Tender bite-sized brownies are topped with mint-flavored chocolate candies to create Peppermint Brownie Bites, a festive dessert that will be right at home on any holiday cookie plate.
While you can find me in the kitchen baking just about any time of year, when Christmas is in sight, the baking energy really ramps up. We’ve stocked our pantry with holiday favorites - peppermint extract, chocolate in all its forms, plenty of sugar, and the sponsors of today’s post, Clabber Girl® Baking Powder and Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening.
Although I hate to choose favorites, these sweet bite-sized chocolate and peppermint treats are my favorites this holiday season (barely beating out these Peppermint Hot Cocoa Cookies). They borrow inspiration heavily from my Elf Pies and Chocolate Peppermint Blossoms. And because they use ingredients that I trust, and that both my mom and my grandma brought out every holiday season, they offer a good dose of Christmastime nostalgia too.
HOW TO MAKE PEPPERMINT BROWNIE BITES
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- Mix up the batter. A stand mixer or hand mixer are great for this, but you can even mix them up by hand with a little muscle.
- Roll into even balls.
- Place in mini muffin tin. Place the brownie dough into the spaces of a mini muffin tin.
- Bake until rounded and cooked through. Bake just until the tops are rounded and the centers are just set, about 10 minutes at 350°F / 177°C.
- Add peppermint candy kisses. Working quickly so the brownies are still warm, add peppermint candy kisses. They will melt into the brownies. You can go back after a few minutes and gently press down to smooth out the tops (or leave the tops pointy).
INGREDIENTS
- Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening - Crisco Baking Sticks are super easy to slice and measure. And the biggest perk - no need to wait for them to soften to room temperature. I keep these in the pantry for consistent, delicious results every time.
- Clabber Girl Baking Powder - My go-to brand turns out to be the go-to brand of most Americans too - Clabber Girl is the #1 brand of baking powder in the U.S. and has been around since 1850 (!). Baking powder helps to increase the volume of the brownies as they bake, resulting in a light, tender texture.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - Any type of unsweetened cocoa powder will do the trick. I often use dark cocoa powder for an even more rich chocolate flavor.
- Peppermint Extract - Use peppermint extract to add peppermint flavor to the brownie batter. A little goes a long way to give the dessert that classic chocolate-peppermint flavor.
- Egg, Sugar, All-Purpose Flour, Salt - Standard baking ingredients you’ll need to finish this recipe.
- Candy Cane Mint Flavored Candy Kisses - You can fill these bite-sized brownies with any chocolate or peppermint candy that you like. Be sure the candies are at room temperature and are unwrapped so that you can press them into the warm brownies as soon as you pull them from the oven.
MORE CHRISTMAS RECIPES
For even more recipes, tips, tricks, and hacks to help you discover your true kitchen potential this holiday season, visit BakingAtHome.com.
FAVORITE TOOLS
📖 Recipe
Peppermint Brownie Bites
Equipment
- Mini Muffin Tin
- Stand or Handheld Mixer
- Mixing Bowl
- 1 Tablespoon Measuring Spoon
Ingredients
- Baker’s Joy Non-Stick Baking Spray
- 24 Candy Cane Mint Flavored Candy Kisses, unwrapped
- ½ cup Crisco All-Vegetable Shortening
- 1 large Egg
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Peppermint Extract
- 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (1 cup = 125 grams)
- ⅓ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Clabber Girl Baking Powder
- 1 Pinch Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Before getting started, be sure that you have unwrapped the candy kisses so they are ready to add to the brownie bites right after baking.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the shortening, egg, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add peppermint extract and mix just until combined.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and kosher salt to the mixer all at once.
- Mix on low just until combined (do not overmix).
- Use a 1 Tablespoon measure to scoop out dough and roll it into even balls. Drop dough balls into prepared spaces of the mini muffin tin.
- Bake until the centers are rounded in the middle and the edges look firm (the centers should still be fairly soft), 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove the brownies from the oven and, working quickly, press a candy kiss inside each warm brownie.
- Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan. (The candy kisses will melt and then the brownie bites will continue to firm up in the pan and will be easy to remove.)
- Note: After the candy kisses have fully melted (5 to 10 minutes), go back and gently press down on the pointy caps to flatten them. This is optional, but will give the filling a smooth surface.
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature. Serve within 2 days.
Nutrition
*This post was sponsored and created in partnership with brands we know and trust. Thank you for your support.*
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