Fudge-y, super chocolatey, and decked for the holidays with peppermint, these Hot Cocoa Peppermint Bark Brownies use hot cocoa, peppermint bark, and a crushed candy cane garnish to create an unforgettable, festive treat.
Cookies get a lot of play during the holidays, but you really can’t beat a super chocolatey, fudgy brownie. Especially one that’s festively decked out for the holidays with hot cocoa and peppermint. I mean, just LOOK at them.
These Peppermint Bark Brownies are INCREDIBLE. Here’s why.
Why these Hot Cocoa Peppermint Bark Brownies are INCREDIBLE.
Quality ingredients. Don’t skimp on your hot cocoa or your peppermint bark. I threw down for Ghirardelli DOUBLE CHOCOLATE hot cocoa mix AND Ghirardelli peppermint bark.
Monitored baking. Watch these things like a hawk when they bake. Bake ‘em too long and they lose their magical fudginess.
Let them cool off before diving in. It’s a tough ask, but let the brownies cool completely before attempting to cut them because they are prone to crumble when cut too soon. I know.
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How to Make Peppermint Bark Brownies -Ingredients
To make these super fudgy and peppermint punched-up brownies, you will need the following ingredients:
- Salted butter
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White granulated sugar
- Ghirardelli double chocolate hot cocoa mix
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Ghirardelli peppermint bark
- Peppermint candy or candy canes
- Cooking spray
Please see the recipe card for quantities.
Equipment
- 8x8 baking pan
- Whisk
- Spatula
How to Make Peppermint Bark Brownies -Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Add butter to a saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. When fully melted, remove from heat.
Pour hot melted butter, olive oil, and sugar into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk for one minute, or until completely combined.
Add eggs and vanilla to the bowl and whisk for another minute.
Add dry ingredients (flour, Ghirardelli double chocolate hot cocoa mix, and cocoa powder) to the bowl.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. You want there to be pockets of dry ingredients in the batter because this is what helps achieve that fudgy consistency.
Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking oil spray.
Pour the brownie batter into the greased pan. Smooth it flat with a spatula.
Unwrap the Ghiradelli bark and, using a sharp knife, cut it into smaller pieces.
Smash up some peppermint candy. I took a candy cane stick, unwrapped it, put it in another bag, and smashed it up with a meat mallet. I maybe used ¼ to ⅓ of the one pictured.
Add the chopped peppermint bark to the brownie batter, sprinkling it evenly over the top.
Bake for 22-24 minutes. I’ve baked these in my regular oven and in my Ninja Foodi and right around the 23-minute mark is about perfect for me. I give the pan a gentle shake at this time and look for the center to be just set.
Remove from oven and immediately top with crushed candy cane pieces, sprinkling evenly over the brownies.
It’s a very important (but a very difficult ask!) that you let the brownies cool completely before attempting to cut. You can speed up the cooling process by putting them in the fridge, but let them cool down considerably beforehand so you don’t risk heating up the interior temperature of your refrigerator.
Hint: DO NOT OVERMIX the batter when adding the dry ingredients to the wet. This is THE KEY to a delightfully fudgy outcome.
DO NOT swap the vanilla extract for mint. I tried this and thought it left an artificial aftertaste. Maybe it's the brand I used but I stand by using vanilla here.
Notes
If you’re using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt to the recipe and add in with the other dry ingredients.
I recommend using candy canes. I used ¼ to ⅓ of a large (3.5 ounce) candy cane stick, but 2-3 small candy canes should be enough. Add as much or as little as you’d like.
This recipe was adapted from Best Fudgy Cocoa Brownies, which is my go-to recipe for straight-up fudgy brownies.
Peppermint Bark Brownie Variations
I've come across similar recipes that call for slathering on a rich layer of white chocolate or vanilla frosting, and then sprinkling with crushed candy canes. And I am SO for that recommendation here as well if you want to make this Peppermint Bark Brownie recipe *extra* special.
Mix in some chocolate chunks into the brownie batter. Dark, milk or white chocolate would all work here; just choose a favorite chocolate bar, give it a few chops to cut it into smaller pieces, and add to the brownie recipe. Chocolate chips are great here too.
Give the Gift of Peppermint Bark Brownies
Whip up a batch of these amazing hot chocolate peppermint brownies as a gift and the receiver will love you forever. Why not gift them in the pan (which I picked up at Target for $5), uncut? The gift receiver can choose their own portion size and you don’t have to worry about cutting crooked or trying to get that first brownie out of the pan without mangling it - win-win.
Storage
Store leftover Hot Cocoa Peppermint Bark Brownies in a lidded container for up to 4 days. If you need to stack ‘em, put a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper between the layers.
You can also freeze these Peppermint Bark Brownies for up to 3 months. I recommend arranging in a single layer in a gallon storage freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. A helpful tip is to use a sharpie to write the date they go in the freezer on the storage bag.
Other Holiday Treats
If you dig these Peppermint Bark Brownies, check out these other holiday treats.
Peppermint Bark Brownies
Equipment
- 8x8 baking pan
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter (or 1 stick)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- 2 0.85 ounce packages double chocolate Ghirardelli hot cocoa mix (approximately ¼ cup)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 bar Ghirardelli peppermint bark
- peppermint candy stick (candy canes)
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add a stick of butter to a saucepan and melt over medium-low heat. When fully melted, remove from heat.½ cup salted butter
- Pour hot melted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and ¾ cup sugar into a medium-sized bowl. Whisk for one minute, or until completely combined.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ¾ cup white granulated sugar
- Add the two eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the bowl and whisk for another minute.2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add ½ cup flour, 2 packages of double chocolate Ghirardelli hot cocoa mix, and ¼ cup cocoa powder to the bowl.2 0.85 ounce packages double chocolate Ghirardelli hot cocoa mix, ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. You want there to be pockets of dry ingredients in the batter because this is what helps achieve that fudgy consistency.
- Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking oil spray.cooking spray
- Pour the brownie batter into the greased pan. Smooth it flat with a spatula.
- Unwrap the Ghiradelli bark and, using a sharp knife, cut it into smaller pieces. Add the chopped bark to the brownie batter, sprinkling it evenly over the top.1 bar Ghirardelli peppermint bark
- Bake for 22-24 minutes. I’ve baked these in my regular oven and in my Ninja and right around the 23-minute mark is about perfect for me. I give the pan a gentle shake at this time and look for the center to be just set.
- While the brownies are baking, smash up some peppermint candy. I took the candy cane stick, unwrapped, put it in another bag, and smashed it up with a meat mallet. I maybe used ¼ to ⅓ of the one pictured.
- Remove from oven and immediately top with crushed candy cane pieces, sprinkling evenly over the brownies.peppermint candy stick
- It’s a very important (but a very difficult ask!) that you let the brownies cool completely before attempting to cut. These fudgy brownies are prone to crumble when cut tooearly. You can speed up the cooling process by putting them in the fridge, but let them cool down considerably beforehand so you don’t risk heating up the interior temperature of your refrigerator.
Holly says
Yummy!