This post may contain references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Oh Sweet Basil may receive compensation when you click on links to such products.
These Peppermint Brownies are rich, fudgy, and layered with a cool burst of mint. The perfect chocolate-mint dessert for holidays or anytime you crave a sweet treat!
Chocolate and peppermint just belong together, don’t they? These Peppermint Brownies are a holiday favorite at our house—thick, fudgy brownies topped with a creamy homemade peppermint layer and finished with the most irresistible chocolate glaze. They’re the treat my kids beg to help with every December, and honestly, I don’t mind one bit because they disappear just as fast as we can make them.
Perfect for parties, cookie plates, or sneaking with a cup of cocoa by the Christmas tree.
Family is Everything
I’ve had some serious reflecting while making these peppermint patties brownies and I hope you’ll indulge me. Cooking and baking has always been a part of my life, but I never really realized it. My family has 5 children, and I fall right in the middle. Because all us kids were all in totally different stages of life my parents made it a big deal that every single night we had dinner together. No matter if we had to eat a little earlier or a little later we made it happen. So many memories made in that kitchen!
My mom’s KitchenAid became a symbol to me of those memories and the love felt around our dinner table. It is where my dad and I made my first batch of oatmeal raisin cookies, where mom taught me to make cookie cake and where I started playing around with recipes. Now that I’m older I’ve learned that when you want to know who you are you look to your family and the answer is provided.
I have my own white KitchenAid now as well as my own children to be in the kitchen with and I’m reminded that I come from a home that was centered on love and I hope to have the same for my children. I pulled it out to make these peppermint brownies and was flooded with all these thoughts and feelings and just needed to share!
These peppermint patty brownies are so crazy easy to make. This is my new go-to recipe for brownies because although Ina’s Outrageous brownies are amazing, these are fast and taste fantastic. They can easily be cut in half too. And the peppermint patty topping is just like the real deal, only it truly is even better. These are so fantastic!
Ingredients for Peppermint Brownies
Brownies
- Sugar: Sweetens and helps create a tender texture by trapping moisture.
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, chewiness, and a deeper caramel flavor.
- Canola Oil: Provides fat for richness and keeps the brownies soft and moist.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances chocolate flavor and rounds out sweetness.
- Eggs: Bind ingredients together, add structure, and give brownies a fudgy texture.
- Cocoa Powder: Main chocolate flavor; also adds structure and balances sweetness.
- Flour: Provides the framework (structure) by developing gluten when mixed with liquid.
- Baking Powder: Leavening agent that gives a little lift, preventing brownies from being too dense.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate Chips: Add bursts of rich chocolate and extra texture.
Peppermint Topping
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and creates a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Peppermint Extract: Delivers the cool, refreshing peppermint flavor.
- Corn Syrup: Adds smoothness and shine while preventing crystallization.
- Shortening: Provides stability and a creamy texture without adding strong flavor.
- Evaporated Milk: Adds richness and helps bind the topping into a spreadable consistency.
Chocolate Glaze
- Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips: Melt into a smooth glaze with deep chocolate flavor.
- Butter: Adds silkiness, shine, and richness, keeping the glaze soft enough to cut through.
How to Make Peppermint Patty Brownies
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a 9×13″ pan and spray with cooking spray.
- Make the Brownies: Beat the wet ingredients together in a stand mixer. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Fold the chocolate chips into the dry ingredients, then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and bake.
- Make the Peppermint Layer: Add all the ingredients for the peppermint layer to the bowl of stand mixer and mix until well combined. Press the mixture together and place on a large piece of saran wrap. Fold the saran wrap over the top and use a rolling pin to roll out the peppermint layer until it’s about the size of your pan.
- Make the Chocolate Glaze: Add the chocolate chips and butter to a microwave safe bowl and melt in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Assemble the Brownies: Once the brownies have mostly cooled, place the peppermint layer on top. Pour the chocolate glaze over the top and let it set up. Slice and serve.
Why You’ll Love This Brownie Recipe
- Festive flavor combo – rich chocolate and cool peppermint are a holiday classic.
- Three irresistible layers – fudgy brownies, creamy peppermint topping, and a smooth chocolate glaze.
