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Christmas Tree Brownies with green icing standing vertically with a white background a "snow-covered" pinecone in the background.
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Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe

Cute Christmas Tree Brownies are delicious, fudgy brownies that are fun to make and are perfect for a cookie exchange, holiday party, or Christmas!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Christmas Brownies, Christmas Tree Brownies
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 Christmas tree brownies
Calories 348kcal
Author Michele

Ingredients

Brownies

Icing

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 Tablespoon milk at room temperature you can add ½ to 1 Tablespoon extra if you want it a bit softer.
  • Green food coloring
  • Christmas Sprinkles
  • Optional:Candy canes about 5 - 6 for the tree trunks

Instructions

Brownies

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.
  • In a saucepan , melt the butter. Add the chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Mix until combined and the chocolate is perfectly melted.
  • In a standing mixer, mix the eggs until they are light and fluffy. Begin to add the sugar little by little. It is very important that before you add anything else, you have to let them rise until the eggs and sugar look pale yellow.
  • Add some of the sugar mixture into the chocolate, so it cools off. Once it is at room temperature, add the chocolate mixture back into the standing mixer bowl with the rest of the sugar and eggs. Mix until combined.
  • Sift the flour into the mixture and mix until combined. Do NOT over mix. You can also mix it manually instead of using the standing mixer.
  • Pour the batter into your lined baking pan and bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes or until the texture does not bounce, and it doesn't look shiny anymore. Do not overcook.
  • Allow them to cool for 10 minutes before removing the brownies from the pan.
  • Once baked, allow the brownies to cool completely until they reach room temperature. Remove the brownies from the pan and cut into triangles. There should be three rows, 4 large triangles per row, so they are even, and you will have some edges that would work for smaller trees. You will make 12 large brownie trees.
  • If you are using candy canes, unwrap each one and with a knife cut some 1.5 inch long pieces. Press the sharper ends of the candy cane into the bottom of the tree.
  • Meanwhile, prepare your buttercream frosting, and when it’s ready use a piping bag and starting at the top of the tree, gently squeeze your piping bag to make a zigzag from the top to bottom of the tree.
  • Add your favorite Christmas sprinkles on top of your buttercream frosting and enjoy!

Buttercream Frosting

  • Prepare your buttercream frosting by beating the butter with a hand mixer, until light and fluffy.
  • Add the powdered sugar little by little until thoroughly combined. Add the milk and mix until combined. Then add the green food coloring and mix until you have the desired color that is spread throughout all of the frosting. (You can add a teaspoon of peppermint extract or vanilla extract if you want the frosting to have a hint of flavor)
  • Put some frosting in your piping bag to decorate your brownies; if you don’t have a piping bag spread some of the buttercream frosting with a spatula over each brownie and top with sprinkles. Let the frosting firm up before serving.

Notes

  • Cool. Allow your baked brownies to cool before adding the buttercream; otherwise, your topping may melt.
  • Pan Size. While I've used an 8-inch square baking pan, you could use larger prepared pans, but then you will end up with slightly thinner brownies, and the brownie base may need less baking time.
  • Are Brownies Done? Use a food thermometer to check if your brownies are fully cooked. Insert the thermometer into the center of the brownies - it should read 165℉ for it to have been cooked through. If you don't have a food thermometer, insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies. The toothpick should come out clean for the brownies to be baked sufficiently. 
  • Easy Clean-Up. Line the baking pan with parchment paper horizontally and vertically with edges hanging over the pan's sides, making it easy to lift the baked brownies from the pan without the bottom of the brownies sticking. 
  • Butter Tips. While the butter must be at room temperature, it shouldn't be overly soft when making the frosting; otherwise, the texture of the frosting could be compromised. The butter should be soft enough that it squishes slightly when pressed. 
  • Decorating Tip. After cutting the brownies, you will end up with leftover smaller edges that can be used and decorated as mini Christmas tree brownies to go with the larger brownies - that is, if you can resist eating the leftover pieces of brownies! 
  • Candy Cane Trunks. When using candy canes as the tree trunks for the holiday brownies, cut them approximately 1.5 inches. I’ve found this to be a proportional size. 
  • Boxed Mix Tip. If you use a boxed mix to make these brownies, check for the additional ingredients called for on the packaging, such as oil, milk, and eggs. It's not guaranteed that every brand will call for the same additional ingredients to be added to the dry box mix. 

Nutrition

Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 475IU | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 2mg