Candy cane brownies are super fudgy brownies topped with a layer of sweet peppermint frosting, covered in a layer of soft chocolate ganache, then sprinkled with crushed candy canes to dress them up for the holidays. These Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies are perfect for any party.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Fudgy brownies are one of my favorite desserts. They’re easy to make and easy to serve – perfect for the busy holiday season.
What makes fudgy brownies?
To make extra fudgy brownies, you need to use a higher ratio of fat to flour. More flour makes cake-like brownies. Using more butter helps to soften the brownies up, making them fudgier.
The cookbook version is slightly different than the online version. My version below is sort of a combination of the two.
How to Make Fudgy Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
This is such an easy brownie recipe!
To make it easier to get bar cookies out of the pan, line your pan with foil.
To make it easy to mold the foil to your pan, turn your pan upside down and cover the pan tightly with foil, shiny side out. Remove the foil, turn the pan right side up and fit the molded foil into it.
Once you have the brownies out of the pan, peel off the foil and cut them in to squares. I like to use my watermelon knife to cut them. It’s long enough to cut through the entire row in one slice. I then rinse the knife in hot water, dry it and cut the next row.
If you really want perfect squares, sometimes I’ll even bring out the ruler and measure the rows.
I loved the brownies. I kept going back to the kitchen for just a little bit more. They remind me of a brownie they make at a local pastry shop, Schmidt’s. Thanks Kate and Sara for sharing the recipe.
Please stop by Our Best Bites to see their twist on my Chocolate-Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies.
Also, check out my roundup of Peppermint Desserts recipes.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we will send it straight to your inbox. Plus you will get great new recipes from us every week!
Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate baking squares
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 ½ teaspoons peppermint extract
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk
- red food coloring 1 to 2 drops
Chocolate Glaze
- 6 ounces about 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips
- 6 tablespoons butter
Peppermint Topping
- ½-1 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9×13 inch pan with foil, making sure the foil extends over the edges by at least one inch. Lightly spray foil with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Chop the baking squares and butter into chucks and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
- In a stand mixer or with electric beaters, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla for 2 minutes. While the mixer is running, slowly add the melted chocolate and beat to combine. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture and mix just until combined. Pour into prepared 9×13 pan.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out mostly clean. Don’t over bake! When brownies are done, cool on a wire rack. When completely cool, put in the fridge to chill (makes the frosting spreading easier).
Peppermint frosting
- Combine all frosting ingredients and beat until light and fluffy. Add more milk a teaspoon at a time if needed. Spread evenly over chilled brownies and place back in the fridge to chill again while you do the final step. (I used an offset spatula to spread the frosting.)
Chocolate Glaze
- Place chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until just melted and smooth. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then quickly spread on top of brownies.
- Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top and return to the fridge to cool. When chocolate has hardened, use the edges of the foil to remove the entire sheet of brownies from the pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Video
Notes
- slightly adapted from Our Best Bites
Nutrition
More bar cookies you might like:
Almond Toffee Bars, Barbara Bakes
Tropical Magic Bar Cookies, Barbara Bakes
Triple Chip Blondies, Our Best Bites
Peanut Butter Cup Caramel Shortbread Bars, Our Best Bites
Pin It:
Susan
They look delicious, Barbara! I haven’t done any holiday baking yet – I’d better get busy. These have given me inspiration 🙂
Nutmeg Nanny
These brownies are adorable! Absolutely perfect for Christmas…yum!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I’ve never met a brownie that didn’t become a good friend and these will be no exception. What festive brownies they are!
Cindy Harris
One of my favorite treats–now on two great blogs! Thanks.
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Cindy – so sweet!
Claire @ Claire K Creations
Ok lining the pan is sheer genius but covering the outside first to get the shape.. Barbara what a clever idea! That will save me buying those expensive disposable foil tins too.
These look deliciously festive!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Claire! Don’t know where I picked up that tip, but it is a time saver.
Lynn
Got here by way of Our Best Bites. Love your site!
Sign me up to follow!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Lynn – that’s so nice! So glad you stopped by.
Winnie
These look so delicious. I love mint with chocolate. I can’t wait to try these.
Annalise
Oh Barbara, you are speaking my brownie language! Yum.
Valérie (Franche-Comté)
C’est extra gourmnd et très beau, j’adore ces douceurs
Merci Barbara
Je te souhiate une belle soirée, chez moi c’est sous pas mal de neige
Valérie.
Erin @ Making Memories
Your brownies look wonderful! What a festive treat. Thanks!
marla
Such fun brownies for the holidays!
Sarah Maison Cupcake
These look super – I have always meant to do something with candy canes. We don’t get them that much in the UK but I have a box stashed away!
Barbara Schieving
How fun to have a secret stash. Enjoy!
carrian
These are lovely, and you couldn’t have teamed up with a better pair. Kinda laughing though, Deborah and I literally swapped on each other’s blogs. HAHA, we must have misunderstood. LOL!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Carrian – I thought it was fun the way you and Deb did it too.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
Barbara – the brownies are gorgeous and Ive made many layered (mint) brownies in my day and as impressed with your recipe that I am, I am more impressed by how neat they are and the perfectly clean cuts. That is a real feat! Photographically, not an easy recipe to deal with 🙂
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Averie! I have to admit I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t get pretty cuts for the pictures. I think chilling the brownies before cutting them really help.
Melissa @ Bless This Mess
Whoa… you know everyone Barbara! Who doesn’t love OBB and those brownies look phenomenal! You did them well 🙂
Barbara Schieving
Agreed! Everyone loves OBB. Sara and Kate have Utah ties too. Thanks!
Roxana | Roxana's Home Baking
these brownies look great Barbara! Fudgy and rich, just how I like them. And peppermint, mmm, I can not get enough of chocolate and peppermint this time of the year.
Would love if you bring your brownies to my December Chocolate Party http://www.roxanashomebaking.com/peppermint-chocolate-cake-recipe-chocolateparty/
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
Mmm heavenly!
Blog is the New Black
I love anything peppermint, esp this time of year!
Rosa
So pretty! A great gift idea.
Cheers,
Rosa
Emily
I love bar cookies and these are especially festive. Can’t wait to eat half a pan. 😉