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This Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies recipe is made with fudgy brownies topped with mint frosting and a thin layer of chocolate ganache. A delicious dessert for St. Patrick’s Day or a sweet treat for the holidays!
Table of Contents
These chocolate mint brownies– also know as grasshopper brownies — are truly amazing. They’re fudgy, loaded with semi sweet chocolate chips and bursting with peppermint flavor.
And even though this decadent dessert has three layers, it’s still basically an easy homemade brownies recipe.
I found this mint chocolate brownies recipe in my grandma’s recipe collection, and it sounded so delicious that I had to try it. I used my basic one bowl chocolate brownies recipe as the base, and then my daughter and I modified the rest of the recipe until we were completely satisfied with the results.
As much as we love our Peppermint Brownies and One-Bowl S’mores Brownies, we may just like these mint brownies even better — maybe. So, if you’re looking for the world’s best brownies, you have to give these minty fudgy brownies a try.
Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients for this mint brownie recipe. They’re made with pantry staples you can get online or in the baking aisle of a grocery store:
- Butter
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar
- All purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Powdered sugar
- Heavy cream
- Peppermint extract
- Vanilla
- Green food coloring
How to Make Mint Chocolate Brownies from Scratch
I used a basic one-bowl brownie recipe without cocoa powder for the base. You can make them on the stove in one pot or in the microwave. Then, you pour the brownie batter into a parchment-paper lined baking pan.
I always use a 9 x 13-inch pan to make brownies. This gives you brownies that are just the right thickness, with a shorter baking time compared with a smaller square baking pan.
I also highly recommend using parchment paper to line the pan — especially for this recipe, since you’re frosting them and cutting them into bars before serving.
Though, if you are using a glass baking dish, you can get away with just some nonstick cooking spray.
Cooking Time
Bake these brownies at 350 degrees f for 20 minutes or until done. How do you know when brownies are done? The edges will start to pull away from the pan, and the middle will be mostly firm.
A toothpick inserted into the center will be mostly clean, but you may see some chocolate from the semi sweet morsels. Just don’t over bake!
After the brownies cool, you make the peppermint frosting layer by beating the ingredients together with a hand mixer in a medium.
After mixing the ingredients together, gently fold the frosting with a spatula or wooden spoon to get rid of any air bubbles and ensure a smooth texture.
Then, you spread it over the chocolate brownies. Let this layer firm up enough to add the chocolate ganache. You can pop them into the fridge to speed up the process!
The chocolate ganache is made without heavy cream — It’s just butter and chocolate.
Mix the ingredients together in a small pot, and pour it over the peppermint layer. You can also do this in the microwave.
Just melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, until smooth.
Pour the chocolate mixture over the chilled brownies.
Use a spatula, or an offset spatula, to spread the ganache evenly over the brownies. Then sprinkle some chocolate mint chip pieces over the chocolate.
It’s not completely necessary, but it just gives these fudgy chewy brownies an extra layer of deliciousness.
Pop the mint chocolate chip brownies into the fridge for about 30 minutes, then slice the cooled brownies up into small pieces, and they’re ready to eat!
You can definitely make these fudgy chocolate brownies anytime you want. They are perfect for St. Patrick’s Day dessert!
But because they’re so minty and festive looking, they are also a great choice for holiday baking and cookie exchanges!
Variations
There are a couple great ways to customize these classic mint chocolate brownies!
If you don’t want to make them from scratch, use a brownie box mix to make these gooey brownies.
Instead of decadent Andes mints, put some mint chips or mini chocolate chips on top of the brownies. Or, leave the top chocolate layer by itself.
For an extra minty flavor, use mint chocolate chips in the brownie batter instead of semisweet chocolate chips.
How to Store
Store your fudgy mint chocolate chip brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
You can leave the brownies out at room temperature if your kitchen is cooler, but in a warmer climate, they might get melty if left out.
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Mint Chocolate Chip Brownies
Ingredients
For the chocolate brownies
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips divided
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the peppermint frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tbsp butter, softened
- 6 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp peppermint extract
- ¼ tsp vanilla
- 3 drops green gel food coloring
for the chocolate ganache
- 5 tbsp butter
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
For the brownies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a large microwaveable mixing bowl, combine butter and 1 cup of chocolate chips, and melt in short increments in microwave. Allow to cool slightly. Or, heat butter and chocolate chips in a saucepan on the stove over low heat
- Stir in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg is added
- Add the sugar, flour, baking soda and cinnamon, and stir until combined
- Stir in second cup of chocolate chips
- Pour mixture into parchment-paper lined or greased 9X13 baking pan, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges are firm and pulling away from the sides of the pan and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (there may be chocolate from the chocolate chips)
- Remove from oven, and allow to cool
For the peppermint frosting
- Beat softened butter and powdered sugar together with a mixer
- Add heavy cream, peppermint extract and vanilla and beat well. Stir in the food coloring
- Cover the brownies with the frosting and let them cool in the fridge until the frosting is set.
For the chocolate ganache
- Melt the butter and chocolate together in a small pot
- Poor the chocolate over the brownies. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate until the brownies are evenly covered
- Sprinkle mint chips over the brownies and put them in the fridge to cool
- Before the chocolate hardens, cut the brownies. I let mine sit in the fridge for 30 minutes, but some fridges work faster.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe published in 2018 and updated in 2022.
I hope you enjoy these awesome fudgy mint chocolate brownies as much as we do! Rich chocolate and cool mint always give great results!
For more St. Patrick’s Day desserts, delicious treats, and goodies that will only take you a little time, be sure to subscribe to the newsletter and follow me on social media!
If you liked these brownies as much as we do, please leave a star rating and comment!
Kids choice for the weekend dessert! Had to try them and they are great!
I am sitting over here DROOLING over these brownies! What a delightful combination of flavors… and that peppermint buttercream looks like something else!
Thank you so much for participating in this year’s exchange and joining us in sharing some cookies and spreading the love!
Thanks so much for putting it together, Erin! ๐
Your Brownies look amazing! Hope you are having a good week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Amazing holiday treat! This will be a sure hit!
I am going to make these for my holiday party this year! How long do you think I can make them ahead of time?
I think a day or two would be fine, but honestly, they were gone way before that here! ๐
These are really amazing!! Perfect holiday treats!
The best holiday flavor combo! Looking forward to making these with my kiddos!
Thanks, Allison! My kids love these!
Bring on all the chocolate! I love the mint addition!
What a wonderful holiday treat! Chocolate and mint are such a great mix!
Thanks, Michelle. It’s an awesome combo!
Give me mint and chocolate and I am a happy happy girl!
It’s a wonderful combo — one of my favorites! ๐