Frosted Christmas Brownies Recipe brings rich, fudgy chocolate squares topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream and crunchy peppermint sparkles. It suits chocolate lovers, busy bakers, and party hosts, and the whole batch takes about 1 hour from start to finish. I first made these after my niece declared that brownies should wear holiday sweaters.
Why You Should Try This Frosted Christmas Brownies Recipe
Frosted Christmas Brownies Recipe gives you ultra-fudgy brownies with a creamy frosting crown and cheery toppings. The texture hits that sweet spot between dense and tender, and the peppermint crunch adds a fun twist. You can bake them with pantry staples, then dress them up with candy canes and sprinkles.
These festive brownies taste bakery-level and slice like a dream, and my family asked for seconds before I could even plate them ★★★★★
Ingredients You’ll Need
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Brownie base
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips, about 1 cup (Ghirardelli or Guittard melt smoothly)
- 1.5 cups granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs, room temp
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 0.75 cup natural cocoa powder, sifted (Hershey’s works great; Dutch-process gives deeper color)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional, boosts chocolate flavor
- 0.5 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional, for a light mint note
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Frosting
- 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 to 4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch fine salt
- 0.25 to 0.5 teaspoon peppermint extract, optional, add to taste
- Red or green gel food color, optional
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Toppers
- 0.5 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
- 2 to 3 tablespoons holiday sprinkles
- 2 ounces white chocolate, melted, optional drizzle
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Pantry shortcuts and swaps
- Use a boxed brownie mix if the clock runs tight; bake in a 9×13 pan and frost as written.
- Dairy-free works with plant butter and dairy-free chocolate; use a splash of dairy-free milk for the frosting.
- Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour subs nicely for the brownie base.
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Equipment
- 9×13 inch metal baking pan, parchment paper, and nonstick spray
- Large and medium mixing bowls
- Whisk, silicone spatula, and offset spatula
- Hand mixer or stand mixer for frosting
- Wire rack and sharp knife
How to Make Frosted Christmas Brownies Recipe
Prep
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 metal pan with parchment, leaving overhang for lifting. Lightly coat the parchment and sides with spray.
Melt chocolate and butter
- Place butter and chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring each time, until smooth, or set the bowl over a pot with barely simmering water. Stir until glossy and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
Mix the batter
- Whisk in granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture looks thick and shiny. Add eggs one at a time, whisking 15 to 20 seconds after each. Whisk in vanilla and espresso powder. Sprinkle in cocoa, flour, and salt, then fold with a spatula until just combined with a few light streaks.
Bake
- Spread the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 24 to 28 minutes until the center no longer jiggles and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Set the pan on a rack and let the brownies cool completely.
Make the buttercream
- Beat softened butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add powdered sugar in two additions, drizzling in cream to reach a fluffy, spreadable texture. Beat in vanilla, salt, and peppermint extract if using. Tint the frosting if you want a holiday color.
Frost, decorate, and set
- Spread frosting over cooled brownies with an offset spatula. Shower with crushed candy canes and sprinkles, and drizzle melted white chocolate if you feel fancy. Chill the pan for 20 minutes to help the frosting firm up.
Slice and serve
- Lift the slab out with the parchment. Warm a sharp knife under hot water, wipe dry, and slice into 16 to 24 squares. Serve chilled for tidy edges or at room temp for the softest bite.
Tips & Tricks
- Line the pan with parchment so you can lift the whole slab to slice cleanly.
- Use room temp eggs to help the batter mix smoothly.
- Whisk the eggs well to get a shiny top, but stop once the batter looks thick and uniform.
- Fold in dry ingredients gently to keep the crumb fudgy.
- Pull the brownies when the toothpick shows moist crumbs; overbaking dries them out.
- Cool completely before frosting or the buttercream will slide.
- Chill before slicing for bakery-style edges.
- Switch the flavor with orange zest in the frosting or a dash of almond extract in the batter.
- Go dairy-free with plant butter and dairy-free chocolate; add a touch more milk alternative to loosen the frosting if needed.
- Freeze the unfrosted base for up to 3 months; thaw, frost, and decorate later.
What to Serve with Frosted Christmas Brownies Recipe
Serve these festive brownies with hot cocoa, peppermint mocha, or strong coffee for a rich pairing. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a little hot fudge for a sundae moment. Tuck a few squares on a holiday cookie tray for contrast next to sugar cookies and gingerbread. They also pack well in treat boxes for neighbors.
Make-Ahead and Storage
- Make the brownie base 2 days ahead, wrap it in parchment and foil, and keep it at room temp. Mix the frosting up to 3 days ahead and store it in the fridge; bring it to room temp and rewhip before spreading.
- Store frosted brownies covered at cool room temp for 1 day or in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Freeze individual squares for up to 2 months; wrap each piece, then stash in a freezer bag.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge. Warm a square in the microwave for 10 to 12 seconds if you want that just-baked softness.
Frosted Christmas Brownies Recipe
Frosted Christmas Brownies Recipe brings rich, fudgy chocolate squares topped with fluffy vanilla buttercream and crunchy peppermint sparkles, perfect for chocolate lovers, busy bakers, and party hosts.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides to lift the brownies out later. Lightly coat the parchment and sides of the pan with nonstick spray.
- Place the butter and semi-sweet chocolate in a large heat-safe bowl. Microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring after each, until melted and smooth, or set the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water and stir until glossy. Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes.
- Whisk the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the melted chocolate mixture until it looks thick and shiny.
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking for 15 to 20 seconds after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract and instant espresso powder, if using.
- Sprinkle the cocoa powder, flour, and salt over the mixture. Add the peppermint extract, if using, then fold everything together gently with a spatula just until combined and only a few light streaks of dry ingredients remain.
- Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 24 to 28 minutes, or until the center no longer jiggles and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs but not wet batter.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely in the pan.
- In a medium bowl, beat the softened butter with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for about 1 minute until creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar in two additions, beating on low at first to combine, then on medium, drizzling in 3 to 4 tablespoons of cream or milk as needed until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable.
- Beat in the vanilla, a pinch of salt, and peppermint extract if using. Tint the frosting with red or green gel food color, if desired.
- Once the brownies are completely cool, spread the buttercream evenly over the top with an offset spatula.
- Sprinkle the frosted brownies with crushed candy canes and holiday sprinkles, and drizzle with melted white chocolate if you like.
- Chill the pan in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to help the frosting firm up before slicing.
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the brownie slab out of the pan onto a cutting board.
- Warm a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and slice the brownies into 16 to 24 squares, wiping the knife between cuts for clean edges.
- Serve chilled for tidy, bakery-style edges or at room temperature for the softest, fudgiest texture.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Approximate per 1 of 20 brownies: 320 calories; fat 18 g; saturated fat 11 g; carbohydrates 40 g; fiber 2 g; sugars 31 g; protein 3 g; sodium 120 mg. Values will vary based on exact ingredients, brands, and portion size.
Approximate per 1 of 20 brownies: 320 calories; fat 18 g; saturated fat 11 g; carbohydrates 40 g; fiber 2 g; sugars 31 g; protein 3 g; sodium 120 mg. Values will vary based on exact ingredients, brands, and portion size.