Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patty Fudgy Brownies

I’m an after-dinner mint person. Usually just a small pastel chocolate mint or one of those red swirly ones. But sometimes I go all out and enjoy the contrast of the bitter dark chocolate with a peppermint patty. These fudgy brownies eliminate the need, though, since they taste like eating a more decadent version of your favorite minty and chocolatey candy.

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I’ve always been a fan of peppermint patties. The combination of chocolate and peppermint always felt to me like it’s reserved for Christmastime, except when it comes to these bite-sized treats. In that way, they are like a little act of rebellion when you have one in the summer.

York brand is the classic and still my favorite. I decided to not only use them as the inspiration for these brownies, but also include them. I wasn’t sure at first how the mint filling would bake, but it ended up with a truly delicious result. These fudgy brownies are like biting into the candy, but somehow even better.

What You Need to Get Started

You can easily find all of the ingredients for these peppermint fudgy brownies at your grocery store:

• Fridge: Butter, Eggs
• Pantry: Vegetable oil, Dark chocolate, Sugar, Brown sugar, Flour, Peppermint patties
• Spice Rack: Vanilla extract, Peppermint extract, Espresso powder, Salt
• Equipment: 8×8 Baking pan, Parchment paper, Mixing bowls, Whisk, Silicone spatula

Let’s Make Peppermint Patty Fudgy Brownies

My main tip when making fudgy brownies is always to make them at least one day in advance. Second-day brownies are just better, first because they have time to fully cool. Plus the ingredients have a bit more time to meld together, creating a better flavor and chewier texture,

These come together pretty quickly, so before getting started, preheat your oven with a rack in the center. You will also want to line your baking pan with parchment paper. This will make it easier to remove the brownies and cut them later.

Then start breaking apart your chocolate bars. You don’t need to chop it super finely, but you can if you’d like it to melt faster. I usually just break the squares from the bars into two or three pieces each.

Toss them all in a microwave-safe mixing bowl with the butter and oil. I like using both butter and vegetable oil in my fudgy brownies. The oil helps with the moist and chewy texture, while butter adds its signature flavor.

Cook it in the microwave in thirty-second increments. After each one, use a silicone spatula to stir and scrape any melted chocolate off the sides and bottom. Then zap it again, repeating the process until the chocolate is mostly melted. At the end, stir to let the residual heat melt the last few bits until it’s smooth.

Stir both sugars into the chocolate mixture until incorporated. The brown sugar adds extra moisture, which will again help with the fudgy texture of these brownies. The white sugar helps with that signature flaky brownie top. You’ll definitely want to use the combo.

Add in the eggs, along with both vanilla and peppermint extracts. The small amount of peppermint in this recipe goes a long way, so be sure not to overdo it. The vanilla will also help balance out the minty flavor, while adding a bit of extra richness.

Stir until everything is fully combined, and then set aside the bowl for a moment.

In a second smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, espresso powder, and salt. You will notice there isn’t much in the way of flour here, just enough to hold the chocolate together without turning the texture into something too cake-like.

Espresso powder is a favorite secret ingredient any time you are working with chocolate. Don’t worry if you’re not a fan of coffee flavor. This really just brings out the chocolate, allowing it to shine more. And of course, a little bit of salt just helps to accentuate all of the other flavors in the brownies, so they taste bold and delicious.

You may have noticed that there is no baking soda or baking powder to act as a leavening agent in these brownies. That’s on purpose, so that they end up being perfectly dense and fudgy. We’re not going for airy cakey brownies here.

Add the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture, then combine by folding with a silicone spatula. Use the spatula to scrape along the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure that everything gets coated.

Continue mixing until the flour is just incorporated, and there are no large dry pockets that create streaks in the batter. Don’t worry if there are some lumps. It’s okay for this batter not to be perfectly smooth.

Now let’s get those peppermint patties ready to add into the batter! York Peppermint Patties come in multiple sizes. For this recipe, I suggest using the small ones that come in multipacks, usually about half an ounce each. If you can only find the larger versions or want to use a different brand, adjust the amount accordingly. However, be aware that the chocolate-to-peppermint ratio may be different.

Roughly chop the peppermint patties into bite-sized pieces. I cut each candy into six pieces, so every piece had plenty of chocolate and peppermint filling. These tend to be fairly soft, so feel free to break them apart instead of cutting, if you prefer.

Add most of the chopped peppermint patties into the batter, but set aside six to ten pieces. Fold the pieces in gently until they are evenly distributed, but don’t stir so aggressively that you mash the pieces.

As the brownies bake, the chocolate coating will melt but mostly stay in place. However, the peppermint filling will turn into a liquid and ooze into any holes in the cooking batter.

Transfer the brownies batter to the prepared pan, making sure to scrape all the batter into the pan with a silicone spatula. Use your spatula to smooth out the batter as well, distributing it evenly throughout the pan.

On top, add the extra peppermint patty pieces. Arrange them so they are well-distributed, but don’t worry about appearances too much. These pieces will also melt and ooze throughout the brownie.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for about fifty minutes. When it’s done, there will only be a slight, uniform jiggle. Also, a toothpick stuck into the center will come out with only melted chocolate. Another sign that it’s ready will be when the edges are starting to appear dry and pull away from the parchment.

Allow the finished brownies to cool completely in the pan on a trivet. There is plenty of residual heat in the middle, and if you handle these too early, they will not hold their shape. I suggest waiting overnight, if you’re able.

Once they have fully cooled, use the edges of parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan. Use a serrated knife and cut the giant brownie into sixteen squares. You can serve the brownies at room temperature or warmed slightly in the microwave.

If you are making them in advance, cover tightly and store at room temperature cut or uncut. They will last just under a week, but may start to dry out slightly after four or five days.

How to Serve Peppermint Patty Fudgy Brownies

Brownies are one of those desserts that can cover the range from school lunch to potluck to gourmet, just depending on how you serve it. This is especially true for fudgy brownies, since they are chewy and rich and decadent, but also easily transportable.

Make a fun dessert buffet with these, cherry chocolate chip cookies, persimmon jam thumbprint cookies, and earl grey lemon bars. For a fancier dessert, try topping the warm brownies with a couple scoops of rich and creamy coffee ice cream. Cover it with hot fudge and whipped cream, and you have a peppermint mocha sundae!

For a casual evening, try pairing one of these brownies with a fun cocktail. Something sweet like a birthday cake martini or chocolate old fashioned is a perfect choice.

Use Up Leftover Ingredients

• Use up leftover peppermint extract in colorful peppermint stick cupcakes.
• Dark chocolate adds plenty of richness to homemade spicy hot chocolate.
• Highlight the flavor of espresso powder in espresso chocolate chip muffins.
• The vegetable oil makes the perfect crumb in butternut squash cornbread.

Not into peppermint? Try other brownie recipes, like peanut butter and pretzel or rocky road black bean.

Special Equipment

• 8×8 Baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula

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