Peppermint Mocha Brownies

Thick and fudgy mocha brownies with shiny paper thin tops, a hint of peppermint flavor, and a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candies.

‘Tis the season for all things peppermint and I’m not done yet. I’ve already shared my Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake and my Triple Chocolate Peppermint Macarons, and now it’s time for these Peppermint Mocha Brownies. I guess my love of dark chocolate over white chocolate is abundantly clear at this point. Who’s with me?

These brownies are super easy to make – no stand mixer required. It all comes together in one big bowl, minus the one you’ll melt the chocolate and butter in but, eh details. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Peppermint Mocha Brownies

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 9X9 baking pan with parchment paper. Leave an overhang of parchment so that the brownies can be easily removed from the pan for slicing once they cool.

In a double boiler, or a glass bowl over a saucepan filled with a couple inches of water, melt the butter and chocolate until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, egg whites, and sugar. Whisk for 3-5 minutes, until the mixture has lightened in color to a pale yellow. It’s very important to whisk for a long time, because it whips air into the batter, which does two things in this recipe.

1. It acts as the leavening in these Peppermint Mocha Brownies, since we aren’t using any baking powder or baking soda and is what will help the brownies rise.
2. The air that is whipped into the batter is what creates those shiny, paper-thin tops on the brownies.

Once the eggs and sugar has been whisked for 3-5 minutes, whisk in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Then, while continuing to whisk, pour in the slightly cooled butter/chocolate mixture. Whisk until combined.

Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt using a rubber spatula. Fold just until combined, then pour into the prepared pan and spread into and even layer using an offset spatula. Sprinkle on the crushed peppermint candies and bake at 350 for 25-27 minutes.

The brownies may look slightly under baked in the center, but will continue to set as they sit in the hot pan on the counter. Let brownies cool completely, then remove from pan using the parchment overhang. Slice into 16 brownie squares, and serve. These Peppermint Mocha Brownies are amazing all on their own, but if you want to take them up a notch, serve them with a scoop of peppermint ice cream an a drizzle of hot fudge.

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