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These cute Christmas brownies are the easiest holiday dessert you’ll make all season! Start with boxed brownie mix baked in a round pan, cut into wedges, and decorate with colorful buttercream frosting to create adorable Christmas trees, Santa hat brownies, and reindeer brownies.

Learn how to cut brownies into Christmas trees by simply slicing like a pie, then let the decorating fun begin. Kids love helping with these easy Christmas brownies, and everyone will think you spent hours on these festive treats!

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Why You’ll Love These Easy & Cute Christmas Brownies

Super easy with boxed mix: No need to make brownies from scratch. Use your favorite boxed brownie mix and focus all your energy on the fun decorating part.
So many design options: One batch of brownies gives you 8 slices to decorate. Make them all the same or create a variety of cute Christmas brownies with different designs on each slice.
Kid-friendly activity: These are the most fun brownies to decorate with kids. Set up the frosting colors and toppings, and let everyone create their own Christmas masterpiece.
No special tools needed: Just a piping bag (or ziplock bag with the corner cut off) and some basic sprinkles and candies. You don’t need fancy decorating tips or skills.
Great for parties and gifts: Arrange these festive brownies on a platter for Christmas parties, or wrap individual slices in cellophane bags tied with ribbon for adorable homemade gifts.
Customizable to your taste: Use any brownie mix you love (fudgy, cakey, with nuts, without). The frosting and decorations work with any brownie base.

Ingredients You Need

Easy & Cute Christmas Brownies Recipe

1 pkg. Brownie Mix + ingredients (egg, oil & water) baked in a 9-inch round, according to brownie instructions

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3 – 4 cups of powdered sugar, depending on how firm you want your frosting add less or more powdered sugar
3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk of choice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
food coloring: red, brown and green

Tree frosting & Accessories

Green Frosting
Assorted Holiday Sprinkles

Santa Hat Frosting Accessories

Red frosting
White frosting

Rudolph the Reindeer

Brown Frosting or Chocolate Frosting
Rudolph nose – red M&M
Candy eyeballs

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Christmas Brownies

Brownie mix: Any brand works beautifully here. I like Ghirardelli for extra fudgy brownies, but Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker are great too. Just make sure you bake in a 9-inch round pan instead of the usual square or rectangular pan.
Round pan: If you don’t have a 9-inch round cake pan, you can use an 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan. The round shape is what makes these cute Christmas brownies so easy to cut into tree and hat shapes.
Butter: Must be room temperature so it creams properly. Cold butter won’t whip up light and fluffy. Let it sit out for about an hour before making frosting.
Powdered sugar: Start with 3 cups for a softer, spreadable frosting. Add up to 4 cups if you want stiffer frosting that holds piped shapes better. For these easy Christmas brownies, I like it somewhere in the middle so it’s easy to spread but still holds a bit of shape.
Heavy cream: You can substitute with whole milk, half and half, or even a splash of vanilla coffee creamer for extra flavor. The liquid helps make the frosting smooth and creamy.
Food coloring: Gel food coloring gives you more vibrant colors with less liquid, but regular liquid food coloring works fine too. You’ll need red for Santa hats, green for Christmas trees, and brown for reindeer brownies (or just use chocolate frosting instead).
Decorations: Get creative with what you have! Christmas sprinkles, nonpareils, mini chocolate chips, crushed candy canes, edible glitter, or anything festive in your pantry. For reindeer brownies, those candy eyeballs are key, but you can also pipe white dots with frosting.

Instructions How to Make Easy & Cute Christmas Brownies

Easy & Cute Christmas Brownies Recipe

Bake brownies according to boxed brownie instructions in a 9-inch round baking pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
While brownies cool completely, make the frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat 1 cup butter until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 3 tablespoons cream, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Continue mixing on low speed, then increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too soft, add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
Divide frosting into 4 separate containers so you can make frosting colors. You’ll need red, green and brown food coloring. Add several drops of red to one of the bowls and mix together to get the color you want. Repeat with the green and brown. The fourth bowl should just stay white.

