Peppermint Candy Brownies

These chocolate brownies fold crushed peppermint candy right into the batter alongside chopped nuts, so every square has crunchy, minty bits scattered through a fudgy chocolate base. It’s chocolate and mint done the old-fashioned way, no extract needed.

Real unsweetened chocolate melted with butter gives these a deep, intense cocoa flavor that balances the sweetness of the candy and sugar. Beating the eggs with sugar until light before adding the chocolate creates a slightly cakey top that cracks while the inside stays dense and moist.

The toothpick test is your friend here: moist crumbs, not wet batter. Pull them at that stage and you’ll have brownies that are fudgy without being underdone.

Kitchen Tips

• Crush the peppermint candy in a sealed zip-top bag with a rolling pin. You want coarse chunks, not powder. Powder dissolves into the batter and you lose the crunch.
• Cool the melted chocolate and butter slightly before adding to the eggs. Too hot and you’ll cook the eggs into scrambled bits.
• Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting. Peppermint brownies are especially crumbly when warm.
• Store in an airtight container. The peppermint pieces can get sticky in humid environments.

Variations

• Top with a layer of chocolate ganache and extra crushed candy for a bakery-style finish.
• Use dark chocolate instead of unsweetened for a slightly sweeter, less intense brownie.
• Skip the nuts and double the crushed peppermint for a pure chocolate-mint experience.