Easy Peppermint Brownies are simple brownies frosted with dark chocolate and topped with crushed peppermint candy. These festive from scratch brownies are perfect for Christmas parties!

After apple desserts, my next baking addiction is brownies! It was time to share something full of holiday cheer. It’s a recipe for a simple dairy-free brownie recipe with a lovely layer of melted dark chocolate. Peppermint extract in the batter plus the crushed peppermint candy on top are make these brownies totally irresistible and super festive!

The whole recipe could be made in one bowl, which makes it a recipe that your kids just learning how to bake, will love! No need for a mixer!

Some best brownie baking tips:

 A metal pan is best pan to bake brownies in. A glass pan always brings me baking issues.
The oil could be subbed with any mild oil like vegetable or safflower oil.
Add in some dairy-free chocolate chips if you want a little more chocolate flavor.

Best way to cut brownies nice and clean?

Line baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Once they’ve completely cooled, all you have to do is lift the brownies out to cut them
 My favorite tip is to chill the brownies in order to get nice and clean cuts (honestly, whenever I try, someone takes pan out of fridge and cuts too quickly…it’s hard to wait for these brownies!).
Cut with a very sharp knife, you’ll get very clean slices.
Wipe blade every every cut.

What ingredients are in peppermint brownies?

Here is all you need to make these delicious brownies:

all-purpose flour
cocoa powder
sea salt
cinnamon (ground cinnamon goes so well with the chocolate, trust me!)
eggs
oil (I used coconut oil, but any mild flavor oil is fine)
water
peppermint extract
sugar (I used granulated, but you could use coconut sugar)
dark chocolate chocolate chips
peppermint candies

How to make these festive brownies: (full recipe is below)

Gather all the ingredients and prep your square baking pan. I like to use parchment paper and baking spray.

First step is to whisk the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder and salt). You could make this all in one bowl, but I like to whisk the flour, cocoa and salt first in a separate bowl).

Next, mix the whisk together eggs, oil, peppermint extract and water. Add in the sugar and whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into prepped pan and bake. Once it's almost ready, pull out the pan, sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Pop pan back into oven to let the chips melt.

Pull out the pan as soon as it's melted (shouldn't be more than 3 minutes), and use a spatula to spread it out.

Sprinkle on the crushed peppermint candy.

Let it cool down completely to get nice and clean slices.

Where can I find peppermint extract?

In the spice section of most markets (and of course, online), you can find peppermint extract near the vanilla and almond extracts.

What makes cocoa powder and oil better in a brownie recipe?

The combination of cocoa powder and oil gives these brownies a smooth, rich and chewy texture. Brownies made with butter (in my opinion) have a very strong butter flavor that overpowers the chocolate flavor.

How do I know when the brownies are ready?

It’s important to not overbake the brownies. Here are some tips to help you out:

I prefer to not really watch the baking time and instead rely more on how they look, feel and even smell.
Even if it hasn’t reached the full baking time, the brownies could be ready. Better to have a little bit softer brownies than dry, overbaked.
Keep in mind every oven is different, so baking time could vary.
Once the edges of brownies are firm and pull away from side of the pan, the brownies are ready.
If the center is softer, that’s fine. As they cool down, they will firm up a bit
You could use toothpick to test center of brownies. The toothpick should come out with moist crumbs on it.
If the toothpick has very wet brownie mixture on it, it’s not quite ready so put it back in to bake some more.
Keep in mind you’re also putting brownies back in oven for a couple minutes to melt the chocolate chips.

Can I make candy cane brownies ahead of time?

Yes! Let the peppermint brownies chill in the refrigerator or at least cool down on the counter for a couple hours. Once they’ve completely cooled, they’re ready to serve.

How to store these brownies?

Peppermint brownies are fine at room temperature for just a day if you have a warmer kitchen. The chocolate layer on top will melt, so best to keep in the refrigerator if you have any leftovers for more than one day.

Can I freeze peppermint brownies?

Yes, they freeze nicely. If you plan to freeze, do not add the melted chocolate layer with the candies. Once they have completely cooled down, slice and wrap in saran wrap and place in zipped freezer bag or in an airtight container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving. They’ll stay fine in freezer for up to 2 months.

Easy Peppermint Brownies