How to Assemble and Decorate Christmas Brownies

Cut the brownies into 8 slices, like a pie. This wedge shape is how to cut brownies into Christmas trees – the wide end becomes the bottom of the tree, and the pointed end is the top!
Pipe or spread frosting over cooled brownies as shown below with the accessories to decorate, or come up with your own creations by topping with sprinkles.

For Christmas tree brownies: Spread or pipe green frosting all over the brownie wedge. Add your favorite Christmas sprinkles, nonpareils, or mini chocolate chips to look like ornaments. You can also pipe a little star on top with yellow frosting.
For Santa hat brownies: Spread red frosting over most of the brownie wedge, leaving the pointed tip and bottom edge bare. Pipe white frosting along the bottom edge to create the hat brim, and add a white pom-pom at the pointed tip. So cute and festive!
For reindeer brownies: Spread brown frosting or chocolate frosting all over the brownie. Add two candy eyeballs near the top, place a red M&M in the center for Rudolph’s nose, and you can even pipe little antlers with brown frosting or use pretzel sticks.

Tips for Perfect Cute Christmas Brownies

Let brownies cool completely: This is so important! If the brownies are even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and slide right off. Wait at least an hour after baking, or pop them in the fridge for 30 minutes to speed things up.
Use a sharp knife for clean cuts: Wipe your knife clean between each cut to get neat wedges. The cleaner your cuts, the better your cute Christmas brownies will look when decorated.
Chill frosted brownies briefly: After decorating, put the brownies in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to let the frosting set. This makes them easier to handle and prevents smudging when you arrange them on a platter.
Make extra frosting colors: You’ll be surprised how fast the frosting goes when you’re decorating 8 brownies. If you’re worried about running out, make 1.5x the frosting recipe.
Practice piping on parchment first: If you’re new to piping frosting, practice your design on a piece of parchment paper first. Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll decorate those easy Christmas brownies like a pro.
Let kids help: Set up a decorating station with all the frosting colors, sprinkles, and candies. These are so forgiving that even little hands can make adorable reindeer brownies and Santa hat brownies.

Storing Decorated Brownies

Room temperature: Store these cute Christmas brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The buttercream frosting is stable at room temp, so you don’t have to refrigerate.
Refrigerator: If your house is warm or you want to keep them longer, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Freezing: You can freeze the unfrosted brownies for up to 2 months. Wrap the whole round brownie or individual wedges tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Thaw at room temperature and decorate when ready to serve.
Make ahead tip: Bake the brownies 1-2 days ahead and store wrapped at room temperature. Make the frosting up to 3 days ahead and keep it in the fridge. Bring frosting to room temperature and give it a quick stir before decorating.

More Variations for Easy Christmas Brownies

Use store-bought frosting if you don’t want to make the homemade frosting. I suggest 2 tubs of vanilla frosting and one tub of chocolate frosting, and color the vanilla frosting red, green and white. This is so helpful for those who are super busy, but homemade frosting really is special.
Make them minty: Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract to the frosting for Christmas tree brownies. Top with crushed candy canes for festive peppermint bark vibes.
Add cream cheese: For cream cheese frosting, replace 4 tablespoons of the butter with softened cream cheese. This gives a slight tang that pairs beautifully with chocolate brownies.
Go all chocolate: Skip the colored frosting and use chocolate buttercream on all the brownies. Top with different sprinkles and candies to distinguish the designs.
Make snowman brownies: Use white frosting on the whole brownie wedge, add candy eyeballs, an orange sprinkle or M&M nose, and chocolate chip buttons down the front. So cute!
Try different shapes: Instead of wedges, cut the round brownie into circles with cookie cutters for ornament-shaped brownies. Decorate with frosting and add a little “string” piped at the top.

Cute Christmas Brownies FAQs

Can I use a homemade brownie recipe instead of boxed mix?

Absolutely! Use your favorite homemade brownie recipe and bake it in a 9-inch round pan. Adjust the baking time as needed since round pans may bake slightly differently than square pans.

What if I don’t have a piping bag?

No problem! Use a ziplock bag and snip off a small corner. Or just spread the frosting with a butter knife or offset spatula. These easy Christmas brownies look adorable no matter how you apply the frosting.

How do I make the frosting stiffer for piping details?

Add more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, until you reach the consistency you want. For fine details and piping that holds its shape, you’ll want frosting on the stiffer side.

