I love mint brownies. But I hardly ever make them because my brownie-loving husband always wants these better than the boxed brownies or my homemade Little Debbie fudge brownies. Oh, and did I mention he’s not a huge fan of mint? So when I told him I was making a batch of mint chocolate brownies I was a little nervous. However, after taste testing these I think I changed his mind about this classic combo 🙂
These brownies are really easy to make. Sure they require a little extra time, but they’re soooo worth it! The brownies themselves are cocoa-based, so you don’t need to dirty any extra dishes or spend even more time waiting for chocolate to melt in a double boiler. They also bake in under 25 minutes. Quick, right?! I chose to add some chopped chocolate to the base but you could add nuts too if you’d like.
After the brownies had baked I tossed them in the refrigerator to speed up the chilling process and whipped up the mint frosting. It’s light, fluffy and is the perfect amount for a nice layer of buttercream under that thick ganache. Once I had it spread over the top of the cooled brownies, chilled them in the freezer to firm up really fast. All that was left to do was heat up the chocolate chips, butter and cream for the silky smooth chocolate layer. I used my microwave for ease and it worked perfectly. After stirring the mixture for about a minute it was ready to be poured on top. Once again, I put the brownies in the refrigerator to chill, just to help the top set and to make it a lot easier to cut clean slices.
We couldn’t resist digging in as soon as they were set enough to slice. They were fudgy and minty and yet neither flavor overpowered the other. I’d deem these thick and decadent bars brownie perfection! Enjoy & happy baking!
Mint Chocolate Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter - melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder - sifted
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup chopped chocolate or nuts - optional
Mint Frosting
- 1/4 cup (½ stick) unsalted butter - room temperature
- 1-2 drops green food coloring - optional
- 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 Tbsp milk or heavy cream
Ganache
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 baking pan with foil and lightly coat with baking spray, set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the melted butter, sugars and vanilla extract for 30 seconds on medium. With mixing speed on low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing until thoroughly combined.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until no flour pockets remain. Remove the bowl from the stand and using a spatula, fold in the chopped chocolate or nuts if desired.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan, spreading into an even layer. Place in the oven and bake for 23-26 minutes or until set, taking care not to overbake. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes or until brownies are no longer warm (you can speed up the process by letting them cool uncovered in the refrigerator).
- Meanwhile, to make the mint frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, food coloring, peppermint extract and salt until creamy, about 1 minute on medium high. Add the powdered sugar, then the milk (or heavy cream) until it reaches the desired consistency. Beat for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy. Frost cooled brownies, then toss uncovered into the freezer for 10 minutes.
- During the last minute of freeze time, in a microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, butter and heavy cream. Heat on half powder (mine is usually power 10, so I did 5) for one minute, stir, then repeat. Stir chocolate until all of the chips are melted and it becomes smooth. Beat for 1 minute and then pour over the top of the cold frosted brownies. Spread evenly and place in the refrigerator uncovered to set for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving (SEE NOTES).
NOTES
-For easy cutting it's best to chill these brownies for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour in the refrigerator or 30 minutes in the freezer before slicing with a sharp knife. The hot water method is not necessary, for a clean cut wipe your knife on a paper towel after each slice.
Nutrition
Recipe source: Life Made Simple
The recipe calls for 1/2 stick of butter which is 4 Tablespoons and 2 cups of powdered sugar. I attempted to make it this way and realized the proportion of dry to wet was way off. I found another recipe that called for a full stick and was able to make something like a frosting. I think there’s a big mistake in the recipe.
Hi Connie, sorry to hear this. Did you add the milk / cream until it got to the desired consistency?
Fudgy & amazing!! Love mint & chocolate together! I will be making these again for sure!
These are HEAVENLY! Made some for Father’s Day and they were gone quickly!
These look absolutely perfect! Great mint/chocolate combo – wish I had one right now…. 😀