- Crowd-pleaser – perfect for parties, cookie exchanges, and holiday gift trays.
- Make-ahead friendly – the flavors get even better after chilling overnight.
- Kid-approved – little hands love helping spread the peppermint layer and drizzle the glaze. Make those memories!
- Beautiful presentation – the layers look impressive without a lot of extra work.
- Customizable – sprinkle crushed candy canes on top for extra crunch and color.
How Do You Know When Brownies Are Done?
The easiest way to check brownies for doneness is to stick a toothpick in the center right around the time your recipe says it should be done.
A few moist crumbs on the toothpick means you will have moist and chewy brownies. If it comes out clean, it’s done to a cake-like brownie.
If there are any traces of uncooked batter, let it continue baking for another few minutes and repeat the process until the toothpick comes out clean.
FAQs
Let the brownies cool completely. Even chilling them in the fridge will help them set up well for cutting. Then use a hot knife to make clean cuts. Heat the knife by dipping it into a pot of hot water and then drying it off completely and make the cut. Wipe off the knife, dip in the hot water, dry it and cut, and keep repeating.
Yes absolutely! Follow the instructions for a 9×13 baking dish of brownies and then follow the instructions in this recipe for making the peppermint layer and chocolate ganache layer.
These peppermint patty brownies also freeze extremely well. Let them cool completely and let the chocolate glaze harden. Place them on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for 30 minutes to an hour. Then place them in a ziploc bag with parchment paper separating each layer. They will keep for 2-months. This makes them a great make-ahead holiday treat!!
Leftover brownies can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge in an airtight container. They will keep for 4-5 days. I honestly love them a little bit chilled!
There’s just something magical about the mix of rich chocolate and cool mint, isn’t there? These Peppermint Brownies are the kind of dessert that feels special without being complicated, which is exactly how I like it.
Whether you’re baking them up for the holidays, a party, or just a cozy night at home, they’ll disappear fast. So grab a glass of cold milk, cut yourself a big square, and enjoy every fudgy, minty bite—you deserve it!
More Holiday Desserts:
- Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
- Peppermint Double Chocolate Cookies
- Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Covered Coconut Balls
Peppermint Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 2 ¼ Cups Sugar
- ¾ Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 ½ Cup Canola Oil
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 6 Eggs, large
- 1 Cup Cocoa Powder, sifted
- 1 ½ Cups Flour
- ¾ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips
For the Peppermint Topping
- 7 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- 5 Tablespoons Corn Syrup
- 3 Tablespoons Shortening
- 5 Tablespoons Evaporated Milk
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 1 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, or half milk half semi sweet
- ½ Cup Butter
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350℉ and line a 9×13" pan with foil then spray with cooking spray.
For the Brownies
- In a standing mixer, beat together the sugars, oil and vanilla until smooth.2 ¼ Cups Sugar, ¾ Cup Brown Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla, 1 ½ Cup Canola Oil
- Add the eggs one at a time with the mixer on low speed.6 Eggs
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt.1 Cup Cocoa Powder, 1 ½ Cups Flour, ¾ teaspoons Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Add the chocolate chips and fold them in so they don’t sink to the bottom of the brownies during baking.1 Cup Chocolate Chips
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined.
- Pour into the greased pan.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the center is set.
- Allow the brownies to cool for 20-30 minutes and then opening the saran wrap, gently lay the peppermint on the brownies.
- Pour the chocolate all over the brownies.
- Allow to set or just go for it. 😉
- Set aside.
For the Peppermint Topping
- In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the powdered sugar, peppermint, corn syrup, shortening and evaporated milk.7 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar, 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract, 5 Tablespoons Corn Syrup, 3 Tablespoons Shortening, 5 Tablespoons Evaporated Milk
- The mixture will take a little time to come together and may be crumbly.
- Press together into a disc and set on a long piece of saran wrap.
- Fold the saran wrap over the patty and use a rolling pin to roll into a 9×13″ rectangle.
- Set aside.
For the Chocolate Glaze
- In a microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate and butter.1 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips, ½ Cup Butter
- Melt for 30 second intervals stirring in between until smooth.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What type of shortening is used in this recipe? I’m going to make them!
Hi Mary Anne! Great question! I use regular Crisco.