The holidays are right around the corner! It is the perfect time of year to bake a sweet treat and cozy up next to a fire while watching your favorite holiday movie. A popular treat seen this year is peppermint brownies. That sweet chocolate taste with a hint of mint makes it one of the best desserts for this time of year!  All you need is: 

• Two Candy canes
• Chocolate chips (dark or milk chocolate, your choice!) (1 bowl)
• Chocolate chunks (for that perfect fudgy brownie) (half a bowl)
• Two eggs
• Cocoa powder (⅓ cup)
• Butter (salted or unsalted) (1 stick)
• Peppermint extract/oil (1 tbsp)
• Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
• Granulated sugar (3 cups)
• All purpose flour (1 cup) 
• Salt (1 tsp)

To start making these delicious treats, you will need an 8” pan. If you don’t have an 8” pan, you can always use a 9” one but the brownies will be thinner and take a couple less minutes to cook. You need to preheat the oven to 325℉. Now, it is time to start baking!

To get that nice peppermint crunch, you will need to crush your candy canes. You can do this any way you prefer, just make sure the peppermint bits are small. You don’t want to break them into powder however. 

Next, you need to melt the chocolate chunks. To do this, you need to put the chocolate chunks and butter into a bowl and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time. Each time the 30 seconds is up, stir it and repeat until there are no chunks left and you get that smooth chocolate texture. 

Add the sugar into your melted chocolate and stir for about 1 minute. You want to do this until the chocolate has cooled down. Next, you want to add your two eggs, peppermint extract and vanilla extract to your mix. Whisk this for about 2 ½ minutes or until your batter starts to thicken. 

Now it is time for your dry ingredients. First, you are going to want to add your cocoa powder, salt and flour one at a time. Using a sifter for those three ingredients may be beneficial as it will eliminate chunks of powder from your batter. After adding your cocoa powder, salt and flour, you’re going to grab your crushed peppermint and mix that in. 

Now that all of your ingredients are mixed, you are ready to grab your 8” pan. Pour the brownie batter into the pan and spread it evenly. When your oven is preheated, you can slide the batter in. Set the timer for 20 minutes. You want that perfect fudgy brownie texture, but if you like them a little more well done, throw them in for a couple more minutes.
Once you have your perfect fudgy brownie, you can add the leftover crushed candy canes for that extra peppermint flavor. However, that is totally up to you! Once you allow your brownies to cool, you have the perfect holiday treat. You can enjoy these with your friends, loved ones or even just yourself! Making peppermint brownies is a great way to feel the holiday cheer!