Upgrade your holiday brownie experience with rich and fudgy dark chocolate peppermint brownies! These delicious brownies are a homemade treat that’s both insanely delicious and surprisingly simple.
It is a flavor combo that’s both classic and unexpected! I make these brownies with dark chocolate cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips for a decadent dessert. Then, I melt cool and refreshing peppermint candies into the brownies to top them off.
If you think making brownies without a boxed mix is daunting, think again. These brownies come together fast, with minimal effort and no fancy equipment. You will have the batter ready in less time than it takes to preheat your oven!
So skip the box and make some homemade brownie bliss for Christmas or just because you love peppermint! I share my tried-and-true recipe for these decadent, fudgy brownies, along with tips for making the perfect batch of brownies every time.
Making delicious treats is one of the best parts of holiday celebrations! Try my recipes for peanut butter blossoms, buckeyes, or pecan tassies for more delicious treats.
🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Dark cocoa powder: This is what gives the brownies their rich, chocolatey flavor.
- Espresso powder: The espresso powder doesn’t make the brownies taste like coffee but enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Dark chocolate chips
- Peppermint candy or candy canes
- You will also need baking staples, such as flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.
🥣How to Make Peppermint Brownies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set this dry ingredient mixture aside for now.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. The mixture should be smooth and glossy.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract to the butter mixture and whisk until everything is well combined.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix the batter; your brownies might become tough and chewy.
- Gently fold in the dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake the brownies for 20-30 minutes, until the edges start pulling away from the pan’s sides and the top is set.
- While they bake, crush your peppermint candy or candy canes. Put them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to crush them.
- About 5 minutes before the brownies are done baking, remove them from the oven and sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies evenly over the top. Then, pop them back in the oven for the last few minutes of baking.
- Once the brownies are done, take them out of the oven and let them cool completely in the pan.
🍴Serving Ideas
Once the brownies are cooled, slice them into squares and serve them. They go well with a glass of nice cold milk or a mug of hot chocolate!
💭How to Store
Store leftover brownies at room temperature in an airtight container. Just make sure they’re completely cooled before you put them in the container, or they’ll get soggy. They will keep for 3-4 days at room temperature.
Now, in my house, brownies never last more than two days, tops! But if you have more willpower than my family and want to keep them longer, you can refrigerate them. They will keep for about a week in the fridge.
If you want to keep the brownies for even longer, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to eat them, thaw them at room temperature for a few hours.
⭐Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix until everything is combined. Overmixing can lead to tough, chewy brownies instead of the soft, fudgy texture we’re going for.
- Let them cool completely: I know it’s tempting to dig into the brownies as soon as they come out of the oven, but letting them cool completely will make them much easier to slice and serve.
- I love dark chocolate with peppermint, but you can also make this recipe with regular cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- If you don’t have peppermint extract, leave it out. Even without the extract, the crushed candies will add lots of peppermint flavor.
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Dark Chocolate Peppermint Brownies Recipe
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 or 3 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9×13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set the dry ingredients aside.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup dark cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon espresso powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Whisk together the butter and sugar in a separate bowl until well combined.1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups sugar
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract. Whisk to combine.3 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and stir until just mixed.
- Fold in the dark chocolate chips.1 cup dark chocolate chips
- Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until the edges brown.
- Around 5 minutes before the cooking time is up, sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy over the top of the brownies and continue cooking.15 starlight peppermint candies
- Allow the brownies to cool completely, then slice and serve.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the brownies.
- I love dark chocolate with peppermint, but you can also make this recipe with regular cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- If you don’t have peppermint extract, leave it out. Even without the extract, the crushed candies will add lots of peppermint flavor.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
