Mint Madness Brownies

Mint Madness Brownies

Okay, mint fanatics, this one’s for you. You’re welcome.

In case you’re wondering why you should be grateful, it’s because I’m not all that fond of mint. Never have been. It reminds me of toothpaste, so every time I eat mint, it acts as an appetite suppressant. Very useful if I’m trying to give up food (um, never), but not if I’m trying to enjoy my dessert.

So consider these brownies the ultimate selfless act. I gave them to my mint-loving brother, and he ate them all up. They work, ya know? This recipe is fairly traditional, but I made some tweaks of my own.

Mint Madness Brownies

Being a baking blogger is often about tweaking. I try so many desserts that are close to my idea of perfection, but not quite there. That’s when I get in the kitchen and start making adjustments. Bar cookies too dry? Swap in brown sugar for white and cut down on the baking time. Cookies too flat? Chill that dough and stack it up taller on the baking sheet. Flavor not strong enough? More peanut butter or whatever good stuff is supposed to be in there!

You get the point. I tweak until I like it. Which is why I’m okay with other people tweaking what I do. After all, taste is subjective. Just don’t come crying to me if the recipe fizzles.

Mint Madness Brownies

For the most part, I get really nice feedback for the work I do, so thank you for being lovely readers. But then I get some really fun ones. This one is good: “I tried your peanut butter cookies but I took out the peanut butter and put in Nutella and they didn’t work. Do you know what went wrong?”

Yes, love. You used Nutella. It’s not interchangeable with peanut butter. They both come in jars. They’re both delicious. But when you bake cookies with Nutella, that requires shortening, not butter, or the cookies will be flatter than a sheet of printer paper.

Mint Madness Brownies

Or this one: “So I tried making your pound cake, but I put in oil instead of butter and it just didn’t taste like pound cake.” For serious?! It’s called pound cake because there’s, like, a POUND of butter in there. That rich flavor doesn’t bake itself! With oil, you might get a moist cake with not much flavor, or just a mess. I’m not really sure because I’ve never tried to take the butter out of a pound cake. Cut down on it, yes. Remove it? Noooooo.

This one takes the cake: “I liked your recipe for rocky road brownies, but I don’t like rocky road. Do you have other ideas?” You bet I do! Make plain brownies. Did you really need for me to tell you that?

Mint Madness Brownies

That’s my snark coming out, everyone. It’s not pretty, but sometimes I have to release theΒ feelings to move past them. It’s not that I don’t like questions, because I love them. But if you change my recipe, don’t expect it to work. Tweak away, but it’s on you!

So here are my tweaks to this recipe. For starters, the mint layer you see here is typically dyed green. I didn’t do that because it’s not natural, and I avoid food dye when I can. Mint is white, too. Snowy, cool mint. It works!

Mint Madness Brownies

I also filled the brownies with candy cane-flavored Delightfills, which is Nestle’s thing. They make these lovely chocolate-filled mint chips. I had to work them in somehow.

And all my tweaking worked, so mint lovers can enjoy the brownies. I will personally head for a different holiday treat, so the rest of you can eat mine for me!

 

Mint Madness Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup Nestle Delightfills candy cane-flavored chips
Mint Layer
1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
Chocolate Topping
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the cocoa into the melted butter until it dissolves. Add the sugar and stir again. When the sugar is incorporated, mix in the vanilla and eggs. Add the salt and flour, mixing until just combined. Fold in the candy cane chips.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Cool completely.
  4. When the batter is cool, make the frosting. Cream the butter. Add the milk and powdered sugar and mix thoroughly. Stir in the mint extract.
  5. Spread the filling over the cooled brownies. Chill for an hour to firm the frosting up.
  6. When the mint layer is firm, make the chocolate topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir and then melt again for another 30 seconds, stirring until smooth.
  7. Spread the melted chocolate over the mint layer. Chill until firm, about 30-45 minutes. Cut into squares. Store chilled in an airtight container.
http://justaboutbaked.com/mint-madness-brownies/

 

Mir

I fulfill many roles in life: wife, mother, teacher, everlasting learner. This site is dedicated to one role that expresses my creativity in ways that I find consistently challenging and rewarding: baker. Inventing new ways to enhance food, especially if that food involves chocolate or peanut butter (or both!), is a passion of mine. I look forward to sharing my ideas with you.

This Post Has 32 Comments

  1. Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust

    Oh girl. The last few weeks and blog comments. I’M DYING. Today (on Oatmeal Scotchie Brookies): what can I substitute for butterscotch chips? And on and on. These brownies are fabulous – I’d go to town on them and then fight Jordan for them!
    Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust recently posted…Flourless Brownie CookiesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I know. It’s like everyone’s on holiday criticism overdrive. Don’t change my recipe! I worked on that thing! Oh well.

