Peppermint Bark Shortbread Brownies
These brownies boast a buttery shortbread crust, a fudgy brownie base, and are stuffed with dark chocolate peppermint bark. It’s pretty much heaven in a bite. After getting such positive feedback from my taste testers, I knew they needed a permanent spot on the blog.
What Makes These Brownies Special
A few things—the stand out being the combination of their flavor and texture. With ingredients like butter, bittersweet chocolate, and dark chocolate peppermint bark, these brownies are set up for success, but it’s these flavors, in tandem with the various textures, that make them so enjoyable to eat. We have the texture from the shortbread—buttery, flaky, light— followed by the texture of the brownie base—fudgy, rich, soft— finished with the texture of the peppermint bark. These three work together to make one harmonious bite.
Making The Brownies
The recipe itself is straightforward and easy to put together. Start by making the shortbread. Cream together the butter and sugar, until light and fluffy, add the flour and salt and mix until just combined. Next, press the shortbread dough into a lined baking sheet in an even layer. Once the crust is placed, put it in the freezer for about 15 minutes, or until nicely chilled. Bake the crust at 350 degrees, or until lightly golden brown. Set aside.
For the brownies, start by melting quality bittersweet chocolate with butter, and then, using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk the melted ingredients with sugar and eggs. Next, using a fine mesh sieve, sift the cake over the wet ingredients, and fold until just incorporated.
Next, pour half of the batter over the prepared shortbread, spreading evenly, with a offset spatula. Place the dark chocolate peppermint bark squares over the brownie batter in rows. Once the chocolate has been placed, spread the remaining batter over the chocolate. Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes. Let them cool completely before removing from the pan, and cutting into squares to enjoy.
Powdered Sugar Snowflakes
Achieving this look is simple and particularly appealing during the holiday season—it gives such a beautiful and festive touch. It looks impressive, but in reality, all thats required is a stencil, a small fine mesh sieve, and some powdered sugar. Yes, that’s it! Any stencil design can be used, making it versatile.
To make this design, first cut the brownies into squares. Once cut, place the stencil on the brownie square, pressingly slightly, so the stencil is as close to the brownie as possible. Carefully, but generously, dust the stencil with powdered sugar. Once dusted, carefully lift the stencil away from the brownie, revealing a beautiful design underneath. Wipe the stencil clean before continuing with the rest of the brownie squares.
Stenciling the brownies should be done right before serving, as it isn’t a particularly durable method. The design should last a few hours ahead of serving, but I wouldn’t expect it to hold up if done the day before a gathering.
Final Tip
When laying the dark chocolate peppermint bark over the first layer of brownie batter, it is okay if the chocolate isn’t placed perfectly. In other words, it’s okay if there are little gaps between the chocolate squares. This is actually ideal for checking the brownies for doneness. With a few gaps, the toothpick can successful dip to the bottom of the pan, not pulling up melted chocolate. The brownies are done when just a few wet crumbs remain on the toothpick.
Peppermint Bark Shortbread Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- I cup unsalted butter, cut into squares
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons cake flour
- 12 ounces dark chocolate peppermint bark, broken or cut into 2 inch squares
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper for easy lifting and cutting.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour and salt and mix until just combined.
- Press the shortbread dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill. Once chilled, bake crust for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Set aside.
- Using a medium sauce pan, heat the butter and chopped chocolate over medium-low heat stirring until melted. Set aside to cool. Transfer chocolate to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whisk in the sugars until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add the vanilla and salt and mix until combined.
- Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the cake flour over the brownie batter, into the mixing bowl. Using a spatula fold in the flour until just combined.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and using an offset spatula, spread the batter over the shortbread crust. Take the dark chocolate peppermint bark and place the squares on top of the batter in rows. Pour remaining batter on top of the chocolate, carefully spreading to cover the chocolate.
- With the oven still at 350 degrees F, bake the brownies until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a *few* crumbs, about 30-35 minutes. You don't want the toothpick too wet and gooey, but a completely clean toothpick means the brownies may not be as fudgy as desired. Let brownies cool completely before lifting parchment from the pan. Cut into squares and enjoy.
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