Mint Brownies

These mint brownies are a decadent delight, blending deep, fudgy chocolate with a refreshing burst of cool mint. Perfect for Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day, or simply as a sweet weekend indulgence, they’re sure to impress. Easily customizable, they can be made in classic form, or adapted to be gluten-free or dairy-free.

Ingredients

For the brownie base:

▢ 2 cups (250 grams) flour see notes
▢ 1 1/2 cups (172 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
▢ 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (196 grams) unsalted butter or refined coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
▢ 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil
▢ 3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
▢ 6 large eggs 50 grams each, out of shell, room temperature

Mint frosting:

▢ 1 3/4 cups (210 grams) powdered sugar
▢ 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract see notes
▢ 1-2 tablespoons milk
▢ pinch salt
▢ green food coloring

Chocolate topping:

▢ 2 cups (340 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
▢ 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter

Instructions

Make the brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a 9” x 13” (23 cm x 33 cm) pan with a piece of parchment paper.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
2 cups (250 grams) flour, 1 1/2 cups (172 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the melted butter, oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Once combined, add the eggs one at a time and stir just until combined.
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (196 grams) unsalted butter, 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons canola oil, 3 cups (600 grams) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, 6 large eggs
Fold the dry mixture to the wet and stir just until almost no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix!
Spread the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.
Bake for 22-26 minutes or until the middle no longer appears wet on the surface. If you tilt the pan slightly to the side, the brownies should stay where they are and not slump over to the side as if they were raw. A toothpick inserted into them will not come out clean.
Let cool completely, about 2 hours, and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until totally firm. They can be covered tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Make the mint frosting:

Place powdered sugar, butter, peppermint extract, 1 tablespoon milk and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, start by beating on low speed until the ingredients are well combined. Then increase to high speed and continue mixing until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
1 3/4 cups (210 grams) powdered sugar, 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract, 1-2 tablespoons milk, pinch salt
Add the remaining milk, if needed, so that it’s thin enough to spread but not be runny. I used 2 tbsp total.
Gradually add in the food coloring until you're happy with the color.
green food coloring
Spread evenly over the top of the brownies. Chill for 30-60 minutes or until firm.

Make the chocolate topping:

Melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 30 seconds ingredients, stirring after each, until totally melted and smooth.
2 cups (340 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
Let it cool for about 5-20 minutes or until it’s almost room temp but still easy to spread. You don’t want that it's so firm that it mixes together with the green layer.
Spread evenly over the chilled green layer.
Refrigerate for 25-35 minutes or until the topping is firm enough to cut through without it blending together with the green layer, but not so hard that it cracks. Some recipes said to chill it for only 10 minutes. My chocolate layer was much too soft at that point. I needed 35 minutes. You’ll just have to check every now and then. Another option is to let it firm up completely and then let it soften at room temp. I needed about 10 minutes when doing it this way. See post for cutting tips.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If your kitchen is below 70 °F (21 °C), you can store them at room temperature for a day. Ensure they're kept away from direct sunlight and heat to prevent the buttercream and chocolate topping from melting. However, chilling them thoroughly is essential for clean, even cuts! They're very gooey at room temp.

Notes

For the flour, you can use 2 cups all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, whole wheat flour, or for gluten-free, use one of these: 2 cups (250 grams) King Arthur Flour Gluten-free Measure for Measure Flour , 2 cups (276 grams) Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-free Baking Flour, 2 cups (250 grams) light buckwheat flour, 2 cups (316 grams) teff flour. You'll want to make sure whatever brand of buckwheat or teff you buy is labeled as gluten-free.
I don't recommend mint extract, which has more of a spearmint taste.
For dairy-free, use coconut oil instead of butter in the brownies and vegan butter in the buttercream and the chocolate topping. Coconut oil would also work, but the flavor is better with butter. Remember if you use unrefined coconut oil, there will be coconut flavor in your brownies. Also use plant-based milk instead of regular milk for the buttercream. Also make sure your chocolate is dairy-free.
The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.