Christmas Brownies

Move over sugar cookies, the traditional brownie is here to show off with sweet frosting and candy decorations just in time for the Christmas season! I used the Best Brownies recipe and 1/2 of the Special Buttercream Frosting recipe on this site. I do not suggest using different recipes.

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 765 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup shortening
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 3 fluid ounces heavy cream, or more as needed
• 2 drops green gel food coloring, or as desired
• edible candy decorations

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.

Step 2

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into the prepared pan.

Step 3

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.

Step 4

Meanwhile cream shortening for frosting until fluffy. Gradually add confectioner's sugar and continue beating until creamy and well blended. Add 3 ounces cream, vanilla, and salt and blend on low speed until moistened. Add up to 1 more ounce cream if necessary. Beat on high speed until frosting is fluffy.

Step 5

Transfer 1/2 of the frosting into another bowl and mix in green gel food coloring to get your preferred shade of green.

Step 6

Use a tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 8 Christmas trees from the pan of cooled brownies.

Step 7

Pipe green and white frostings onto cooled brownies to look like snow-covered trees. Decorate with candies.