Santa Hat Brownies
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!! It’s officially that time—November 1st, the start of the Christmas season! This year, I’m kicking things off with a festive twist on a true classic: my Brown Butter Santa Hat Brownies. I take my BEST Brownie recipe and turn them into Santa hats!!
Picture dense, fudgy brownies topped with little Santa hats made of frosting, complete with pink or red frosting, a fluffy marshmallow cream trim, and a cute marshmallow “pom-pom” on top. These are fun, delicious, and a total hit for any holiday gathering.
These aren’t just any brownies, either. My recipe uses a magical combination of cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and a bit of brown butter to give them a depth of flavor and fudgy texture that’s honestly hard to beat. The lack of baking soda helps keep them extra dense!
Here’s the breakdown:
- Brown the Butter – This step adds an extra layer of warmth and nuttiness, transforming an ordinary brownie into something seriously irresistible.
- Combine the Chocolate and Butter – Whisk together the warm butter and chocolate until melted and smooth, then let it cool slightly.
- Bake to Perfection – Pour the batter into a greased, parchment-lined pan, bake until the top is perfectly crackly, and a skewer comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let them cool completely before cutting.
- Then comes the fun part! I use canned frosting, tint it pink or red with food coloring, and pipe little Santa hats onto each brownie square. A quick swirl of marshmallow cream creates the “fur” trim, and a marshmallow tops it off like a charm.
These Santa Hat Brownies are sure to bring a little holiday spirit to your dessert table and make the perfect treat to kick off the most wonderful time of the year! 🎅
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons butter sliced
- 6 ounces milk chocolate chips or chunks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar light or dark
- 3 large eggs at room temperature (put them in some hot water for a few minutes)
- 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup 60g all-purpose flour, spoon and leveled or better yet–weighed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips or chunks optional
- 1 Can of white frosting or any color!
- Red food coloring
- Marshmallow Creme
- Mini Marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper, leaving a bit hanging over the edges for easy removal later. Set the pan aside.
- In a medium saucepan, add sliced butter and heat over medium, stirring occasionally. Let it melt and cook until it reaches a light golden brown and gives off a nutty aroma—this should take about 5 to 8 minutes. It will foam up, so keep an eye on it. Once browned, remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until smooth and fully melted. Let it cool slightly.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine both sugars and eggs. Beat the eggs and sugars together until light, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Add the vanilla, cocoa powder, and slightly cooled butter-chocolate mixture to the egg mix and whisk to combine.
- Gently fold in the flour, salt, and chocolate chips until just mixed—be careful not to overmix it!
- Pour the brownie batter into your prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is no longer shiny and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, use the parchment paper to lift them out and cut them into triangles.
- For decorating, mix red food coloring into the frosting, then pipe it on each triangle to make little Santa hats. Add marshmallow cream for the “fur” trim and top with a mini marshmallow. Enjoy your festive, fudgy Santa Hat Brownies!
