Easy & Cute Christmas Brownies
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.
Servings: 8 brownies
Calories: 682kcal
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: 682kcal | Carbohydrates: 95g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 264mg | Potassium: 15mg | Sugar: 76g | Vitamin A: 792IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 2mg