Peppermint Bark Brownies

The holiday season is here, and there’s no better combination for a Christmas dessert than chocolate and peppermint. I frequently make my flourless chocolate peppermint cake or chocolate peppermint bundt cake this time of year, but sometimes there is nothing better than a brownie. This recipe for chocolate peppermint brownies is so good for Christmas, with peppermint extract in the brownies themselves, the cream cheese frosting, and of course there are crushed candy canes on top. These brownies are so easy to make, but you do need to plan in advance because if you’ve ever made brownies, they’re best when you allow them to cool in the pan before removing, frosting, and slicing. I make brownies first thing in the morning the day that I plan to serve them, and they are the perfect post-dinner treat!

Ingredients for Peppermint Bark Brownies

• Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter in my brownies and most baked goods so I can control the amount of salt in them. The butter is going to be melted, so there’s no need to soften it in advance.
• Cocoa powder: A must for brownies!
• Chocolate: I recommend using a high-quality chocolate. I prefer using semi-sweet because I love dark chocolate, but you can use milk chocolate if that’s your preference. The combination of melted chocolate with the cocoa powder gives you the richest, most decadent brownies.
• Flour: All-purpose flour is what we are using here.
• Salt: Since we are using unsalted butter, a little bit of salt helps bring out the chocolate flavor here.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch is in many boxed brownie mixes to give that texture we all love. Just a tablespoon goes a long way here!
• Eggs: I recommend having your eggs at room temperature for this recipe.
• Sugars: We need brown sugar, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar for this recipe. The brown sugar and granulated sugar are both used in the brownie for the perfect sweet flavor with subtle caramelly notes from the brown sugar. The powdered sugar goes into the frosting!
• Vanilla extract: A must in just about any baked good! The vanilla flavor compliments the chocolate of the brownies well. This ingredient goes in both the brownies and the cream cheese frosting.
• Peppermint extract: A little goes a long way with peppermint extract, so I don’t recommend adding any extra! This ingredient is also used in both the brownies and the frosting.
• Chocolate chips: These are optional, but I personally love having chocolate chips in brownies for the extra hit of chocolate goodness.
• Candy canes and chocolate shavings: The perfect decorations to add on top! You can skip the chocolate shavings if you want, but the crushed candy canes are a necessary festive touch.
• Cream cheese: For the frosting. You do need to make sure this is softened before mixing with the powdered sugar! I recommend taking it out at the same time that you’re prepping the brownies and it’ll be ready to go by the time they’re cooled off.

How to Make Peppermint Bark Brownies

• First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a double boiler or a metal bowl over a saucepan with a few inches of water in it, melt the chocolate and butter together. Don’t be intimidated by a double boiler! Simply fill a saucepan with about two inches of water and place a metal, glass, or ceramic bowl on top, anything that can be heated. Be sure that the water doesn’t go so high that it touches the bottom of the bowl. Allow the butter and chocolate to melt, whisking frequently. Allow to cool slightly.
• While the chocolate and butter are cooling, beat the eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a stand mixer. Add the chocolate and butter and mix to combine.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes. You want the center to be set but not totally dried out, the brownies will continue to cook as they cool.
• Once cool, use a knife to loosen the edges of the brownies and remove with the parchment paper. Whip up your frosting by blending together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and peppermint and vanilla extracts. Spread onto the brownies, top with crushed candy canes and chocolate shavings, cut, and enjoy!

These peppermint bark brownies are just perfect! They’re a great dessert to bring to a gathering, add to a cookie box, share with neighbors, or simply make to enjoy at home. They’re so good with a cold glass of milk, or mug of hot cocoa, coffee, or tea.