• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Beyond the Butter logo

  • home
  • recipe box
  • about
  • work with me
  • shop
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • home
  • recipe box
  • about
  • work with me
  • shop
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » bars & brownies

    Published: Jan 8, 2020 • Modified: Nov 5, 2021 • This site generates income via ads and may contain affiliate links. See my privacy policy linked in the footer.

    Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Ahh my first post of the new year—Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies! This recipe combines a bottom layer of fudgy chocolate brownies with a swirled top layer of peppermint and melted dark chocolate! It's like eating a more decadent version of my homemade peppermint patties! And besides tasting incredibly good, they're also very easy to make!

    Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies recipe | All Images © Beyond the Butter, LLC
    About to be cut Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies | All Images © Beyond the Butter, LLC
    Image of woman holding a try of Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies | All Images © Beyond the Butter, LLC

    How to Make Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies

    To make the brownies, you'll need the following:

    Ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, vegetable oil, dark chocolate, water, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract

    Baking equipment: 9 inch square baking pan, flour-based baking spray, spatula, and for mixing—a stand mixer with paddle attachment, hand mixer, or a large mixing bowl and whisk.

    Like most brownie recipes, they're simple to whip up. The one important thing to remember though is to only mix the batter until just combined. Do not over mix the batter! Over mixing will cause the gluten within the flour to grow, which will alter the texture of the brownies.

    The recommended baking time for these chocolate peppermint swirled brownies is 32-35 minutes at 350ºF. Every oven is different, however so make sure to begin checking your brownies at the earliest baking time!

    Close up of cut Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies | All Images © Beyond the Butter, LLC

    Brownie Mix Alternative

    Alternatively, if you'd rather skip the homemade brownies, you can use any brand of boxed brownie mix (18.3 ounce box). You can optionally add in a 1 teaspoon of espresso powder and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to increase the flavor as well.

    Squares of Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies | All Images © Beyond the Butter, LLC

    How to Make The Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Topping

    Ingredients: powdered sugar, unsalted butter, evaporated milk, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, dark chocolate (preferably from a bar of chocolate and not chocolate chips) and vegetable shortening.

    You can make the chocolate peppermint swirled topping when the brownies have cooled almost completely. I like to use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment for this part, but a hand mixer would work just as well. As you mix the peppermint topping it will thicken, so whisking by hand might prove to be a bit more challenging.

    The key to this part is to make sure all of the ingredients have been mixed well together so you get a nice creamy texture. Once mixed, you'll set this to the side while you melt the chocolate.

    Add the dark chocolate and vegetable shortening in a microwaveable bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-45 second increments at 50% power until it's fully melted and smooth. Stir together with a spoon or small spatula to make sure it's ready.

    The last part is to spread the peppermint over top of the cooled brownies. The mixture will be thick, but still spreadable. Then you'll immediately spoon the melted dark chocolate over different parts of the peppermint topping. You can use either a toothpick (my preference) or a knife to make the swirls.

    Lastly, you'll cover the chocolate peppermint swirled brownies and refrigerate them for about 30-45 minutes to let the chocolate set and the peppermint firm up a bit. When ready to cut, allow the brownies to sit out at room temp for 15 minutes or you can run a sharp knife under hot water to cut the squares.

    Squares of Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies | All Images © Beyond the Butter, LLC

    Recommended Brownie Baking Tools

    KitchenAid KHM926CA 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater II Accessories and Pro Whisk
    KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red
    Pouring Chute
    Anchor Hocking 10pc Glass Mixing Bowl Set
    Joseph Joseph Shake-It Self-Tapping Sieve, Large
    Fox Run 4254 Kitchen Timer with Magnet 55-Minute
    KitchenAid KHM926CA 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater II Accessories and Pro Whisk
    KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red
    Pouring Chute
    Anchor Hocking 10pc Glass Mixing Bowl Set
    Joseph Joseph Shake-It Self-Tapping Sieve, Large
    Fox Run 4254 Kitchen Timer with Magnet 55-Minute
    KitchenAid KHM926CA 9-Speed Digital Hand Mixer with Turbo Beater II Accessories and Pro Whisk
    KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red
    Pouring Chute
    Anchor Hocking 10pc Glass Mixing Bowl Set
    Joseph Joseph Shake-It Self-Tapping Sieve, Large
    Fox Run 4254 Kitchen Timer with Magnet 55-Minute

