Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
Christmas time is here and nothing says Santa like a chocolate brownie cupcake with peppermint frosting! These easy brownie cupcakes only require a few simple ingredients to make but taste like you spent all day baking in the kitchen. This simple recipe is a combination of classic fudge brownie cupcakes topped with a rich layer of peppermint buttercream frosting that tastes just like a candy cane. Anyone can make this mini brownie cupcakes recipe and they are the perfect treat for the holiday season. Full recipe card below.
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What is a brownie cupcake?
Chocolate brownie cups are just like regular brownies only in cupcake form made in a muffin pan! Unlike regular chocolate cupcakes, these fudgy brownie cupcakes have a denser texture and are more chocolaty. But just like a regular cupcake they are topped with rich buttercream frosting. You can make these as mini brownie cupcakes or full size cupcakes.
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownies
Brownie Mix – To keep things simple, I used store bought boxed brownie mix in this recipe. You can use any box of brownie mix you want (milk chocolate or dark) but I prefer the dark chocolate flavor. You can also use any one of your favorite homemade brownie recipes if you prefer.
**Pro Tip – For a richer homemade taste use milk instead of water when mixing the brownie batter.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
Butter – Butter is one of the primary ingredients in an American buttercream icing recipe. You cannot skip this or substitute it. You need softened room temperature butter. DO NOT melt it. This is important. If you melt the butter, the fat will not combine in the same manner and the frosting will separate. Use only real unsalted butter for this recipe, no margarine. Trust me, the first time I made icing I learned this the hard way.
Powdered Sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar or icing sugar. This ingredient is what gives the butter some structure and sweetness and is another key component in buttercream frosting.
Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy cream is the key ingredient to making a creamy buttercream frosting. It has a rich taste and in my opinion is the best option for icing.
Vanilla Extract – This will give your icing a richer complex flavor rather than simply sugary or minty. If you prefer vanilla frosting, you can stop with this ingredient and skip the peppermint oil.
Peppermint Oil – The difference between vanilla frosting and peppermint frosting in this recipe is the peppermint oil. This is very potent and should not be measured over the bowl. You can also use peppermint extract but will probably need a little bit more. Just add a little bit at a time because you can’t take it away once it’s in there!
Toppings – I added crushed candy canes to my brownie cupcake recipe for some holiday flair, but you could also use sprinkles, chocolate chips, holiday candies, or chocolate kisses. Get creative!
If you prefer a chocolate frosting, try my dark chocolate buttercream. It’s my favorite frosting when it comes to chocolate!
Mixing Options
For best results, you will want to use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer to mix both the brownie batter and to whip the frosting.
How to Bake the Brownie Cups
For this step you will need a regular or mini cupcake tin to bake the brownies in. I used a mini muffin tin for mine. Simply mix up the brownie batter and use a tablespoon to spoon in the batter until it’s about 2/3 full. I do recommend using paper cupcake liners for these since brownies are a bit more dense and may not remove as easily from the tin. I picked up some Christmas liners at the dollar store.
Cool the brownie cups completely before removing from the pan and frosting. At least 30 minutes or the frosting will melt.
How to Pipe Frosting
When frosting a cake or cupcake most professional bakers use a piping bag or a pastry bag to make desserts look pretty. But I prefer to use a resealable zip-top bag and a large star tip. Place a star tip into one corner of the bag and poke it through a little bit to mark where you need to cut. Then use a pair of scissors to cut off the corner at the marks you made. Then scoop the chocolate buttercream frosting into the bag, get all the air out, and zip it closed.
Using a circular motion starting on the outer edge, squeeze the icing onto the center of each cupcake. When you get to the middle pull up in a dabbing motion. Note, this does work best with a larger tip. If you do not have one you can simply use the plastic bag with a hole cut out.
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Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 16-24 Cupcakes 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Christmas time is here and nothing says Santa like a chocolate brownie cupcake with peppermint frosting! These easy brownie cupcakes only require a few simple ingredients to make but taste like you spent all day baking in the kitchen. This simple recipe is a combination of classic fudge brownie cupcakes topped with a rich layer of peppermint buttercream frosting that tastes just like a candy cane. Anyone can make this mini brownie cupcakes recipe and they are the perfect treat for the holiday season.
Ingredients
Brownie Cupcakes
- 1 box Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (2 sticks at room temperature)
- 2.5 cups Powdered Sugar
- 7 tbsp Heavy Cream (room temperature)
- 3 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/8 tsp Peppermint Oil
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 4–5 Mini Candy Canes crushed
Instructions
Brownie Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the brownie mix according to package instructions. For a richer moist brownie, use milk instead of water.
- Line a cupcake pan with paper cupcake liners. Fill each of the prepared muffin cups about 2/3 full with batter.
- In a preheated oven bake the brownie cups for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a cupcake. Baking time may vary.
- Cool for at least 30 minutes on a wire rack.
Peppermint Buttercream Frosting Instructions
- While the brownies cool, cream butter in a medium sized mixing bowl using a stand mixer or electric mixer with a beater or paddle attachment. Cream until smooth. Note, the butter must be at room temperature and soft. Do not melt butter and do not use margarine.
- Add in powdered sugar, heavy cream, vanilla, peppermint oil and salt a little at a time mixing on low speed until smooth and fluffy.
- Use a spatula, piping bag, or Ziplock to apply frosting to the tops of the brownie cupcakes. See my notes above on my plastic bag method.
- Garnish with crushed up candy canes. I put a few small candy canes in a plastic bag and smashed them with the back of a spoon.
Notes
- Makes 16-24 mini cupcakes depending on size and amount of frosting used.
- If the heavy cream is too cold it will not combine properly with the butter and the frosting with be lumpy and grainy. Like the butter it should be room temperature. Take it out of the fridge when you start on the brownies so it isn’t super cold by the time you start making the frosting.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cool Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Looking for more dessert recipes? Check out my mini chocolate bourbon pecan pies, Christmas muddy buddies, peanut butter cookie cups with chocolate frosting, copycat Crumbl sugar cookies, or chocolate chip cookies without butter.
Storage
Leftover brownie cupcakes can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
When to Make Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes
This is one of my favorite recipes for Christmas time because they taste just like a chocolate candy cane but are easy to make with boxed brownie mix. Perfect for when you are short on time during the holiday season. You can even change things up and use different frosting flavors for a whole new taste, making it the perfect recipe for birthdays, holidays, game day, or anytime you have a craving for a sweet treat!
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