Frosted Mint Brownies
These chocolate fudge brownies are topped with mint frosting and a layer of creamy chocolate ganache.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- measuring spoons and cups
- Hand or stand mixer
- 8x8 baking pan (metal pan is recommended)
- silicone spatula
- Parchment paper (optional, for lining the pan)
Ingredients
For the brownies
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted, 2 ounces)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt remove if using salted butter
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the frosting
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1½ teaspoons peppermint extract
- green food coloring optional
For the chocolate ganache topping
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips use a heaping ½ cup
Instructions
To make the brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. I recommend spraying the pan with cooking spray before lining it with parchment paper (this helps the parchment paper stick to the pan). Set the pan aside.
- In a medium-large mixing bowl, add melted butter and granulated sugar. Whisk together (or use a hand mixer) until combined.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, melted chocolate and salt. Mix until combined.
- Add the cocoa powder and mix (carefully) until well combined.
- Lastly, add the flour and mix until well-combined.
- Pour the mixture into the lined 8×8 baking pan and use a silicone spatula to spread the batter evenly throughout the pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes with just a few crumbs. I prefer to remove the brownies before the toothpick comes out completely clean so that you maintain that fudge-y texture!
- Once fully baked, remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature before adding the mint frosting layer. Put them in the fridge for faster cooling, if desired.
To make the mint frosting
- Add your 6 tablespoons of softened butter to a medium sized mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl) and beat the butter until it is creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and peppermint extract. Mix until well-combined.
- Add more heavy cream (one teaspoon at a time) to reach the desiredreac desired frosting texture.
- Add a few drops of green food coloring (if desired) and mix well. Set the frosting aside until it is time to assemble your brownies.
To make the chocolate ganache topping
- Pour the heavy cream into a medium-sized microwave safe bowl and heat the cream for 30-45 seconds in the microwave, or until almost boiling.
- Remove the cream from heat and add the heaping ½ cup of chocolate chips. Mix until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Return to heat for a few seconds if needed to fully melt the chocolate.
To assemble the brownies
- Once the brownies have completely cooled, spread the mint frosting evenly over the top of the brownies (do not remove the brownies from the pan yet).
- Pour the chocolate ganache over the top of the frosting and spread it evenly throughout the pan.
- Place the brownies in the fridge to allow the chocolate to set. They are also easier to cut and remove from the pan when they are chilled. I prefer to then enjoy them at room temperature.