  2. Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom

    Mir, you don’t like mint?!! what about peppermint? πŸ˜› ok, so these brownies were meant for me right? :)) hahaha, yes, the ultimate selfless act and one lucky brother!!! I love these!
    Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom recently posted…Balsamic Green Beans with Candied BaconMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Nope, I really don’t. I wish I did, but mint just tastes like toothpaste to me, and I can’t shake that association. So it’s fine. Everyone else can mainline Thin Mints, and I’ll stick with Tagalongs!

  3. GiGi Eats

    I am so not a brownie person because I don’t like chocolate but… MINT CHOCOLATE Is a whole other story!!!
    GiGi Eats recently posted…Star Wars, The Cookie Force Is StrongMy Profile

    1. Mir

      These are a VERY different story, Gigi!

  4. annie@ciaochowbambina

    Thank you for your selfless act…you’re cool like the mint in your gorgeous brownie! πŸ™‚
    annie@ciaochowbambina recently posted…Mini Baked Chicken Meatballs with PeperonataMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I do it all for you guys, Annie!

  5. Agness

    Your brownies make me wanna make them right now and binge on them all LOL! Perfect dessert for a Christmas. I’ll make my best to make them and tag you in my blog post :).
    Agness recently posted…Banana & pumpkin breadMy Profile

    1. Mir

      That’s so sweet, Agness! Thanks so much!

  6. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

    I love mint, but my husband isn’t the biggest fan of it, either! These look amazing, Mir! I would gladly devour the entire pan for you. Looks perfect!
    Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Spiced Cherry CiderMy Profile

    1. Mir

      So you can have it all, and your husband can have a beer. He’ll be fine!

  7. Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy

    I am a bit funny when it comes to mint and chocolate together. So things I have eaten I have liked it (mint brownies was one of those things) and another time I didn’t – they were mint chocolate books and the mint tasted a bit fake. These look like some delicious cookies though.
    Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts by Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N SpiceMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I think it depends on the kind of mint and the amount. Too much and it burns!

  8. Megan - The Emotional Baker

    Not fond of mint? That’s crazy! Thanks for making these for me then πŸ˜‰ They look extraordinary!!!
    Megan – The Emotional Baker recently posted…Peppermint Dark Chocolate CookiesMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Take them all, Megan!

  9. Amy

    I like these type of brownies, multiple flavors in each bite.
    Amy recently posted…Cold Catsup # 4My Profile

    1. Mir

      It makes brownies much more fun, Amy!

  10. Medha @ Whisk & Shout

    These brownies are epic- my best friend growing up was always a mint chocolate fanatic, so I was always about that combo πŸ™‚
    Medha @ Whisk & Shout recently posted…Crisp & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies {Vegan}My Profile

    1. Mir

      Awww. It’s nice that mint chocolate has nostalgia for you, Medha!

  11. David @ Spiced

    Hahaha…I love this post, Mir! The rocky road brownies is the best one. I seriously chuckled under my breath at that one. And I second your thoughts on mint. I like it, but usually only in thin mint cookies. It’s good, but I’ll always go to another flavor first. But if these brownies were in front of me, I’d devour them. Just sayin’.
    David @ Spiced recently posted…Eggnog Pound CakeMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Thin Mints are about the only mint thing I’ll ever eat, but not even that. As for the haters, they need to step back. If they want to hate, they should start their own baking blogs!

  12. mira

    These look gorgeous and delicious! I’ve been getting some funny comments, too lately! I don’t know what to say… πŸ™‚ Pinning because I need to make brownies soon!
    mira recently posted…Crepes With Whipped Chocolate Coconut CreamMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Meh, don’t say anything. Better that way, Mira!

  13. Aria

    Hand is raised over here. Actually, both hands are raised. I’m that mint fanatic! Love these!
    Aria recently posted…Mid-December PhotographyMy Profile

    1. Mir

      You are in a lot of good company, Aria! People love that mint!

  14. Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks

    Dude. I totally love your snark! You are cracking me up with your comment quotes. If I change your recipe I’ll live with the result! I’ll own my flat cookies. I agree that mint should be white and there should always be a pound of butter in a pound cake! Those brownies are awesome!
    Rachelle @ Beer Girl Cooks recently posted…Holiday Breakfast CasseroleMy Profile

    1. Mir

      Thanks, girl. I know you’d own any changes you made!

  15. Kate @ Framed Cooks

    I hereby volunteer to be your mint taste tester, because I love all the mint things!! Clearly I need to make these brownies as soon as possible. Merry everything, Mir!
    Kate @ Framed Cooks recently posted…Scallops with Lemon DrizzleMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I’m happy to make you the designated tester, Kate!

  16. Amanda

    I wasn’t a fan of mint for a long time because I ate WAY too many York peppermint patties as a kid. So there was a space of about fifteen years where I was sick of mint. But now mint and I are friends again. πŸ™‚
    We used to make a brownie kind of similar to this, except instead of mint extract you used creme de menthe from the liquor store. Your version is a little kinder because kids can actually eat them. πŸ™‚ And I love those Nestle chips!
    Amanda recently posted…Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallow BarsMy Profile

    1. Mir

      I’ve seen the creme de menthe kind! Not my thing. But other people love it!

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