Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

December 16, 2021

Chocolate peppermint brownies are a seasonal staple, thanks to rich chocolate flavor, with a subtle hint of peppermint in every bite, with the perfect cross between fudgy and cakey brownies. You’ll never know these are lower in sugar than traditional brownies.

Nut Free, Soy Free

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by SunButter. Thanks for supporting the brands that make the Chelsey Amer Nutrition blog possible!

Is there a more classic holiday flavor than anything with peppermint?? Peppermint mocha, peppermint hot chocolate, peppermint white chocolate… the combinations are endless!

So you obviously have to try these Chocolate Peppermint Brownies that scream winter holiday season!

These Chocolate Peppermint Brownies are…

The perfect balance of chocolate and peppermint
Delicious
Made in 1 bowl…
…with less than 10 ingredients
Lower in sugar without sacrificing flavor
Nut free

And one of my favorite parts about this recipe is that it’s made in one bowl with a handful of ingredients you probably have in your house…

Ingredients to Make Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

You’ll only need 10 ingredients (including salt!) to make these delectable, fudgy brownies!

You’ll need…

Butter
Eggs
Chocolate SunButter
Sugar
Cocoa powder
White whole wheat flour
Baking soda
Salt
Chocolate chunks or chips
Peppermint candies

Butter is the main fat source in the recipe, but you can swap in oil to make this recipe dairy free. Personally, I’ve been loving butter in baked goods right now. Just hits differently!

Chocolate SunButter is another source of fat, but also some protein in this recipe. It helps the brownies get extra fudgy, which I think is 100% a requirement for brownies. It’s also low in sugar, but adds the first layer of chocolatey goodness!

Eggs also contribute a fudgy factor to this recipe. I have not tested a vegan substitute, so proceed at your own risk!

White granulated sugar is my sweetener of choice. The entire batch only contains ½ cup, so this recipe is much lower in sugar than traditional brownies.

Unsweetened cocoa powder adds the second layer of chocolatey goodness. Be sure to use unsweetened.

White whole wheat flour adds whole grains to this dessert recipe (making them a smidge more nutritious), but doesn’t sacrifice the texture at all. You could swap in all-purpose flour if you’d like. I have not tested grain free swaps, but if you’re looking for a grain free brownie recipe, you may like this one.

Baking soda is the leavener of choice. You just need a bit because brownies should be more dense than cakes or cookies.

Salt brings out the sweetness of chocolate, so don’t skimp on it. I even like to sprinkle a little extra salt on top!

Chocolate chunks just hit differently in brownies. Of course you can use chocolate chips, but the chunks add more chocolatey goodness!

Peppermint candies (like crushed up candy canes) add tons of peppermint flavor to the batter and on top. I love the little crunch it adds! To increase the peppermint flavor even more you can add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract, if you’d like.

How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

Some brownie recipes require melting chocolate and a double boiler, multiple bowls and steps… and this is NOT one of those recipes!!

First, you’ll combine your “dry” ingredients: cocoa powder, white whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt. Although this dirties another bowl, we do this so that we can add the flour mixture slowly to our wet ingredients when the time comes.

Second, we’ll mix together the “wet” ingredients: melted butter and eggs, then Chocolate SunButter and granulated sugar. Be sure to keep mixing until the batter is silky smooth. I used a sturdy silicone spoon, like this one.

When you achieve that silky smooth consistency, slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and crushed peppermint candy.

Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined baking dish. Sprinkle additional chocolate chunks and peppermint candies on top.

Last, bake your brownies! You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set. Even if the center doesn’t look fully cooked, the brownies are done. They’ll continue to cook while they cool out of the oven. If you were to continue baking, they’d get overcooked and cakey… not the fudgy brownies we’re going after!