Christmas Brownies

By Lucy Parissi

4.84 from 12 votes

, Updated Oct 14, 2022

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These festive Christmas Brownies (a.k.a mincemeat brownies) are the perfect holiday treat! Quick and easy to make, perfect for sharing and a great way to use leftover mincemeat.

You will also love my Easy Ginger Cake

When it comes to brownies can you really ever have too many recipes – or excuses to bake some? These Christmas Brownies are loaded with spices, orange zest and a little mincemeat for extra Yuletide cheer. Excellent if you have a few nearly empty jars of leftover mincemeat about the house from baking mince pies. No? Just me?

If mincemeat is not your thing fear not: I have provided alternatives in the recipe notes – or you could simply leave it out. I think mincemeat goes really well in brownies adding a lovely Christmassy flavour without being overpowering.

These brownies are perfectly gooey and chocolatey and yet so simple a child could bake them – and indeed my daughter has made them a few times 🙂 Take a look at the recipe video and step by step tutorial to see how its done!

How to make Christmas Brownies

Step 1. Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted. Alternatively you can use the double boiler method here: place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and the chocolate and butter to melt gradually.

Step 2. Place the sugar, orange zest and eggs in a large bowl and use a hand whisk to mix together until frothy. Stir in the mincemeat if using.

Step 3. Stir in the melted chocolate/butter mixture until thoroughly combined.

Step 4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and spices and stir to combine. You should have a glossy thick batter.

Step 5. Pour the batter into a lined brownie tin and level. Cook in a 180°C (350°F) preheated oven for 30 minutes until the edges are set but the middle is still a little squidgy. A toothpick inserted in the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs.

Step 6. Leave the brownies to COOL. Sorry for shouting, but if you cut the brownies now they will fall apart – be patient and allow them to cool before slicing.

Step 7. Remove the brownies from the tin using the paper lining to lift them out. Cut into triangle shapes.

Step 8. If you are decorating them then mix the icing sugar, vanilla extract, green food colouring (if using) and enough milk to make a pourable icing. Drizzle over the brownies and add sprinkles or decorations while the glaze is still wet.

Step 9. You can add chocolate ‘fingers’ to create the tree trunks and little gingerbread stars to top if you like.

TRY THESE CHRISTMAS BAKING RECIPES

HAVE YOU MADE MY CHRISTMAS TREE BROWNIES?

• Mincemeat cupcakes with mascarpone frosting
• Salted Caramel Brownies
• Mini Egg Brownies 
• Biscoff Brownies – delicious Cookie Butter Brownies
• Low Fat Chocolate Brownies

Share your creations on Instagram and I will share them in my stories or pop by on Facebook and make my day! 

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4.84 from 12 votes

Christmas tree brownies

By Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

These festive Christmas tree brownies are the perfect holiday treat! Quick and easy to make and perfect for sharing.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 15

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Ingredients

For the brownies

• ▢ 200 g | 7oz | 7/8 cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 200 g | 1 1/3 cup chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate)
• ▢ 200 g | 1 cup soft light brown sugar
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ zest of 1 orange
• ▢ 5 tbsp mincemeat (optional)
• ▢ 125 g | scant 1 cup plain flour
• ▢ 50 g | 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ▢ ½ tsp salt

For the glaze

• ▢ 85 g | 3oz icing sugar
• ▢ 1 tbsp milk more if needed
• ▢ a couple drops vanilla extract
• ▢ Green food colouring (optional)
• ▢ sprinkles to decorate
• ▢ chocolate fingers , halved, for the tree ‘trunks’

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a brownie tin with baking paper letting the edges hang over the edge.
• Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted. Alternatively you can use the double boiler method: place the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and the chocolate and butter to melt gradually.
• Place the sugar, orange zest and eggs in a large bowl and use a hand whisk to mix together until frothy. Stir in the mincemeat if using.
• Stir in the melted chocolate/butter mixture until thoroughly combined.
• Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and spices and stir to combine. You should have a glossy thick batter.
• Bake for 30 minutes until the edges are set but the middle is still a little squidgy. 
• Allow the brownies to cool before cutting.
• Remove the brownies from the tin using the paper lining to lift them out. Cut into triangle shapes.
• If you are decorating them, mix the icing sugar, vanilla extract, green food colouring and enough milk to make a pourable icing. 
• Drizzle over the brownies and add sprinkles or decorations while the glaze is still wet.
• You can add chocolate ‘fingers’ to create the tree trunks and little gingerbread stars to top if you like.

Notes

If you don’t like mincemeat (or can’t find any) you could add (equal weight) chopped mixed citrus peel, chopped nuts or dried fruit instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 240mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.

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