Triple Layer Peppermint Brownies

The fudgiest chocolate brownie, studded with white chocolate peppermint M&Ms, then frosted with a sweet peppermint buttercream, followed by a rich chocolate ganache, and finished off with a generous sprinkle of even more white chocolate peppermint M&Ms! 

I know it hasn’t been long at all since I posted the recipe for my Peppermint Trifle, but with Christmas quickly approaching, I just HAD to make sure that I got my fill of this delectable holiday flavor before the season is over! Besides, there’s just something so refreshing and fun about peppermint, don’t you think? We need more peppermint in our lives! Especially those with Halitosis…

Am I right?

…which brings me to the new, wonderfully rich treat of the week….

Triple Layer Peppermint Brownies!!!

My mom could not get enough of these! In hindsight, I probably should’ve made a double batch!

Allow me to give you the rundown of the ever-powerful Triple Layer Brownie.

Starting from the bottom, you have the fudgiest brownie ever. It’s everything you want in a brownie–fudgy, chewy, moist, rich, decadent…it simply melts in your mouth and it’s not cakey or crunchy like some brownies tend to be. Aside from the rich chocolatey flavor and unbelievably smooth texture, these brownies are SO easy make! Just one medium pan and one wooden spoon are the only tools you’ll need! So say hello to EASY CLEANUP!

And because these ARE  peppermint brownies, I added a handful of these wonderful gems of peppermint white chocolate goodness!

Though next time I make these, instead of stirring them into the batter, I will probably pour the brownie batter into the dish first, then sprinkle and gently press the M&Ms in the top before baking in the oven. Some of the M&Ms sank and wanted to stick to the bottom of the pan. If you do come across this issue, just make sure you’re using a nice thin metal spatula to remove your brownies from the pan–mine came out perfectly!

Oh, and silly me, I forgot to mention that along with the peppermint M&Ms, I also added some chopped milk chocolate to the brownies. Because you know, the M&Ms weren’t enough by themselves.

Moving on to the next layer–luscious peppermint buttercream! It’s fluffy, creamy, and infused with the perfect amount of peppermint flavor that really compliments the rich chocolatey brownies! As the Campbell’s Soup kids would say, “Mm Mm! Good!” Actually, it’s more like “Mm Mm! Oh my heavenly God of Goddesses, this stuff is AMAZING!” Not to be overdramatic or anything…

To make these brownies even richer (because they weren’t rich enough already), I added a smooth, silky layer of dark chocolate ganache! There wasn’t enough chocolate, so I decided to top it with more.

And FINALLY (I’m almost done, I promise!), I added some more of those white chocolate M&Ms (roughly chopped) on top. And some candy cane sprinkles. Because they looked cute. And I need to use them up before December ends 😉

There you have it! One of the most decadent treats, perfect for impressing everyone at your next holiday party or gathering!

Now get to baking!

Triple Layer Peppermint Brownies

The fudgiest chocolate brownie, studded with white chocolate peppermint M&Ms, then frosted with a sweet peppermint buttercream, followed by a rich chocolate ganache, and finished off with a generous sprinkle of even more white chocolate peppermint M&Ms!

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 24 minutes mins

Refrigeration Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 39 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 Pieces

Ingredients

  

For the Brownies

• 10 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ⅔ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk chocolate chopped
• ½ cup Peppermint White Chocolate M&Ms plus 1/4 cup roughly chopped

For the Peppermint Buttercream

• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 ½ Tablespoons heavy cream or milk

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

 

Make the Brownies:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and spray an 8x8 inch glass dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cocoa powder together and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth and glossy. Take off the heat.
• Stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue stirring until fully incorporated. Stir in the flour and salt.
• Fold in the milk chocolate and 1/2 cup of M&Ms.* Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 22-24 minutes or until the top and edges are set and the center isn't jiggly. To test it, insert a toothpick into the center--it should come out with a few moist crumbs--no raw batter. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Make the Ganache:

• In a small bowl combine the chocolate and heavy cream. Microwave for 1 minute, remove, and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and stir until smooth and glossy. Set ganache aside to allow it to cool and thicken.

Make the Buttercream:

• Using a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and continue whipping, stopping and scraping down sides of bowl to allow everything to blend more evenly. Mixture will appear a little dry.
• Add the vanilla, peppermint extract and heavy cream (or milk), and continue whipping the buttercream until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Spread evenly onto the cooled brownies.
• Pour the ganache over the buttercream, tilting the dish slightly to evenly distribute the ganache. Sprinkle with the chopped 1/4 cup of M&Ms and optional sprinkles. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until ganache has set. Cut into squares and serve.
• Brownies will stay fresh wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

*To prevent M&Ms from sinking and sticking to the bottom of the pan (which happened to mine), I would recommend making the batter, pouring it into the pan, then evenly distributing the M&Ms on top, pressing them into the batter slightly.