Description
Santa’s Delight Brownies blend festive cheer with rich chocolate magic from North Pole traditions. Magical layers of peppermint, chocolate ganache, and holiday sprinkles create a dessert you’ll cherish at winter celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 package (18 oz / 510 g) brownie mix (Ghirardelli Double Chocolate or similar)
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cooled coffee or water
- 1 container (8 oz / 225 g) spreadable cream cheese, softened
- 1 frozen whipped topping (8 oz / 225 g), thawed
- ½–1 cup (60–120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 24 medium strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Warm the oven to 350°F (177°C) and ready a mini muffin pan by coating with baking spray or inserting festive holiday liners for easy release and decorative appeal.
- Mix Brownie Base: Combine brownie mix, vegetable oil, cooled coffee (or water), and eggs in a medium bowl. Blend with an electric mixer until the batter reaches a smooth, homogeneous texture that promises rich chocolate depth.
- Fill and Bake: Distribute the batter evenly into muffin cups using a small scoop. Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, testing doneness with a toothpick that should emerge with moist crumbs.
- Cool and Rest: After baking, let the mini brownies settle in the pan briefly, then transfer to a cooling rack to preserve their delicate structure and prevent overcooking.
- Craft Cream Topping: Whisk together whipped topping, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture transforms into a light, airy, and well-blended cream. Chill the topping to maintain its consistency.
- Strawberry Preparation: Trim the strawberry stems and tips, creating a clean, uniform appearance for the iconic Santa hat design.
- Decorate and Assemble: Using a piping bag with a small star tip, elegantly pipe the chilled cream onto each cooled brownie. Crown each with an inverted strawberry, adding a delicate cream dot at the tip for a polished finish.
- Final Chill: Refrigerate the completed Santa’s Delight Brownies for a minimum of 2 hours, allowing the topping to set and the flavors to harmonize into a festive treat.
Notes
- Optimize Baking Precision: Use an accurate oven thermometer to ensure exact 350°F temperature for consistent brownie texture and even baking.
- Master Moisture Control: Don’t overmix batter; stir just until ingredients combine to prevent dense, tough brownies and maintain a tender crumb.
- Enhance Flavor Depth: Substitute water with room temperature coffee to intensify chocolate richness and create more complex taste profile.
- Achieve Perfect Presentation: Chill cream topping for 15-20 minutes before piping to maintain structured design and prevent melting during decoration.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg