The Peppermint Brownie Bites That Will Dominate the Bake Sale
‘Tis the season for twinkle lights, festive cheer, and the time-honored tradition of the holiday bake sale. It’s a beautiful display of community spirit… and a ruthless, unspoken competition to see whose treat sells out first. If you’re tired of your humble chocolate chip cookies being upstaged by Susan’s fancy macarons, then you need a secret weapon. If you’re looking for game-changing holiday bake sale recipes, you have come to the right place.
Meet your ticket to bake sale glory: these Fudgy Peppermint Brownie Bites. We’re talking rich, decadent, intensely chocolatey brownies with a cool peppermint kick, a glossy chocolate drizzle, and a festive crunch of candy cane. They are easy to make in big batches, a dream to package, and so ridiculously delicious, they’ll be gone before you can even finish setting up your table.
Why This Recipe is Your Bake Sale MVP
First and foremost, these brownies are insanely fudgy, not cakey. This is a non-negotiable quality for a superior brownie, and this recipe delivers. The addition of peppermint gives them a festive twist that makes them stand out from the crowd. They are the perfect combination of rich chocolate and cool, bright mint.
Second, they are built for bake sale success. You make them in one pan, which means they’re easy to scale up. You cut them into small “bites,” which means you get a higher yield per pan and can offer them at an appealing price point. Plus, they’re sturdy, easy to stack, and look absolutely stunning in a little cellophane bag tied with a ribbon. They practically sell themselves.
The Simple, Fudgy Ingredient Lineup
This recipe uses simple pantry staples to create a truly decadent brownie.
- ½ cup (113g) Unsalted Butter:
- 1 cup (200g) Granulated Sugar:
- 2 Large Eggs:
- 1 tsp Peppermint Extract:
- ½ cup (50g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: The better the quality, the richer the flavor.
- ½ cup (60g) All-Purpose Flour:
- ¼ tsp Baking Powder: Just a tiny bit for a little lift, without making them cakey.
- ¼ tsp Salt:
- For the Topping:
- ½ cup (about 90g) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips:
- ½ cup Crushed Candy Canes or Peppermint Candies:
Tools & Kitchen Gadgets Used
This is a delightfully low-maintenance recipe that comes together in one main bowl.
- 8×8 inch or 9×9 inch Square Baking Pan:
- Parchment Paper: This is the secret to getting the brownies out of the pan cleanly.
- Large Microwave-Safe Bowl or a Medium Saucepan: For melting the butter.
- Whisk & Spatula:
- Small Bowl: For the chocolate drizzle.
- Rolling Pin or Meat Mallet: For enthusiastically crushing your candy canes.
Step-by-Step Guide to Brownie Perfection
Ready to create the most sought-after item at the bake sale? Let’s do this.
H3: The One-Bowl Brownie Magic
- Preheat & Prep Your Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Create a parchment paper sling for your baking pan: cut a piece of parchment that fits the bottom of the pan but has two long sides that hang over the edges. Grease the pan, place the parchment in, then grease the parchment. This will allow you to lift the entire slab of brownies out later.
- Melt and Mix: In your large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Whisk in the granulated sugar until well combined. The mixture will look a bit grainy, and that’s okay.
- Add the Eggs & Flavor: Vigorously whisk in the 2 large eggs and the peppermint extract until the mixture is glossy and smooth.
- Fold in the Dry: Add the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Use a spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Do not overmix! A few streaks of flour are fine.
H3: The Bake, Cool, and Decorate
- Bake: Pour the thick, glossy batter into your prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The secret to a fudgy brownie is to underbake it slightly. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs attached, not clean.
- Cool Completely (Seriously!): This is the hardest, yet most important part. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. We’re talking at least 2 hours, or until they are no longer warm at all.
- Decorate: Once the brownies are cool, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in short bursts. Use a spoon or a piping bag to drizzle the melted chocolate all over the top of the brownies.
- Sprinkle Immediately: While the chocolate drizzle is still wet, sprinkle the crushed candy canes evenly over the top.
- Set and Slice: Let the brownies sit until the chocolate has completely set (you can pop them in the fridge to speed this up). Once set, use the parchment sling to lift the entire slab out of the pan. Cut them into small, 2-inch squares to create your “bites.”
Calories & Nutritional Info
Here’s a rough estimate per brownie bite, assuming you cut a 9×9 pan into 16 bites.
- Calories: Approximately 150 kcal
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Sugar: 14g
- Protein: 2g
(Disclaimer: These are bake sale brownies. Their primary purpose is to raise money and spread joy, not to be a health food.)
Common Mistakes to Avoid (For Brownie Dominance)
Don’t let these simple errors ruin your bake sale dreams.
- Overbaking the Brownies: This is the cardinal sin of brownie making and the number one cause of a dry, cakey texture. You want a fudgy, gooey center. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not clean. When in doubt, pull them out a minute early.
- Cutting Them While Warm: I know the temptation is unbearable, but if you try to cut warm brownies, you will have a messy, crumbly disaster. They need to be completely cool to achieve clean, sharp slices.
- Forgetting the Parchment Sling: Trying to dig the first brownie out of a pan is a recipe for a mangled mess. The parchment sling allows you to lift the whole block out at once for easy, perfect cutting.
- Adding the Candy Canes to Hot Chocolate: If your melted chocolate is scorching hot, it can melt the candy cane pieces into sticky puddles. Let the chocolate cool for a minute before drizzling.
Variations & Customizations
This is a fantastic base recipe. Here are a few ways to switch things up.
- Peppermint Crunch Brownies: For extra texture, fold ½ cup of chopped Andes mints or chocolate mint chunks directly into the brownie batter before baking.
- White Chocolate Peppermint Blondies: For a beautiful contrast, make a blondie base instead (use all brown sugar and omit the cocoa powder). Drizzle with melted white chocolate and top with the crushed candy canes.
- Gluten-Free Peppermint Brownies: Swap the all-purpose flour for an equal amount of a high-quality, cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum.
FAQ: Your Holiday Bake Sale Questions, Answered
Let’s clear up some common questions to ensure your bake sale is a sweet success.
1. How do I get that shiny, crackly top on my brownies?
The secret to that “paper skin” top is dissolving the sugar well and vigorously whisking the eggs. Making sure your butter and sugar are warm when you whisk in the eggs helps create that signature crackly crust.
2. How should I package these for a bake sale?
Small cellophane bags are perfect! You can place two or three brownie bites in a bag and tie it with a festive ribbon. You can also place them in festive paper cupcake liners on a platter for easy grabbing.
3. Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes! Brownies are a great make-ahead bake. You can bake them, uncut and undecorated, up to 2 days in advance. Just store them, covered, at room temperature. Drizzle and cut them the day of the sale for the freshest look.
4. Can I freeze these brownies?
They freeze beautifully! Let them cool completely, but don’t drizzle or cut them. Wrap the entire slab tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before decorating and slicing.
5. How do I easily crush candy canes?
The no-mess method: Place unwrapped candy canes in a sturdy Ziploc bag, wrap the bag in a kitchen towel (to muffle the noise and prevent the bag from splitting), and whack them with a rolling pin, meat mallet, or the bottom of a heavy pan.
6. Can I use a different size pan?
You can, but you’ll need to adjust the baking time. For a 9×13 inch pan, you should double the recipe and bake for 30-35 minutes.
7. My chocolate seized up when I melted it! What happened?
This happens when even a tiny drop of water gets into your melting chocolate. Make sure your bowl and utensils are completely dry. If it happens, you can sometimes save it by stirring in a teaspoon of boiling water or neutral oil, but it won’t be quite the same.
Final Thoughts
You are now in possession of a recipe that is a certified bake sale champion. These Fudgy Peppermint Brownie Bites are easy, festive, and dangerously delicious. Be prepared for a sell-out success and for people to hunt you down, begging for the recipe. Go forth and dominate the dessert table!
