Fudgy hot chocolate brownies topped with a creamy hot chocolate frosting and a whimsical dusting of crushed peppermint candies!
As a self-proclaimed woman-child, I’ve always preferred hot chocolate over coffee. To me, the idea of choosing bitter brown water over luscious liquid chocolate is absolutely bonkers. Of course, I’m also the type of person who likes to dip her frosted circus animal cookies in Rainbow Chip frosting. (See Circus Animal Cookie Ice Cream)
Anyway, hot chocolate is hands-down my favorite way to warm up during these chilly months. Lately, I don’t think I’ve gone a single day without at least one mug of this divine drink. But aside from drinking this heavenly beverage, there are so many other ways to enjoy it. Like for example, these Peppermint Hot Chocolate Brownie Bites…
Not only are these little brownie bites delicious, but they’d be super cute to serve at any holiday party or gathering you have coming up!
These brownie bites are rich, chewy, refreshingly pepperminty, and the perfect size for popping into your mouth one-by-one. They also contain DOUBLE the hot chocolate deliciousness. Because instead of using melted chocolate or cocoa powder, I used hot chocolate mix to incorporate that sumptuous chocolate flavor into these brownies. Any hot chocolate mix will do, really–I used Swiss Miss. The only one I wouldn’t use is the kind with the mini dehydrated marshmallows.
Since the hot chocolate mix is already sweetened, I didn’t have to add very much sugar to the batter–just 1/3 cup of brown sugar. I used brown sugar instead of white so that the brownies would come out super soft and chewy. (P.S. Look at the reflexion in the silver ornament. Hahaha…)
To bring out more of that chocolatey richness, I added 1 Tablespoon of cocoa powder along with some semi-sweet chocolate chips. I used mini chocolate chips since these brownie bites are so small. With the hot chocolate mix, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips, I guess you could say there’s triple the chocolate in these brownie bites alone.
The hot chocolate frosting is SO simple to make, yet SO heavenly. Just dissolve a little hot chocolate mix in some hot water. As it cools, beat some butter and powdered sugar together. Finally, stir in the hot chocolate until the frosting is nice and creamy!
Once the frosting is piped on top, it’s time to doll these brownie bites up! I crowned each brownie bite with a few chocolate chips as well as a hot chocolate MUST–marshmallows. You can either use the soft mini marshmallows or the Marshmallow Bits, which is what I used. Marshmallow Bits are different from regular marshmallows in that they’re dehydrated and much smaller in size. You can usually find them near the hot chocolate mix, but sometimes they’re placed in some random spot of the store. I actually found them next to the sundae toppings in my Target.
Finally, to peppermintify these brownie bites, I christened each with a dusting of crushed peppermint candies. You can either use the circular striped peppermints, or regular candy canes. Just seal a few candies/candy canes in a small ziplock bag, grab a hammer or heavy rolling pin, and beat them into dust.
The crushed peppermint looks almost like fresh snow, giving the brownie bites a beautiful wintery look. It’s the perfect kiss of peppermint to round out the richness of the brownies, and the sweetness of the frosting.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Brownie Bites
Ingredients
Brownies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup hot chocolate mix (dry powder)*
- 1 Tablespoon cocoa power
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Hot Chocolate Frosting:
- 2 Tablespoons hot chocolate mix
- 1 Tablespoon hot water
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
For Assembly:
- Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Mini marshmallows or Marshmallow Bits**
- Crushed Peppermints/Candy Canes
Instructions
Make the Brownies:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, stir the butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla together until combined. Stir in the hot chocolate mix and cocoa powder. Add the flour, salt, and chocolate chips, and stir until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly among the mini muffin pan wells, filling each about 2/3 full. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring brownie bites to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting:
- In a small bowl, stir the hot chocolate mix and water together until smooth and dissolved; cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered sugar together until creamy. Add the hot chocolate liquid and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Transfer frosting to a pastry bag fitted with a large round tip, or a ziplock bag with the corner cut off.
To Assemble:
- Pipe frosting onto the brownie bites. Top each brownie bite with a few chocolate chips and mini marshmallows/marshmallow bits. Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candies on top. Serve and enjoy!