Get ready for a delightful holiday treat! With Christmas just around the corner, I’ve got a fantastic recipe for Peppermint Bark Brownies that combines the perfect blend of chocolate and peppermint flavors. These brownies are not only rich and chocolatey but also topped with a heavenly white chocolate peppermint frosting. The best part? You don’t need any fancy decorating skills to make them shine!
Peppermint Bark Brownies
Ingredients
**For the brownies:**
- 1 cup melted salted butter
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Ghirardelli cocoa powder
- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips Feel free to use semi-sweet if you prefer!
**For the frosting:**
- ½ cup room temperature salted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- 4 oz white chocolate
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp room temperature milk
- ½ cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
**For the brownies:**
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line a 12×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix melted butter, oil, granulated and brown sugar until well combined.
- Add vanilla and eggs, beat for 30 seconds until the batter lightens in color.
- Sift in flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix lightly until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until the center no longer jiggles. Adjust baking time for your preferred brownie texture.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.
**For the frosting:**
- In a stand mixer, beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extract until light and fluffy.
- Microwave white chocolate in 20-second intervals until melted and smooth. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- While the mixer is running, slowly add in the melted white chocolate until incorporated.
- Add salt and milk, beat until smooth.
**For assembly:**
- Once the brownies have cooled, spread the frosting on top.
- Sprinkle on the crushed candy canes and serve!
- If making ahead, wait to add the candy canes until right before serving to keep them crunchy.