy canes. We recommend crushing 5 candy canes and stirring them into the batter before baking. Top with more, if desired!
- Mini- cut them up into little one inch squares for mini brownie bites for Christmas.
Top Tips
Metal baking dishes create a brownie with a little better rise! For that thick, dense fudgy brownie, use glass. For something a little lighter but still fudgy and even baking, go with metal.
These are best fresh, but store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can be stored at room temperature, or in the fridge. I personally like mine cold from the refrigerator!
Use Peppermint Extract and not Peppermint Flavor or oil. The flavor is much better. If using Peppermint Flavor, you may have to add more to get the desired intensity of flavor. You can use peppermint extract in our Peppermint Pie.
Recipe
Peppermint Brownie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Brownies:
- One pan of prepared brownies
- Your favorite box mix or we recommend these homemade
Frosting:
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ½ teaspoons peppermint extract
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Make brownies!
- Beat slightly softened butter on high for one minute. The butter should be slightly soft, but still cold. Add in the peppermint extract and beat another 30 seconds. Finally, add in the powdered sugar and beat until well combined.
- Smooth the frosting over the cooled brownies and top with your favorite sprinkles or festive decorations.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Use 1 teaspoon peppermint extract to make brownies! Or make a yummy peppermint frosting to go on top. Use peppermint extract and not flavoring for the best results.
Make your favorite brownies, then top with yummy creamy Peppermint Frosting and cute Christmas sprinkles or candy.
Make your brownie batter, then add 1 teaspoon peppermint extract. OR Make brownies as normal, then top with yummy peppermint frosting!
Chewy, fudgy and cakey. Our favorites are chewy and fudgy!
Chocolate brownies are made with melted baking chocolate and tend to be lighter. Cocoa brownies are made with cocoa powder and stay softer.
Nicole says
MMMM best ideas for Christmas brownies! we loved these chocolate peppermint brownies so much! Reminiscent of a York patty, they hit the spot and were perfect for our holiday party!
JCW says
OKay, these were even better than normal mint brownies. The peppermint was sooo good with the gooey brownies. I first tried some from Trader Joe's, then again from Starbucks and had to make them at home. These were even better. Will make again. Hooray for Christmas Brownies!
Sherie says
Can I use a store bought vanilla frosting and adding some mint extract???
Nicole says
Sure! Just use a high quality peppermint extract and you should be fine.
Ellen says
Can you freeze the brownies frosted?
Andrea says
Yes! You can freeze them after they are frosted. Thaw at room temperature before serving.