Easy Christmas Brownies

4.72 from 7 votes

These Christmas brownies are super simple, chewy and fudgy, with a deep chocolate flavor. I decorated them with royal icing and some silver and gold sprinkles.

Prep Time25

Cook Time35

Total Time1

Servings: 24 brownies

Author: Maria Corcuera

Ingredients

Brownies

3/4 Cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 Cup unsalted butter melted
1/2 Cup boiling water + 1 teaspoon granulated coffee diluted
2 Cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 1/3 Cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 Cup walnuts

Royal Icing

2 Cups confectioners sugar sifter
3 Tablespoons meringue powder
6 Tablespoons water room temperature
1-2 drops food coloring (optional)
decorative sprinkles or crushed candy (optional)

Instructions

Brownies

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Grease a square baking pan or line it with parchment paper for easy cleanup. Lightly dust with cocoa powder to prevent sticking.
In a large bowl, stir together your cocoa powder and baking soda. This helps bloom the cocoa and gives the brownie batter a deep flavor.
3/4 Cup (64.5 g) cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
Add half of your melted butter along with the brewed coffee. Stir until thickened slightly—it will look glossy.
3/4 Cup (170.3 g) unsalted butter, 1/2 Cup (55 g) boiling water + 1 teaspoon granulated coffee
Next, mix in the granulated sugar, egg yolks, and the rest of the melted butter. Stir until smooth.
2 Cups (400 g) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs
Add in the flour, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix until just combined. It’s okay if you see a few streaks—don’t overmix, or your brownies might turn cakey.
1 1/3 Cup (166.7 g) all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon (0.3 teaspoon) salt, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips gently. Pour the batter into your prepared pan, spreading evenly to all corners.
1/2 Cup (90 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 Cup (58.5 g) walnuts
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top of the brownie looks set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, remove the entire pan of brownies and cut them into 16 squares or triangle shapes using a sharp knife or cookie cutters.

Royal Icing

For the icing, stir powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and a little water in a small bowl until smooth (add optional food coloring before thinning with water, if desired)
2 Cups (240 g) confectioners sugar, 3 Tablespoons meringue powder, 6 Tablespoons water, 1-2 drops food coloring
Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe simple Christmas trees or snowflakes on the top of each brownie.
Decorate with sprinkles or crushed candy canes.
decorative sprinkles or crushed candy
Let the icing set at room temperature before stacking or storing.

Notes

Add-ons & Substitutions

Swap the box mix for your favorite homemade brownie recipe if you prefer from-scratch baking.
Candy cane brownies: Instead of using walnuts, mix in 1/2 cup of crushed candy cane into the batter. Follow the baking instructions and, once done, sprinkle more crushed candy canes on top of the brownies.
Gingerbread brownies: To infuse a gingerbread flavor, simply add 1/2 teaspoon of ginger to your brownie batter before baking. After baking, decorate the top of your brownies with gingerbread men for a festive touch.
Orange brownies: To give your brownies an orange twist, incorporate 1 tablespoon of orange zest into the batter. This will infuse your brownies with a delicious orange flavor.
M&M brownies: For a festive twist, substitute the walnuts with some green and red M&M candies in your batter.

Expert Tips

For the most fudgy brownies, remove them from the oven when a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs—not clean.
Let your butter and eggs come to room temperature before baking for a smoother mix and better texture.
If your icing feels too thick, add a few drops of water. Too runny? A little more powdered sugar will fix it.
Use a sharp, clean knife and wipe it between cuts to get clean edges when slicing brownies.
Use aluminum foil with overhanging edges to lift the entire brownie out for easier decorating.
Use a plastic sandwich bag with the corner snipped off works in a pinch instead of a piping bag

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