These Candy Cane Brownies are soft, fudgy, and bursting with peppermint flavor. Crushed candy canes are sprinkled on top of the brownies as soon as they come out of the oven, giving you the ultimate Christmas dessert!
This recipe was originally published in December of 2020, but was updated on December 1, 2021 with newer content and fresh pictures.
These peppermint brownies feature everything I love about brownies: they're ultra fudgy, super chocolatey, and includes the flavor combination of chocolate and peppermint.
Brownies, especially my dark chocolate brownies, are one of my favorite desserts to make (and eat!) and now we get to add these holiday brownies to the list. There is no need to buy a boxed brownie mix because everything comes together in just one bowl and tastes so much better homemade!
Craving even more cozy chocolate recipes? Then check out these: peanut butter cup brownies, Junior Mint chocolate chip cookies, and frozen hot chocolate.
Why You'll Love These Peppermint Brownies:
- Both peppermint extract and peppermint candy canes are used.
- They're the best cocoa brownies you'll ever try.
- Each bite is ooey-gooey.
- They'd be perfect at your next Christmas cookie exchange.
- Everything is mixed in one bowl, making this recipe super easy!
One bowl brownie recipes are the best! All you have to do is whisk your fats together first and then you'll gently fold in your dry ingredients. No need for another bowl.
And if you're trying to decide on which dessert to bring to your next Christmas party or cookie exchange, these brownies would be a great option. You can even double the recipe too!
Baking Tips:
- Baking Pan: Line your 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, creating “handles” that hang over the sides. Then grease your pan with non-stick spray. This makes extracting the brownies, once they’ve cooled, extremely easy.
- Cocoa Powder: Use a fine mesh sifter to sift the cocoa powder before adding it to the mixture. This will avoid any lumps.
- Folding: This means we carefully combine our ingredients without stirring or beating. We do this with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until the ingredients are just combined with each other, “folding” everything together.
- Candy Canes: I used 15 mini candy canes but you could also use larger ones. Place your candy canes into a sealable bag and use a rolling pin to carefully crush them. Or you could buy already pre crushed peppermint candies. Do not put the pieces onto the brownies until AFTER they have baked.
Ingredients Needed:
Here are some of the simple ingredients we’ll need to make this recipe:
- Eggs: A combination of two large eggs and one large egg yolk at room temperature are needed. That extra yolk helps to make the brownies chewy and thick.
- Oil: Just a little bit of vegetable (or canola) oil added to the batter will help to intensify the chocolate flavor, along with adding extra fudginess.
- Peppermint Extract: This is added to the brownie batter before baking. Be sure to use a high-quality peppermint extract, not imitation.
- Cocoa Powder: Feel free to use regular or dark cocoa powder. I used Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa.
- Candy Canes: Use any peppermint candy canes you like. You'll need about 1/2 cup of crushed candy canes.
How To Make Christmas Brownies:
What makes this recipe so easy is that it uses only cocoa powder for the chocolate flavor. This saves you time with the prep work and chances are, you probably already have cocoa powder in your pantry!
Follow the step by step instructions below.
- Melting Butter: In a small microwaveable-safe bowl, melt the butter and allow it to cool on the counter for 5 minutes.
- Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, and egg yolk for 3 minutes. Then whisk in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and melted butter just until combined.
- Dry Ingredients: Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt just until combined. Then scrape the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake: Bake for 23-27 minutes, or just until the edges are set and the middle of the brownies do not jiggle. Immediately top the brownies with the crushed candy canes and allow them to cool for 1 hour before slicing them into bars.
Frequently Asked Questions:
In order to create a fudgy brownie, it needs to have a higher fat-to-flour ratio. That means we will ust more butter and eggs compared to flour. Adding an extra egg yolk helps to create an even fudgier and chewier brownie as well.
If you really wanted to, you could use a boxed brownie mix and just add the crushed peppermint candies on top, but they definitely wouldn't taste the same.
Keep the brownies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days.
You can if you double the recipe. Just note that the baking time may be different.
If you'd like, you could mix in a 1/2 cup of either chocolate chips, nuts, or even peppermint chips.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I love hearing from you!
Also, please share a photo of your creation with me on either Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest. It brings me so much joy to see you make my recipes. 🙂
More Christmas Recipes To Try:
- White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge
- Rolo Stuffed Cookies
- Junior Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
- Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Candy Cane Brownies
Equipment
- 8x8 inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- crushed peppermint candy canes (about 15 mini candy canes)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, creating "handles" that hang over the sides. Then spray with non-stick spray.
- In a small microwaveable-safe bowl, melt the butter and allow it to cool on the counter for 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, and egg yolk for 3 minutes (this step is crucial). Then whisk in the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and melted butter just until combined.
- Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt just until combined. Then scrape the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 23-27 minutes, or just until the edges are set and the middle of the brownies do not jiggle. You can also use a toothpick to check the center (the toothpick should come out clean with just a few crumbs). Immediately top the brownies with the crushed candy canes and allow them to cool for 1 hour before slicing them into bars.
- Keep any leftover brownies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 7 days.
Notes:
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