Christmas Brownie Trees Recipe

This Christmas Brownie Trees Recipe is a fudgy and festive recipe, which is made with rich cocoa powder and peppermint candy canes. It’s the perfect holiday treat for kids and parties, ready in about 2 hours (including cooling time).

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Christmas Brownie Trees Recipe Ingredients

Brownies:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

American Buttercream Frosting:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• Pinch of fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 to 1/2 tablespoon whole milk
• 24 drops green food coloring
• 1 drop red food coloring

Decorations:

• Sixteen 1 1/2-inch pieces candy cane (straight sections)
• White and gold sanding sugar
• Small non-pareil candy-covered chocolates (Sno-Caps or M&Ms)

How To Make Christmas Brownie Trees Recipe

1. Prep the pans: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans. Cut two 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and line the bottoms of the cake pans.
2. Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and eggs until well combined.
3. Add dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
4. Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The brownies are done when a crust forms around the edges, they pull away slightly from the sides, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. Cool and cut: Let the brownies cool completely in the pans on wire racks for about 1 hour. Once cool, remove them from the pans. Using a sharp knife, cut each circle into 8 equal triangles (like slicing a pizza). You will have 16 triangles total.
6. Make the frosting: In a stand mixer or bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the confectioners’ sugar, butter, and salt on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla and increase speed to medium-high, mixing until smooth. Add milk as needed to reach a piping consistency. Add 24 drops of green food coloring and 1 drop of red food coloring (this deepens the green to a “forest” shade) and mix for 1 minute.
7. Assemble the trees: Using the tip of a paring knife, poke a small hole along the bottom curved edge of each brownie triangle. Insert a candy cane piece into the hole to create the tree trunk.
8. Decorate: Fill a piping bag with the green frosting and snip off the tip (about 1/4 inch opening). Pipe the frosting in a zig-zag motion starting from the wide base and moving to the tip of the tree. Sprinkle immediately with sanding sugar and candies to decorate.

Recipe Tips

• The Flour Measurement: As noted, do not scoop the flour directly with the measuring cup. Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off. Scooping packs the flour, which will make the brownies dry and cakey rather than fudgy.
• Cooling is Critical: You must let the brownies cool fully before cutting and frosting. If they are warm, they will crumble when cut, and the buttercream will melt and slide right off.
• Candy Canes: Use a serrated knife to gently “saw” the candy canes into pieces to prevent them from shattering.
• Coloring: The drop of red food coloring neutralizes the neon brightness of standard green dye, resulting in a more realistic pine tree color.

What To Serve With Christmas Brownie Trees

These adorable treats look great on a holiday platter.

• Hot Chocolate: With extra marshmallows.
• Cold Milk: To balance the rich chocolate.
• Peppermint Ice Cream: Matches the candy cane trunk.
• Eggnog: A festive classic.

How To Store Christmas Brownie Trees Recipe

• Room Temperature: Store the decorated trees in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: You can freeze the undecorated brownie wedges for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before adding the candy cane and frosting. Freezing decorated trees is risky as the candy cane may become sticky and the colors may bleed.

Christmas Brownie Trees Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 320
• Total Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 65mg
• Sodium: 200mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 42g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 30g
• Protein: 4g

Nutrition information is estimated per brownie tree.

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