Peppermint Brownies

I asked Tom to spend Christmas Eve with me. I said, "The kids will be with Scott. I'll be alone. Would you like to come over?" He said, "I'd love to." He didn't hesitate. He didn't ask what we'd do. He just said yes, the way Tom says yes to everything — simply, completely, without conditions or qualifications. I have not dated a man who says yes like this. Scott said yes with asterisks. Tom says yes with a period.

The Christmas tree is up. Mason decorated the bottom third (annual tradition, precision-engineered ornament placement). Lily added three ornaments (annual tradition, random placement, immediate loss of interest). I did the rest. The angel on top. The lights. The star that doesn't quite work because one bulb is out and I'm too short to reach it without the step stool and I haven't gotten the step stool yet because I've been cooking and dating and living and the star with one burnt bulb is fine. It's our star. Imperfect stars still shine.

Christmas baking: underway. Sugar cookies (the standards). Gingerbread. Fudge (Jen's recipe, year two). Cinnamon rolls for the freezer. And this year, something new: a yule log. A bûche de Noël, chocolate sponge cake rolled with whipped cream, frosted to look like a log. I've never made one. It's ambitious. It might fail. But cooking something that scares me was on my 2019 list, and a yule log at Christmas is exactly the kind of beautiful, terrifying challenge that I am finally, at thirty-six, ready to attempt.

I made the yule log practice run. The cake cracked when I rolled it (expected; the internet warned me). The frosting was uneven (expected; my piping skills are "enthusiastic beginner"). The mushrooms made of meringue were lopsided (unexpected; I thought I was better at mushrooms). But the log looked like a log, which is the whole point, and the taste was dark chocolate and whipped cream and triumph, and the crack in the cake is just character, and character is what this kitchen has the most of.

The yule log was the ambition — the thing that scared me, the thing on the list. But every Christmas baking marathon needs an anchor, something reliable and deeply chocolatey to remind you that the kitchen is still yours even when the sponge cake cracks and the meringue mushrooms list sideways. These Peppermint Brownies are that recipe for me: dark, rich, unambiguous chocolate with a cool peppermint finish that tastes exactly like Christmas is supposed to taste. Tom said yes with a period. These brownies are also a period — no asterisks, no conditions, just chocolate and triumph on a sheet pan.

Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 24

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes, divided
For the frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
2–3 drops red food coloring (optional)

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13x9-in. baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
Make the batter. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Remove from heat and stir in sugar until combined. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each. Mix in vanilla and peppermint extracts.
Add dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually fold the dry mixture into the butter mixture until just combined — do not overmix.
Add peppermint and bake. Fold in 1/4 cup of the crushed peppermint candies. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in the pan.
Make the frosting. Beat powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and peppermint extract with a hand mixer until smooth and spreadable. Add red food coloring if desired for a festive pink tint.
Frost and finish. Spread frosting evenly over the cooled brownies. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup crushed peppermint over the top. Let frosting set for 15 minutes before cutting into bars.

Nutrition (per serving)

Peppermint Brownies — Dark Chocolate Courage for a Christmas That Scares You (in the Best Way)