Christmas Brownies
Christmas brownies are a fun and festive treat! Rich brownies are cut into triangles, topped with green icing, and decorated with plenty of holiday cheer.
Ingredients
Brownies
- 18.3 ounces brownie mix prepared according to box directions
- 18 mini candy canes hook removed (or 9 regular size candy canes, hook removed and
- broken in half)
Buttercream frosting
- ¼ cup salted sweet cream butter softened
- 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- ½ teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 4 to 6 drops forest green food color depending on how dark green you want
- 12 candy star decorations optional decoration
- Multi-colored candy confetti optional decoration
- nonpareils optional decoration
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking dish with a parchment paper “sling”. Spray the pan with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or generic version). Set it aside.
- Prepare the brownie batter according to the box directions. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes away clean. Allow the brownies to cool completely.
- Once the brownies have cooled, lift the brownies out of the pan with the paper sling.
- Slice three rows diagonally, then slice alternating diagonals to make triangles.
- Insert the broken candy cane into the bottom of the tree for the tree trunk.
Buttercream Frosting
- Using a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high, beat the butter and vegetable shortening for 1 minute.
- Add the clear vanilla and almond extract and continue mixing until well incorporated.
- Lower the mixer speed to low, and add the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, alternating with the heavy cream. Once all the powdered sugar and cream have been added, increase the mixer speed to high and mix until smooth.
- Add the green food coloring and continue mixing until the color is even and no green streaks remain.
- Fill either a decorator's bag fitted with a star tip, or a Ziploc with a small corner snipped off.
Decorating The Trees
- Starting at the top tip of the triangle, hold the decorator’s bag about a ¼ inch above the brownie. Using even, slow, steady pressure, squeeze the decorator’s bag in a zigzag pattern from the tip to the bottom of the brownie.
- Place a candy star at the top tip of the tree. Decorate the rest of the tree with candy confetti or nonpareils.
Notes
Lining the pan with parchment paper will allow you to lift the entire rectangle of baked brownies out of the pan for easier cutting once cooled. You can also grease the pan instead if you would prefer.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your brownies as the suggested baking time approaches.
The brownies must be completely cooled before slicing. Brownies will crumble if they are too warm when cut.