Peppermint Fudge Brownies

These Peppermint Fudge Brownies are rich, fudgy, gooey and delicious! They have a slight tingle from the peppermint extract without being overpowering and are topped with the most luscious chocolate-marshmallow ganache.

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The holidays are a time to deck the halls AND desserts, as far as I’m concerned. These Peppermint Fudge Brownies are a classic treat dressed up in its holiday best!

Rich and fudgy, peppermint-infused brownies are topped with a sweet chocolate marshmallow ganache and topped off with a sprinkle of crushed candy canes for a festive flourish!

They’re everything you’ll want to bring to a holiday potluck and will steal the show on a Christmas dessert table.

Ingredients

Brownie Batter:

• Unsalted butter
• Milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate bar
• Granulated sugar
• Instant coffee
• Vanilla extract
• Peppermint extract
• Eggs
• Cocoa powder
• All-purpose flour
• Sea salt

Fudge Topping:

• Milk chocolate (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips
• Heavy cream
• Marshmallow fluff

Garnish:

• Crushed candy canes
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch pan with overlapping parchment paper, making it easier to lift the brownies out once baked.

Melt Chocolate and Butter: In a large heat-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring each time until melted and smooth.

Combine Wet Ingredients: To the melted chocolate and butter, add sugar, instant coffee, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and eggs. Whisk together until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold together until just combined. Be cautious not to overmix; the batter will be thick and sticky. Incorporate chocolate chips into the batter.

Bake Brownies: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. Look for a just-set top with slightly puffed edges. Avoid overbaking to retain their fudgy texture.

Recipe FAQ’s

Variations & Substitutions

• Peppermint Mocha Brownies:
  Add 2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder to the batter along with the instant coffee for a stronger coffee flavor. Top the baked brownies with a drizzle of chocolate ganache infused with a hint of peppermint extract for a decadent mocha twist.
• White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies:
  Replace the milk chocolate chips in the batter with white chocolate chips. For the topping, use white chocolate chips and add a touch of peppermint extract to the fudge topping.
• Peppermint Patty Brownies:
  Place whole peppermint patties evenly spaced on top of the batter before baking in place of the chocolate chips. As the brownies bake, the patties will melt slightly, creating a gooey and minty surprise in each bite.
• Peppermint Swirl Cheesecake Brownies:
  Create a cheesecake swirl by making a simple cheesecake batter (cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract) and swirling it into the brownie batter before baking. Add crushed candy canes on top for a festive touch.

Diet-Specific Substitutions

These diet-specific versions have not been tested, but could work with the substitutions below:

• Gluten Free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend as a 1:1 substitute for regular all-purpose flour in the recipe. Make sure the other ingredients such as chocolate chips and extracts are certified gluten-free.
• Vegan: Substitute unsalted butter with a plant-based butter alternative. Use dairy-free milk chocolate chips or chopped dairy-free chocolate bars. Replace eggs with a suitable egg substitute, such as a commercial egg replacer. Ensure that the marshmallow fluff, if used, is vegan-friendly.

Peppermint Fudge Brownies

These Peppermint Fudge Brownies are rich, fudgy, gooey and delicious! They have a slight tingle from the peppermint extract without being overpowering and are topped with the most luscious chocolate-marshmallow ganache. A perfect holiday treat!

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Course Dessert

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings 16 servings

Author Dianna Muscari

Ingredients  

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup milk chocolate chips or chopped milk chocolate bar
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee*
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup milk chocolate chips

For Fudge Topping

• ⅓ cup milk chocolate {or semi-sweet} chocolate chips
• 2½ tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons marshmallow fluff

For Garnish

• ¼ cup crushed candy canes
• ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8×8 inch pan by lining with overlapping sheets of parchment paper This will make it easier to lift the brownie out when it's done.
• In a large, heat-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate at 30 second intervals, whisking each time until melted and smooth.
• To the chocolate/butter mixture, add sugar, instant coffee, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and eggs. Whisk together until smooth and well incorporated.
• In another bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour and salt. Add to the wet mixture and fold together until just incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be thick & sticky. Mix in the chocolate chips.
• Spoon batter into your prepared pan and bake for 18-20 minutes until the top is just set and the edges look a bit puffed. These should be fudgy, so try not to overbake them.

For Fudge Topping

• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, melt chocolate and heavy cream for your topping by microwaving for 30 second intervals, stopping to mix until shiny and smooth.
• Once melted, add the marshmallow fluff and mix well until the mixture is uniform. Set aside to cool slightly.
• When the brownie is ready, remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Once cooled, pour the truffle topping over the brownie, smoothing out evenly over the top. Sprinkle with candy cane pieces.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour until the topping is set. This will make it easier to cut and get pretty pieces.
• Remove from the refrigerator and cut into squares. If you want to garnish even further, drizzle or pipe the squares with melted semi-sweet chocolate before moving onto a serving platter.

Dianna’s Tips

*Instant coffee or espresso powder aren’t usually detectable in brownies or chocolate-flavored dishes; they simply add an extra boost to the chocolate flavor. However, found that these had a tiny hint of coffee flavor to them. If you’re not fond of the taste, you can decrease the amount added to the recipe or omit it altogether.

Variations

• Peppermint Mocha Brownies:
  Add 2 tablespoons of instant espresso powder to the batter along with the instant coffee for a stronger coffee flavor. Top the baked brownies with a drizzle of chocolate ganache infused with a hint of peppermint extract for a decadent mocha twist.
• White Chocolate Peppermint Brownies:
  Replace the milk chocolate chips in the batter with white chocolate chips. For the topping, use white chocolate chips and add a touch of peppermint extract to the fudge topping.
• Peppermint Patty Brownies:
  Place whole peppermint patties evenly spaced on top of the batter before baking in place of the chocolate chips. As the brownies bake, the patties will melt slightly, creating a gooey and minty surprise in each bite.
• Peppermint Swirl Cheesecake Brownies:
  Create a cheesecake swirl by making a simple cheesecake batter (cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract) and swirling it into the brownie batter before baking. Add crushed candy canes on top for a festive touch.

These diet-specific versions have not been tested, but could work with the substitutions below:

• Gluten Free: Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend as a 1:1 substitute for regular all-purpose flour in the recipe. Make sure the other ingredients such as chocolate chips and extracts are certified gluten-free.
• Vegan: Substitute unsalted butter with a plant-based butter alternative. Use dairy-free milk chocolate chips or chopped dairy-free chocolate bars. Replace eggs with a suitable egg substitute, such as a commercial egg replacer. Ensure that the marshmallow fluff, if used, is vegan-friendly.