Peppermint Brownie Bites (12 cents each)

Enjoy a super easy dessert with these Peppermint Brownie Bites. Lots of crunchy edges and a gooey center with just the right amount of mint, these Brownie Bites are perfect to tuck into lunch boxes or include in cookie trays.

A perfect Christmas Cookie to Make Ahead & Freeze, these Peppermint Brownie Bites are small and mighty, packing loads of flavor into a compact package. They are delicious served with a cup of Hot Cocoa for a fun winter dessert. Be sure to include the leftovers in Triple Chocolate Sundaes!

this …

Jump to:

• Why Make This Recipe
• Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• FAQs & Recipe Costs
• Tell us what you think!
• Peppermint Brownie Bites

One of the attractions of baking different Christmas Cookies is that you don’t have to lock yourself into one particular flavor. You can vary the tastes and textures, so that you never get bored.

As if one could grow bored of cookies…. but still.

Think about it. What flavors we got at Christmas? Gingerbread, chocolate, caramel, but yeah, peppermint kinda rises to the top, doesn’t it, when you think of Christmas flavors?

Candy Canes are one of the four food groups, right?

These Peppermint Brownie Bites just might be the easiest thing you whip up for your holiday cookie plate.

Why Make This Recipe

The mint is on point in these peppermint brownie bites. Not only are they crazy easy to mix up in just minutes, but as my 10-year old connoisseur also pointed out, “they get lots of crunchy on the outside but nice and gooey in the center.” My husband recently went out of his way to comment how good they were, “with the perfect amount of mint.”

They are bite-sized. Besides being crunchy and gooey and chocolatey and minty, these Peppermint Brownie Bites are just that — a bite! Well, maybe two.

Peppermint Brownie Bites are a low-mess dessert. Since you bake and serve the brownie bites in mini muffin papers, there’s no messing with cutting up pieces and no washing a dirty pan.

These Peppermint Brownie Bites are super simple to make. These treats mix up in a flash, especially if you have a homemade baking mix waiting for you. I make my own mixes because it’s cheaper and easier that way.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to bake a batch of Peppermint Brownie Bites:

sugar – For best results in your brownie bites, I recommend using granulated sugar. Other sweeteners can be used, but the texture will vary.

flour – I use unbleached all-purpose flour in this recipe, however you can also use regular all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour if you prefer.

unsweetened cocoa powder – This is also sometimes labeled baking cocoa. It’s what adds the delicious chocolate flavor to your brownie bites. Don’t confuse it with hot cocoa or hot chocolate mix; this is not the same thing.

baking powder and salt – Both of these leavening agents add texture to your brownie bites. Don’t omit them. If you need to, you can make a baking powder substitute.

neutral oil – Neutral oil is one that doesn’t impart much flavor. You can use canola, sunflower avocado, or vegetable oil. For a richer brownie bite, use melted butter.

eggs – You’ll need two eggs for these Peppermint Brownie Bites. If you’d like to bake without eggs, you can use aquafaba as an egg replacement in this recipe. Use 3 tablespoons for each egg called for in the recipe.

vanilla extract – Believe it or not, vanilla really helps balance the flavors in chocolate baked goods. You can use commercial vanilla, but to save money, make your own vanilla extract.

peppermint extract – Mint can be tricky, people. That there is potent stuff. Too much and your baked goods taste like toothpaste. Use a light hand! There’s only ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract in these Peppermint Brownie Bites. Use the leftover extract in Chocolate Mint Bars.

Andes baking chips – While you can use any peppermint baking chips you find, the Andes variety of chips are fun and colorful. Get the Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips if they fit the budget.

Variations

If mint isn’t your favorite flavor, try one of these combinations in your brownie bites instead of the peppermint extract and Andes baking chips:

• coffee extract and chocolate chips
• rum extract and butterscotch chips
• almond extract and chopped almonds
• coconut extract and shredded coconut

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here’s how to bake up a batch of Brownie Bites:

Prep step – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with liners.

• 

• 

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt.

• 

• 

2. Place the oil, eggs, and vanilla and mint extracts in another large mixing bowl and stir to blend.

• 

• 

3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir gently to combine. Fold in ½ cup of the baking chips. 

• 

• 

• 

4. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup chips over the top of the batter.

5. Bake until a tester comes out with few crumbs attached, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. Brownie bites can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

Freezing Instructions

Freezing brownies is a great way to stretch your baking investment. You can bake a few batches at once, maximizing on your ingredients investment and enjoy brownies for weeks and months to come.

Frozen foods are good indefinitely as long as the temperature remains below zero, however, long storage can effect taste and texture. It’s best to eat up brownie bites within 6 to 8 weeks if stored in a refrigerator freezer, up to 6 months in a deep freeze.

You don’t really need to defrost frozen brownie bites. They are great cold and thaw quickly! Let them sit on the counter at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes and enjoy.

Fun gift idea! Fill a gift bag with a couple bags of Cocoa Brownie Mix, a bag of Andes Peppermint Crunch baking chips, and a package of mini muffin papers. Don’t forget to mark on the bag what ingredients to add as well as baking instructions on the bag of mix.

FAQs & Recipe Costs

Recipe Costs

Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.

• sugar – $0.22
• flour – $0.15
• unsweetened cocoa powder – $0.85
• baking powder – $0.03
• salt – $0.02
• neutral oil – $0.08
• eggs – $0.30
• vanilla extract – $0.31
• peppermint extract – $0.03
• Andes baking chips – $0.93

While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $2.92 for a big batch of Brownie Bites, about 12 cents/each.

Save even more:

Here are some of the strategies you can use to make Peppermint Brownie Bites more economical:

• Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. When I find regular kitchen staples on sale, I buy a lot. I’m currently using a price book to track prices and that’s saving me money. For this recipe, keeping an eye on the price of flour and butter can help keep the price down.
• Buying in bulk – It’s rare that I would buy just one bag of flour. Instead I stock up when I see a sale. I also have gotten into the habit of buying cases of flour from Bob’s Red Mill.  I practice the same bulk buying for spices and other baking ingredients.
• Make several mixes at once – Bulk baking or bulk mix making can be a great way to take advantage of bulk pricing as well as save time.

This post was originally published December 11, 2018. It has been updated for content and clarity.