Can I make these ahead for a Christmas party?

Yes! You can bake and decorate these cute Christmas brownies up to 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. They actually get even better after sitting for a day as the flavors meld together.

What other designs can I make with these brownies?

The wedge shape is so versatile! Try penguins with black and white frosting, snowmen with white frosting and candy faces, or even Christmas ornaments by decorating each wedge like a different ornament design.

My frosting is too runny. What should I do?

Add more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, and beat well after each addition. If it’s still too soft, refrigerate the frosting for 15-20 minutes to firm it up before decorating.

Can I use dairy-free butter and milk?

Yes! Use your favorite vegan butter and any plant-based milk. The frosting will work just as well, and you’ll have cute Christmas brownies that everyone can enjoy.

These easy Christmas brownies are about to become your go-to holiday dessert! With minimal effort and maximum cuteness, you’ve got a festive treat that looks like you spent hours decorating. The best part is watching everyone’s faces light up when they see these adorable Santa hat brownies, reindeer brownies, and Christmas trees on your dessert table.

Whether you’re baking for a Christmas party, cookie exchange, or just a fun weekend activity with the kids, these cute Christmas brownies deliver every time. Now you know how to cut brownies into Christmas trees and transform simple boxed brownies into something truly special. Get creative with your decorations, make it a family activity, and enjoy every festive bite!

If you love these easy Christmas brownies, don’t forget to check out my 65 Best Christmas Cookies Cookbook for tons more holiday baking inspiration!

I’d love to see your cute Christmas brownies! Tag me on Instagram, share on Pinterest, or connect on Facebook. Happy holiday baking!

More Christmas Treats!

Easy & Cute Christmas Brownies

The Baking Chocolatess

These cute Christmas brownies are the easiest holiday dessert you'll make all season! Start with boxed brownie mix baked in a round pan, cut into wedges, and decorate with colorful buttercream frosting to create adorable Christmas trees, Santa hat brownies, and reindeer brownies.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, holidays

Servings brownies

Calories 682 kcal

Equipment

9-inch round baking pan
Parchment paper
Electric mixer
Piping bags or ziplock bags
Mixing bowls

Ingredients

Brownies

1 pkg brownie mix plus required ingredients (egg, oil, water)

Buttercream Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar depending on desired firmness
3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon salt
food coloring red, brown, and green

Decorations

assorted holiday sprinkles
red M&Ms for Rudolph noses
candy eyeballs

Instructions

Make the Brownies

Bake brownies according to boxed brownie instructions in a 9-inch round baking pan lined with parchment paper and sprayed lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
While brownies cool completely, make the frosting.

Make Buttercream Frosting

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat 1 cup butter until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 3 tablespoons cream, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Continue mixing on low speed, then increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. If frosting is too soft, add more powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time.
Divide frosting into 4 separate containers. Add several drops of red food coloring to one bowl and mix to desired color. Repeat with green and brown in separate bowls. Keep the fourth bowl white.

Assemble and Decorate

Cut the cooled brownies into 8 slices, like a pie. The wedge shape creates the perfect Christmas tree form.
For Christmas trees: Spread or pipe green frosting over brownie wedge. Add sprinkles and decorations.
For Santa hats: Spread red frosting over most of wedge, leaving tip and bottom edge bare. Pipe white frosting along bottom edge for brim and add white pom-pom at tip.
For reindeer: Spread brown or chocolate frosting over brownie. Add candy eyeballs and red M&M for nose.

Notes

Cooling tip: Brownies must be completely cool before frosting or it will melt.

Clean cuts: Wipe knife between cuts for neat wedges.

Storage: Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days.

Make ahead: Bake brownies 1-2 days ahead. Make frosting up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate.

Piping bags: Use ziplock bags with corner cut off if you don't have piping bags.

Nutrition

Calories: 682kcalCarbohydrates: 95gProtein: 3gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 18gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 264mgPotassium: 15mgSugar: 76gVitamin A: 792IUVitamin C: 0.03mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 2mg

Keyword christmas desserts, cute christmas brownies, decorated brownies, easy christmas brownies, holiday brownies, how to cut brownies into christmas trees, reindeer brownies, santa hat brownies

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