    Quick Tips Before Starting

    • Generously spray the 9 inch square baking pan with a flour-based baking spray. I always use Baker's Joy which has never let me down!
    • If you prefer to cut your brownies outside of the pan, you can add a sleeve of parchment paper. Spray the pan with baking spray, place your parchment paper sleeve along the inside, then respray.
    • The recommended baking time for this Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies recipe is 350ºF for 35-38 minutes.
    • If your brownies still jiggle slightly in the middle, you can take them out. Another way to check—if an inserted toothpick still has brownie crumbs on it, you can take them out. If it has brownie batter on it, leave them in, but continue to check on them!
    • Wait until the brownies have pretty much cooled to spread on the peppermint filling and melted chocolate.
    • Refrigerate the brownies (covered) for 30-45 minutes to let the peppermint topping and melted chocolate set.
    • For cutting: let them sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Or, remove them from the refrigerator and cut them with a sharp knife that's been run under hot water. The latter will also give you nice clean cuts!
    • Keep the brownies stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. But they will probably be eaten by then!
    About to be cut Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies | All Images © Beyond the Butter, LLC

    Enjoy More Brownies!

    • The Best Salted Pecan Pie Brownies
    • Double Chocolate Mint Brownies
    • Layered S'mores Brownies
    • Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake
    About to be cut Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies | All Images © Beyond the Butter, LLC

    Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies

    Author: Jennifer
    This Chocolate Peppermint Swirled Brownies recipe combines fudgy chocolate brownies with a swirled top layer of peppermint and melted dark chocolate! They're a must make any time of the year!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 minutes
    Cook Time 35 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 16 brownies

    Ingredients
     

    brownies

    • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
    • ½ cup Vegetable Oil
    • 3 oz Dark Chocolate (melted)
    • ¼ cup Water
    • 1 ½ cup Granulated Sugar
    • 2 Large Eggs
    • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

    peppermint topping

    • 3 cup Powdered Sugar (firmly packed)
    • 4 tablespoon Unsalted Butter (softened)
    • ¼ cup Evaporated Milk
    • 2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
    • ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

    melted chocolate

    • 3 oz Dark Chocolate (melted)
    • 1 tablespoon Vegetable Shortening

    Instructions

    brownies

    • Melt the dark chocolate in a microwaveable bowl in 30-45 second increments until fully melted and smooth. Set to the side to cool slightly.
      3 oz Dark Chocolate
    • Adjust the oven rack to the 2nd level position and preheat the oven for 350ºF. Spray a 9 inch square baking pan with a flour-based baking spray, then set to the side. See tips in blog post if using a parchment paper sleeve.
    • Using a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and unsweetened cocoa powder until well blended. Add in the vegetable oil, melted dark chocolate, water, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract and beat together until just combined.
      1 cup All-Purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder, ½ cup Vegetable Oil, 3 oz Dark Chocolate, ¼ cup Water, 1 ½ cup Granulated Sugar, 2 Large Eggs, 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
    • Spoon the brownie batter into the prepared 9 inch square baking pan and bake for 32-35 minutes at 350ºF. If the brownies still jiggle slightly in the middle or if an inserted toothpick has brownie bits left on it, they can be removed from the oven. If there is still brownie batter on the toothpick, then they should continue to bake, but keep checking them!
    • Allow the brownies to cool completely before topping them with the peppermint and melted chocolate.

    chocolate peppermint swirled topping

    • Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the powdered sugar, unsalted butter, evaporated milk, peppermint extract, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until the mixture has blended completely, and is nice and creamy in texture. Set to the side while you melt the dark chocolate.
      2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract, 3 cup Powdered Sugar, 4 tablespoon Unsalted Butter, ¼ cup Evaporated Milk, 2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract, ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • In a small microwaveable bowl, melt the dark chocolate pieces and vegetable shortening in 30-45 second increments at 50% power until fully melted and smooth.
      3 oz Dark Chocolate, 1 tablespoon Vegetable Shortening
    • Spread the peppermint over top of the cooled brownies, then spoon the melted dark chocolate over different areas of the peppermint. Take a toothpick or a knife and swirl the two together.
    • Cover and place the chocolate peppermint swirled brownies into the fridge for 30-45 minutes to allow the peppermint and chocolate to set.
    • When ready to cut, remove the brownies and allow them to sit out at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can remove them from the refrigerator and cut them with a sharp knife that's been run under hot water.

