Peppermint bark brownies are made with wonderfully fudgy chocolate brownies topped with white chocolate frosting and crushed candy canes. They're a festive Christmas holiday treat that everyone loves!

Complete your Christmas treat buffet with some whipped shortbread, nanaimo bars, and some white chocolate cranberry cookies.

Peppermint bark brownies topped with crushed candy canes.

Peppermint Bark Brownies

These beautiful peppermint bark brownies are like Christmas decorations for your holiday dessert buffet. The dark chocolate brownies covered in a thick layer of white chocolate and sprinkled with red and green crushed candy canes look pretty and festive. And the peppermint flavor just screams winter holidays.

Candy cane brownies are easy to make and even easier to eat. We usually cut them into small pieces (half or a quarter of the size you see in the pictures) as we're always going back to nibble on one more piece. A plate of these brownies sitting on your counter is pretty much impossible to resist.

How to make this recipe for peppermint bark brownies

These tasty treats are an easy-to-make and classic Christmas confection that is sure to spread holiday cheer.

  1. The brownies are made in one bowl. First, melt the butter and chocolate with oil in the microwave. Then the sugar, peppermint, and eggs get whisked into the melted chocolate before mixing in the dry ingredients.
  2. Now pour the brownie batter into a baking dish and bake it for about 25 minutes.
  3. Melt white chocolate and shortenening in the microwave then pour it right over the cooled brownies in the pan.
  4. Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top of the white chocolate then put the brownies into your fridge so the frosting hardens.

Now, all that you have to do is cut the brownies as big or small as you like and dessert is ready!

The full recipe is in the recipe card below.

A stack of 2 christmas candy cane brownies on a plate.

How to crush candy canes

While crushed candy canes are sometimes available in grocery stores, it's fairly easy to crush your own. There are two methods that we find work the best to crush candy canes:

A food processor – A few short pulses will crush the candy canes. Be careful not to blend them too much or they will turn to powder.

A rubber mallet – This is our preferred method. Lay a tea towel on your counter and cover it with a piece of parchment paper. Put a few candy canes on top then fold both the parchment paper and tea towel over top. Now give the candy canes a few smacks with a rubber mallet.

Variations to try

While we love this peppermint bark brownies recipe exactly as written, it's also delicious made with these variations:

  • Mix Ā½ cup chopped candy canes into the batter.
  • Stir Ā½ cup chopped walnuts into the batter.
  • Go big on the chocolate and use milk chocolate instead of white chocolate in the frosting.
Christmas peppermint bark brownies cut into squares.

Peppermint Bark Brownies FAQs

How long do these brownies last?

These brownies keep fresh for 3-4 days in a covered container on your counter.

Do peppermint brownies freeze well?

Yes! You can freeze these brownies for up to 3 months. Freeze them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Once they're frozen you can stack them in a freezer-proof container. We love using these Stasher freezer bags!

Are these brownies good for holiday gifting?

Yes! You can make them well in advance and freeze them so they will be fresh when you wrap them up to gift them.

More brownie recipes

Peppermint bark brownies cut into squares on parchment paper,
Peppermint bark brownies topped with crushed candy canes.

Peppermint Bark Brownies

Yield: 32 small brownies
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Cooling Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs
Peppermint bark brownies are made with wonderfully fudgy chocolate brownies topped with white chocolate frosting and crushed candy canes. They're a festive holiday treat that everyone loves!

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!

4.98 stars (42 ratings)
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Ingredients

Chocolate Brownies

  • Ā¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Ā½ cup butter, melted
  • Ā½ cup neutral-flavored cooking oil, avocado or canola work well
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • Ā¾ cup cocoa powder
  • Ā½ teaspon baking powder
  • Ā½ teaspoon sea salt

Peppermint Topping

  • 12 ounces white chocolate, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • 8 candy canes, crushed

Instructions 

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting some hang over the edges. Grease the parchment paper with butter.
  • Melt the chocolate chips, butter, and oil in a large glass bowl in your microwave. (see notes for the stovetop version.)
    Ā½ cup butter, Ā½ cup neutral-flavored cooking oil, Ā¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Stir in the sugar and peppermint extract. Make sure it is warm (not hot) to the touch then add the eggs and mix well.
    1 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon peppermint extract, 4 large eggs
  • Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
    1 cup all-purpose flour, Ā¾ cup cocoa powder, Ā½ teaspoon sea salt, Ā½ teaspon baking powder
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave the brownies in the baking dish and let them cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
  • Gently melt the white chocolate and shortening either in your microwave or on your stovetop in a bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water. Either way, go slow. White chocolate is delicate and can split easily if melted too quickly. Mix the white chocolate and shortening together.
    12 ounces white chocolate, 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • Pour the melted white chocolate over the pan of cooled brownies then sprinkle the top with the crushed candy canes. Put the pan into your fridge to chill for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
    8 candy canes

Notes

The serving size of the brownies is one 1″x 2″ brownie – or half the size of the brownies you see in the pictures. These brownies are quite rich and the smaller size is a more realistic serving size for many people. And there's no shame in going back for seconds or thirds!
To melt the chocolate, butter, and oil on the stovetop – add all three to a small frying pan over medium-low heat. When the butter has melted and the chocolate begins to look soft, remove the pan from the heat and stir it until the chocolate melts.Ā 
Serving: 1 brownie, Calories: 214kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 83mg, Potassium: 99mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 128IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 32mg, Iron: 1mg
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