Christmas Peppermint Brownies

Name: Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour; ½ cup dark cocoa powder; 1 tablespoon espresso powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 cup unsalted butter (melted); 2 cups sugar; 3 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon peppermint extract; 1 cup dark chocolate chips; 15 starlight peppermint candies (crushed)

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The combination of chocolate and peppermint found in these Christmas peppermint brownies brings on an instant holiday spirit vibe.

Brownies with peppermint on white plate.

These delicious and festive peppermint brownies are a heavenly way to combine those amazing flavors as we did here with double chocolate peppermint crunch cookies and eggnog custard with peppermint.

The fudgy brownies contrast with the crunch of crushed peppermint candies for a delightful texture.

These work great to give away as a perfect holiday treat, but you’ll want to save some for yourself, too.

Why We Love this Recipe

Who doesn’t love brownies? They’re gooey, they’re rich and decadent, and they just melt in your mouth.

Around the holidays, peppermint is a must-have flavor to get that holiday season spirit. But while there’s not too much of a good thing with chocolate, peppermint can be overwhelming.

This peppermint brownie recipe contains the perfect balance between chocolate and peppermint. The perfect Christmas brownie!

Like most brownie recipes, they are so easy to make. Toss the ingredients together, bake, and they’re done.

It’s a wonderful recipe to make with the kids or when you want a delicious treat but don’t have a ton of time, like these Peppermint Snickerdoodles.

What Goes Into This Recipe

Ingredients to make peppermint brownies.

Key Ingredients

1. Dark cocoa powder. The richness of dark cocoa powder gives these brownies a depth of flavor that makes them simply scrumptious.

2. Starlight mints. These classic red and white mints have been popular for decades as the classic peppermint candy. Their refreshing minty taste and eye-catching red and white pattern is reminiscent of candy canes.

3. Dark chocolate chips. Adding some dark chocolate chips gives a little bit of melted chocolate texture and added chocolate flavor to this easy recipe.

See recipe card for quantities and full directions.

How to Make Peppermint Brownies

Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Set the prepared pan aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Mix the flour, dark cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.

Sugar and butter blended in a white bowl with whisk.

Blend in the eggs and the vanilla and peppermint extracts.

Sugar, butter, eggs in a white bowl on red striped cloth.

Stir in the flour mixture, blending until combined.

Spices and cocoa powder added to egg mixture in white bowl with whisk.

Carefully fold the dark chocolate chips in.

Brownie batter with chocolate chips in white bowl on red and white towel.

Pour the brownie batter mixture in the greased baking pan. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the edges are starting to get brown.

A little less time, like 20-25 minutes, and you’ll have a chewy brownie with moist crumbs. 30 minutes, or maybe 35, and you’ll get those crackly tops.

Try to keep an eye on them without opening the oven door and keep in mind they will be going back in for 5 minutes.

While the brownies are baking, use a food chopper or food processor to crush the peppermint candy.

Bring the brownies out of the oven when cooked and sprinkle the peppermint candy on top of the brownies.

Return to the oven and cook for 5 more minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack, and then slice on a cutting board when at room temperature. I often use a plastic knife for cutting as the brownies don’t stick, making slicing easier.

Brownies with candies on a white plate on wood table with striped dish towel.

Variations

Gluten-free peppermint brownies. These brownies can be made gluten-free by using a flour like oat flour or coconut flour. The only other item to check is the cocoa powder. Pure cocoa powder is gluten free, but you’ll want to make sure the kind you have doesn’t have any added fillers.

Peppermint buttercream frosting. Add even more peppermint sweetness to your brownies. Leave off the crushed peppermint candies while baking. When the brownies are cool, frost with a peppermint buttercream made with ¼ cup of butter, ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract, 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar, and enough milk to blend it all together. Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies on top for decoration.

Peppermint marshmallow brownies. Before baking, stir in 2 cups of miniature marshmallows. As the brownies bake, they’ll get even more gooey. The marshmallows also add a gentle vanilla flavor, and sometimes during the year, you can find peppermint mini marshmallows to use!

Crunchy butterscotch brownies. Use butterscotch candies instead of the peppermint candies, and switch the peppermint extract for butter rum flavor extract. We made these Butterfinger Brownies a few years ago and they were heavenly!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you keep brownies soft and chewy?

The best way to keep brownies soft and chewy is to make sure they are not exposed to air. Once you have cooled brownies, wrap them in foil or plastic wrap, put them in an airtight container, or store them in a zip-top freezer bag with as much air pushed out as possible.

How long can you keep brownies?

For best results, brownies should be eaten within 3 to 4 days if stored at room temperature or up to 5 to 7 days if stored in the fridge.

How do you crush peppermint candies?

If you have a food chopper, blender, or food processor, that makes easy work of chopping the peppermint candies. To do it by hand, place the candies in a sturdy plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or meat hammer.

Brownies with peppermint candies on white plate on wood table.

Top Tips

Don’t overmix. Overmixing brownie mix can cause it to become tough. Only mix until the ingredients are blended.

Use candy canes. If it is candy cane season, they can be used for peppermint flavor instead of the Starlight mints. Be sure to put a few candy canes on the tray when serving for a festive look!

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavors, too. Chocolate mint candy canes and cherry candy canes can provide a neat twist on this dessert.

Try crumbled Oreo cookies. Looking for something different from crushed candy canes? Try crumbled mint Oreo cookies. It gives the flavor of chocolate and peppermint but with a different look and texture.

Let us know what you think of these easy peppermint brownies! If you enjoyed the recipe, please give it a 5 star rating! Thank you!