Peppermint Brownies with Mint Chocolate Ganache

Last Updated on January 25, 2023 by Annie

Fudgy peppermint brownies topped with a mint chocolate ganache and sprinkled with crushed candy cane, what more could your holidays want? These decadent and dairy-free peppermint brownies are a one-bowl recipe perfect for any holiday gathering.

A small white plate with one peppermint brownie in the bottom left with a parchment paper of sliced peppermint brownies in the back right.

These fudgy peppermint brownies take everything you love about a classic chocolate brownie and kick it up a notch for the holidays with a kiss of peppermint. With a subtle peppermint flavor in the brownie and a luscious mint chocolate ganache there is no better way to do up the holidays than with these delicious and dairy-free brownies.

Made in one bowl and ready in a half-hour, there is no excuse to skip these dairy-free peppermint brownies this winter. Whip up a batch and dish them out with a warm mug or two of peppermint hot chocolate, you truly can’t go wrong!

Reasons to Love these Peppermint Brownies

If you are a chocoholic like me then you probably don’t need too many reasons to mosey on over to the kitchen and whip up a batch of these fudgy mint chocolate brownies.

  • One bowl recipe makes clean up from this mint chocolate brownie a breeze!
  • Ready in about 30 minutes so you really don’t have to wait too long for fudgy brownie goodness!
  • Mint + Chocolaty Goodness. What more could you want this holiday season?!?

How to Make Dairy-Free Peppermint Brownies

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Vegan butter– Melted and cooled. I used Country Crock’s Plant-Based Butter sticks for this recipe.
  • Sugar– Granulated sugar sweetens this decadent brownie recipe.
  • Eggs– Two room temperature eggs help bind the brownies together.
  • Vanilla + Peppermint– Gives a hint of minty flavor.
  • Flour + Salt– Provides structure and brings out the chocolaty flavor.
  • Cocoa Powder– Sifted to remove any clumps.
  • Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips– For an extra boost of chocolate!
  • Mint chocolate ganache– Made with a mix if dairy-free chocolate chips, non-dairy milk, peppermint extract, and crushed candy canes.
Ingredients for peppermint brownies on a white counter with a red and white dish towel to the right.

Step-By-Step Directions

  • Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set to the side.
  • Melt vegan butter: In a large mixing bowl, melt plant-based butter and allow to cool.
  • Add wet ingredients: Once cooled add sugar, eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
  • Whisk to combine the wet ingredients.
  • Sift dry ingredients: Over the wet ingredients sift, flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mixture until combined.
  • Add chocolate chips and fold into the brownie batter.
  • Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared 8×8-inch baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.
  • Cool: Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you make the peppermint ganache.
  • Get chocolate ready: In a medium-sized mixing bowl add dairy-free chocolate chips.
  • Heat non-dairy milk: In a microwave safe liquid measuring cup heat non-dairy milk in the microwave for about 45 seconds.
  • Pour and rest: Pour the hot non-dairy milk over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes.
  • Stir to mix the non-dairy milk and dairy-free chocolate chips. Heat an additional 10-15 seconds if the chocolate chips do not all melt into the dairy-free milk.
  • Flavor: Add the peppermint extract and stir to combine.
  • Frost: Pour the ganache over the brownies and spread to frost.
  • Garnish: Sprinkle the top with crushed peppermint candy canes and slice to serve.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

Here are just a few different tools used in this recipe to help make it flow.

  • Glass Mixing Bowls– Microwave safe and perfect for whipping up these seasonal chocolate brownies.
  • 8×8-inch Baking Pan– Gives you perfectly squared corners and is super easy to clean!
  • Fine-mesh strainer– Instead of having a sifter, I used a fine mesh strainer to sift dry ingredients.

Dairy-Free Changes to Peppermint Brownies

To help keeps these decadent brownies deliciously dairy-free, here are the swaps I made with dairy-free ingredients.

  • Plant-based butter- Swap the regular butter for plant-based butter, I used Country Crock Plant Butter.
  • Cocoa powder- Be sure to check that you are using a vegan/dairy-free cocoa powder.
  • Chocolate chips- Swap semi-sweet chocolate chips for a dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips for both the brownie batter and the mint chocolate ganache.
  • Non-dairy milk– I used oat milk to help make the mint chocolate ganache.
A peppermint brownie topped with crushed peppermint pulled away from the rest of the sliced brownies on a piece of parchment paper.

Storing and Serving Suggestions

The two best ways to store these decadent brownies include:

  • Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
  • Freezer: Stash these mint chocolate brownies in the freezer, in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. (Ours lasted less than a week…)

When you are ready to indulge in these deliciously dairy-free mint chocolate brownies, here are my favorite ways to dish them out.

More Holiday Treats to Bake Next

If you tried this Chocolate Peppermint Brownie recipe feel free to leave a comment below, I would love to hear how it went! You can also snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!

Check out my newsletter for even more dairy-free goodness!

A stack of three white plates topped with one peppermint brownie with a bite taken out.

Peppermint Brownies with Mint Chocolate Ganache

Decadent and dairy-free these delicious peppermint brownies topped with a mint chocolate ganache are the holiday treat your winter needs!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Brownie, Chocolate, Christmas, Holiday, Mint Chocolate, Peppermint
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 16 brownies

Ingredients

Mint Chocolate Brownies

  • ½ cup Plant-Based Butter melted and cooled
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon Peppermint Extract
  • ¾ cup Flour all-purpose
  • ½ cup Cocoa Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • ¼ cup Chocolate Chips dairy-free

Mint Chocolate Ganache

  • 1 cup Chocolate Chips dairy-free
  • ¼ cup Non-dairy Milk
  • ¼ teaspoon Peppermint Extract
  • Crushed Candy Canes to top

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set to the side.

  2. In a large mixing bowl, melt ½ cup plant-based butter and allow to cool.

  3. Once cooled add 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ teaspoon peppermint extract. Whisk to combine the wet ingredients.

  4. Over the wet ingredients sift, ¾ cup flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredient mixture until combined. Add ¼ cup chocolate chips and fold into the brownie batter.

  6. Pour the batter into the prepared 8×8-inch baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.

  7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while you make the peppermint ganache.

  8. In a medium-sized mixing bowl add 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips.

  9. In a microwave safe liquid measuring cup heat ¼ cup non-dairy milk in the microwave for about 45 seconds.

  10. Pour the hot non-dairy milk over the chocolate chips and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir to mix the non-dairy milk and dairy-free chocolate chips.

  11. Heat an additional 10-15 seconds if the chocolate chips do not all melt into the dairy-free milk. Add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract and stir to combine.

  12. Pour the ganache over the brownies and spread to frost.

  13. Sprinkle the top with crushed peppermint candy canes and slice to serve.

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