This peppermint brownies recipe turns a classic bar into a decadent holiday dessert that’s perfect for Christmas parties.

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I originally wrote this post for Valentine’s Day 2014 (to use up candy canes we didn’t eat in December). I updated it in December 2024.
The first time I made this, I just added my own icing to a box mix. If you have the ingredients, mixing up a batch of brownies from scratch isn’t much more work than the box. This simple cake brownie is the perfect base for the sugary icing.
The peppermint comes from candy canes mixed into the icing. The peppermint is strong enough on its own, there’s no need to add peppermint extract too.
How to make peppermint brownies
Ingredients
- 0.75 cup butter (1.5 sticks)
- 1.25 cups sugar
- 0.5 cup cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.25 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup milk
- for the icing:
- 2 candy canes
- 0.5 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
1. Prep the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 13×9 inch baking pan.
2. Combine wet ingredients.
Put the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and heat it just until melted (about 90 seconds). Stir in the sugar and cocoa powder; stir to combine.


Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Stir just until everything is mixed.


3. Add dry ingredients and milk.
Measure and mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small container. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the wet mixture. Stir with each addition; the batter should be smooth and even.


4. Bake the brownies.
Pour the brownie batter into the greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.


The brownies are done with a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the aside to cool about 30 minutes.

5. Make the icing.
While the brownies are cooling, make the icing.
Unwrap and remove plastic from the candy canes. In a food processor, pulse the candy canes until they are small. Pieces should be no bigger than an average chocolate chip, but don’t blend it to only dust.
If you’re curious, I used my Cuisinart Smart Stick immersion blender. I have a full-sized food processor, but this works better for small batch blending.


Add the powdered sugar to the candy canes and pulse a few times. Add the milk and pulse again. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon. If your texture is too runny, add a pinch more sugar to make it thicker. If it’s too thick, add a splash more milk to make it thinner.


6. Ice the brownies.
Pour the icing over the brownies and tilt the pan so that it spreads across the entire surface. It will look thin, but that’s good. The icing should be fairly even, but probably won’t be perfectly flat.
Let the brownies completely cool and the icing set. This should take an hour or two, depending on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen.

Serving and storage
Slice the brownies into squares to serve. Cover leftovers and store them at room temperature for a few days.

Printable recipe
Peppermint Cake Brownies

Ingredients
- 0.75 cup butter (1.5 sticks)
- 1.25 cups sugar
- 0.5 cup cocoa powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.25 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup milk
For the icing
- 2 candy canes
- 0.5 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Prep the pan.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan. - Combine wet ingredients.
Put the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and heat it just until melted (about 90 seconds). Stir in the sugar and cocoa powder; stir to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Stir just until everything is mixed. - Add dry ingredients and milk.
Measure and mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a small container. Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the wet mixture. Stir with each addition; the batter should be smooth and even. - Bake the brownies.
Pour the brownie batter into the greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. The brownies are done with a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set the aside to cool about 30 minutes. - Make the icing.
While the brownies are cooling, make the icing. Unwrap and remove plastic from the candy canes. In a food processor, pulse the candy canes until they are small. Pieces should be no bigger than an average chocolate chip, but don't blend it to only dust.Add the powdered sugar to the candy canes and pulse a few times. Add the milk and pulse again. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon. If your texture is too runny, add a pinch more sugar to make it thicker. If it's too thick, add a splash more milk to make it thinner. - Ice the brownies.
Pour the icing over the brownies and tilt the pan so that it spreads across the entire surface. It will look thin, but that's good. The icing should be fairly even, but probably won't be perfectly flat.Let the brownies completely cool and the icing set. This should take an hour or two, depending on the temperature and humidity in your kitchen.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 229Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 137mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 3g
Nutritional information is only an estimate from online calculators. For more precise information, enter the specific ingredients you are using into your preferred tool.

What’s next? Try these other fun and creative ideas on One Mama’s Daily Drama:
Wow, sounds so good, makes me want to find some candy canes and make some!