    Recipe Notes

    Peppermint filling adapted from my Homemade Peppermint Patties recipe.
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Mention @beyond.the.butter and tag #beyondthebutter!
    « Easy Holiday Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
    Classic 4 Egg Yellow Sheet Cake with Chocolate Frosting »

    © All images & content on BeyondtheButter.com are copyright protected. You may not republish, redistribute, or otherwise use any images, recipes, or content, in part or in whole, without express written permission from the author. Beyond the Butter® is a registered trademark of Jennifer Switzer. All rights reserved. For more information, please read my Policies page.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *






    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    hello! image

    Welcome to my blog! I'm Jennifer and I love creating and sharing dessert recipes that are sweet, simple, and fun to make, and bring me—and hopefully you and your loved ones—wonderful memories! Learn more about me and my inspiration for starting Beyond the Butter!

    Beyond the Butter Favorites

    • Bakery Style Lemon Blueberry Streusel Muffins
    • Super Easy Lemon Bars
    • Chocolate Chip Cake
    • Classic Peanut Butter Blossoms

    Featured On

    Beyond the Butter features

    Follow Me On Pinterest

    Follow Beyond the Butter® on Pinterest | © Beyond the Butter®

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Open
    For your weekend baking consideration (chocolate🍫 lovers edition)...Chocolate Cake with Oreo Buttercream Frosting! I mean, do I really need to say anything else?☺️ Recipe is linked above and in my stories.

https://beyondthebutter.com/chocolate-cake-with-oreo-buttercream-frosting/

#chocolatecake #cakecakecake #beyondthebutter #oreofrosting #chocolate #chocolatelovers #thebakefeed #f52grams #bakinglove #dessertoftheday #cake
    Open
    Always a good day when there's blueberry crumble pie!🫐🥧 And it's even better when it's topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 

Recipe linked above in my bio, in my stories, or google 'blueberry crumble pie beyond the butter'.💙

https://beyondthebutter.com/blueberry-crumble-pie/

#beyondthebutter #blueberrycrumblepie #pie #lovefood #thekitchn #blueberrycrumble #makeitdelicious #thebakefeed #f52grams #piesofinstagram #eatrealfood #blueberries #blueberrypie
    Open
    A chocolate peanut butter combo like no other...devil's food cupcakes with peanut butter frosting for your mid-week treat! 🤎 Yields 2 dozen cupcakes. 

Find the link above in my bio, in my stories, or google 'devil's food cupcakes beyond the butter'.

https://beyondthebutter.com/devils-food-cupcakes-with-peanut-butter-frosting/

#devilsfoodcupcakes #beyondthebutter #devilsfood #chocolatecupcakes #chocolate #peanutbutter #bakersofinstagram #thebakefeed #chocolatelovers #cupcakes #f52grams #peanutbutterlover #homemade #bakinglove #eatvoraciously
    Open
    Light and airy french crullers topped with a sweet strawberry glaze and strawberry sugar = one delicious breakfast or brunch treat! 🍓❤️ Yields approx. 18 crullers. Recipe linked above and in my stories!

https://beyondthebutter.com/strawberry-glazed-french-crullers/

#strawberrycrullers #crullers #strawberryglaze #beyondthebutter #strawberries #thebakefeed #f52grams #breakfast #breakfastideas #brunch #bakersofinstagram #bakinglove #strawberryseason #pateachoux #homemade #puffpastry
    Open
    For your weekend baking consideration: thick and creamy Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake Bars!🫐💜

Grab the link to the recipe in my stories, or google 'blueberry cheesecake bars beyond the butter'.💜

https://beyondthebutter.com/blueberry-cheesecake-bars/

#beyondthebutter #cheesecakebars #blueberrycheesecakebars #blueberries #cheesecake #thebakefeed #f52grams #creamcheese #blueberrycheesecake #dessertoftheday #cheesecakesofinstagram #homemade #cheesecakelovers
    Open
    Double Chocolate Mint Brownies for your mid-week treat! Easily one of my all-time favorite brownies to make. They're rich, super fudgy, and filled with melted mint chocolate. And the best part—you only need one large mixing bowl to make them! Recipe linked above and in my stories.

https://beyondthebutter.com/double-chocolate-mint-brownies/

#mintbrownies #brownies #mintchocolatebrownies #beyondthebutter #chocolate #fudgybrownies #thebakefeed #f52grams #mint #homemade #bakersofinstagram #chocolatelover #eatvoraciously #bakinglove #huffposttaste

    Resources

    • Privacy Policy
    • Recipes
    • Shop

    Newsletter

    • Subscribe
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest

    Contact

    • Work with Me
    • About

    © 2022 Beyond the Butter®, All Rights Reserved.