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!
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownies
¾ cupsemi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cupbutter, melted
½ cup neutral-flavored cooking oil, avocado or canola work well
1cupgranulated sugar
1teaspoon peppermint extract
4large eggs
1cup all-purpose flour
¾ cupcocoa powder
½ teasponbaking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
Peppermint Topping
12ounceswhite chocolate, chopped
3tablespoonsvegetable shortening
8candy canes, crushed
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x8 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.)
½ cup butter, ½ cup neutral-flavored cooking oil, ¾ 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, ¾ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ 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.