Bars, Blondies & Brownies/ Desserts/ Frostings and Icings

Fudge Mint Brownies

Fudge Mint Brownies Y’all.  AKA: the best brownies you will EVER have!  Yup…I went there with the “best ever” and I stand by that!  My best friend, who I met at work when we were both newbie cops working the streets, asked me if I could make her a copycat version of the Starbucks Peppermint Brownies.  Apparently Starbucks made these brownies a few years ago as a seasonal item, but they haven’t returned to the menu, and these brownies were Gillian’s favorites.  I am always up for trying to replicate a recipe, so I was excited to make these brownies for her!

To make this brownie I used my tried and true brownie recipe, and then trolled the internet and Pinterest to find a copycat recipe of the Starbucks version of Peppermint Brownies, to meld the two into brownie perfection.  I am using some strong words here with “perfection” and “best ever” but this is not my opinion…it’s what all the people that got to try these said!  So I’m confident in this recipe.  Not a fan of peppermint?  That’s okay!  Just substitute the peppermint extract for vanilla extract 🙂

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Fudge Mint Brownies

Print Recipe
Serves: 30 Cooking Time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients

  • BROWNIES:
  • 4-ounces Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate, cut into pieces
  • 10 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • PEPPERMINT CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
  • 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • CHOCOLATE FROSTING
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

1

PREPARE BROWNIES:

2

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Line a 9x13-inch metal baking pan with foil and spray bottoms and sides with cooking spray. Set aside.

3

Put unsweetened chocolate and butter in microwave safe bowl. Melt in microwave, checking every 15-seconds to stop and stir. Do not scorch the chocolate (so don't walk away and leave it unattended in the microwave)! It should only take approximately 1-minute to melt the chocolate. Stir mixture until smooth. Wait a few minutes for mixture to cool before adding eggs one at a time to the chocolate mixture, mixing each egg into mixture completely before adding the next egg. Add sugar, vanilla extract and peppermint extract and stir until well incorporated into the chocolate mixture. Stir in flour, but do not overstir or overwork the batter.

4

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without any raw batter on it. Let brownies cool completely before making the frosting.

5

PREPARE PEPPERMINT CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

6

In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add butter and beat until incorporated and smooth with the cream cheese. Slowly add one cup of the powdered sugar to the mixture and mix on low until combined with the butter. Add the heavy cream, peppermint and vanilla extracts and remaining 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to the mixer and mix on low until incorporated, and then increase speed to medium-high to whip frosting until fluffy and creamy (stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed).

7

Frost cooled brownies with the peppermint buttercream and place in the refrigerator to cool and set completely. While the frosting is setting, prepare chocolate frosting.

8

CHOCOLATE FROSTING:

9

In a microwave safe bowl, put chocolate chips and cubed butter in the bowl and pour heavy cream over the chocolate chips, covering it. Melt chocolate in the microwave for approximately 60-90 seconds. Melt in 30-second increments, stopping to stir and check to make sure you are only melting the chocolate to the point it is semi-melted. Remove from microwave and stir until chocolate melts completely in the warm mixture and is smooth. Add vanilla extract to the mixture and slowly add the powdered sugar, stirring until smooth and creamy. Pour frosting onto the top of the cooled brownies and spread over the peppermint buttercream, creating the top layer of the brownies. Put brownies back in the fridge until set.

10

Cut into desired sized squares and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Peppermint extract is different from mint extract. Most stores carry both, but use peppermint extract for this recipe!

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Three layers of rich goodness!

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After reading all the copycat recipes and the online reviews about the recipes, someone mentioned that the mint frosting that Starbucks used was more cream cheese than an all buttercream frosting, so I added cream cheese to my frosting too!  Yum!  So tell me…do you like chocolate and mint???  Tis the season for that combo 🙂

XOXO,

Kelly Lynn

PS— Check out the parties I have linked up with here: Friday Frenzy and Pretty Pintastic Party!!

 

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8 Comments

  • Reply
    James
    December 1, 2016 at 7:15 AM

    These are definitely a new favorite… The cream cheese filling is amazing and works perfectly with the brownies that on their own are crazy good. I literally had to hide them and ration them to the guys at work! And you know they are good when 9 year old Ethan tries them and makes a point to walk over with a mouth full to give the brownie two thumbs up! Keep up the good work babe!!!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      December 1, 2016 at 10:56 AM

      Thanks honey!!I know how much you like brownies, so the fact that you like these brownies that much means a lot! I think I can come up with a few more variations of this for you too 🙂 XOXO

  • Reply
    cakespy
    December 1, 2016 at 7:33 AM

    Good gravy, these are like peppermint heaven!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      December 1, 2016 at 10:57 AM

      Hehehe, I know right? Tis the season for all things peppermint 🙂 XOXO

  • Reply
    Blair Lonergan
    December 1, 2016 at 12:05 PM

    Oh my goodness these look so good! My neighbor used to always bring us brownies like this at Christmas when I was growing up, and they were definitely a highlight of the season. I was always amazed at the layers! In fact, I still am! They are a work of art. Your baking is impressive! 🙂

    • Reply
      Kelly
      December 1, 2016 at 4:33 PM

      Thanks Blair! I grew up on boxed brownies, so to have made-from scratch brownies like these (((and with 3 layers))) it is the ultimate brownie for me hehehehe. And thank you for your sweet words 🙂 XOXO

  • Reply
    BakingBeauty (@KrystleKouture)
    December 14, 2016 at 7:23 PM

    These look so yummy, every layer is calling my name!

    • Reply
      Kelly
      December 15, 2016 at 10:36 AM

      Thank you!! These were sooooo good….a little too good hehehe 🙂 XOXO

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