Peppermint Brownies

Peppermint brownies combine fudgy chocolate brownies with crushed candy canes and peppermint chips for a festive winter treat!

Our family LOVES chocolate (in case you couldn’t tell from the plethora of chocolate recipes on the blog). So naturally, brownies are a family favorite to bake. During Christmas time, it’s fun to make our brownies a little more festive by adding some peppermint.

Flavored with peppermint oil and topped with crushed candy canes, these brownies have just the right amount of mint to balance out the sweetness of the chocolate. Because they’re so easy to bake, these brownies are a great option for when you need to bring a dessert to a holiday party. Of course, you can enjoy them by themselves, but for an extra special treat, try serving your brownies with whipped cream or ice cream. 🙂

Why you’ll love this recipe:

• So many reasons, but first of all, these brownies use 3 kinds of chocolate to make them so yummy! Unsweetened baking chocolate, chocolate chips, and white chocolate peppermint chips all pair together so well for a delicious brownie.
• Your kitchen will smell AMAZING while these bake. I can’t think of many treats like these that will make your home smell like peppermint and chocolate while they’re in the oven, but it’s such a nice, Christmasy scent. 🙂
• You can easily make these brownies dairy-free if you need. Just make sure that the chocolate you use is dairy-free, and you’ll be good to go.
• This recipe is a great way to use up any sourdough discard you have on hand. Because baking soda is used to make the brownies rise, you don’t need to use active starter.

Tips for making Peppermint Brownies

• Peppermint extract is different from peppermint oil, which is more highly concentrated. If you opt to use peppermint extract, increase the amount to 2 tsps so you still taste the peppermint in the brownies.
• Don’t have a microwave? You can melt the chocolate using a double-boiler method. Fill a small pan with water and heat it over medium heat. Place a bowl with the chocolate squares and coconut oil over the pan, and stir it occasionally until the chocolate melts.
• Brownies are really easy to over-bake, so check them with a toothpick a few minutes before the timer goes off. If the toothpick comes out clean, take them out even if they haven’t been in the oven the full 20 minutes.
• These brownies will stay fresh for 3 days at room temperature. Cover them with plastic wrap or store them in an air-tight container.

Tools you will need

To make these brownies, you’ll need a mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a spatula, a glass bowl, and an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.

Ingredients you will need

• 1/2 cup sourdough starter – This can be active or discard starter.
• 1/2 cup flour – All-purpose flour is best here.
• 1/2 cup sugar – I just used cane sugar, but you can also use coconut sugar if you prefer.
• 1/4 cup coconut oil – This will keep your brownies nice and fudgy!
• 2 eggs – If you can think ahead, leave the eggs out for a few hours to come to room temperature before you make the brownies.
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips – Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work best.
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate – Baking squares are best for this, but you can use unsweetened chocolate chips if you prefer.
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp peppermint oil – Note that this is different than peppermint extract. Peppermint oil is much more concentrated, so if you want to use extract instead, increase the amount to 2 tsps.
• 1/2 tsp baking soda – This will make the brownies rise, so you don’t have to use active sourdough starter.
• 1/4 tsp salt – Kosher salt works well here.
• 1/4 cup peppermint chips – Trader Joe’s has delicious peppermint baking chips. 🙂
• 2 tbsp crushed candy canes – This is about 2 crushed candy canes.

How to make Peppermint Brownies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use the convection setting if you have it.

Place the unsweetened chocolate and coconut oil in a glass bowl. Microwave the chocolate and coconut oil in 15-second increments, stirring in between, until the chocolate is meltedIn a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, peppermint oil, vanilla, and sourdough discard.

Add in the melted chocolate, and stir to combine.

Next, stir in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir until just combined, but be sure not to overmix!

Fold in the chocolate chips. Grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with baking spray. Pour in the brownie batter and smooth with the spatula.

Bake the brownies for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

When the brownies come out of the oven, place the peppermint chips in a glass bowl. Microwave them in 15-second increments to melt them.

Drizzle the melted peppermint chips over the brownies, and then sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the top of the brownies.

Looking for more chocolatey recipes?

If so, make sure to head over to the Kitchen Counter for lots of yummy, chocolatey desserts. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Sourdough Brownies
• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Sourdough Chocolate Babka Bread
• Sourdough Chocolate Bread
• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Muffins

Can you tell we love chocolate here? 🙂