Peppermint Bark Brownies
Brownie Form of a Holiday Favorite
Peppermint bark will always be a holiday staple in my house. I decided to put a spin on the original and make peppermint bark brownies. If you like peppermint bark, you will absolutely love these.
The base is a fudgy brownie, the second layer is a creamy vegan cream cheese base, finally, it is topped with chocolate and crushed candy canes.
Vegan butter: any vegan butter will work. Be sure it is melted. If you don’t want to use butter, you can also use liquid oil. If you aren’t vegan, you can use traditional butter.
Sugar: I used coconut sugar in this recipe. However, any granulated sugar will work, for example, monk fruit or white sugar.
Applesauce: : I always use unsweetened applesauce. Ideally, you want the only ingredients to be water and apples. You can use sweetened applesauce; however, I find it to be sweet enough from the frosting and candy canes.
Almond butter: I prefer almond butter in this recipe; however, any nut or seed butter will work. Be sure it is on the runnier side rather than the chunky side. Ideally, you want the only ingredient to be almonds or whatever nut/seed you’re using.
Nondairy milk: I always use unsweetened almond milk. Any nondairy milk will work. If you aren’t vegan, traditional milk also works.
Cacao powder: I like using cacao powder for the extra nutrients. If you don’t have this, unsweetened cocoa powder also works.
Almond flour: I haven’t tested any other flours in this recipe. The combination of almond flour and all-purpose flour create a good texture for the brownies.
All-purpose flour: I haven’t tested any other flours in this recipe.
Vegan cream cheese: you could substitute this with yogurt. Be sure the yogurt is on the thicker side rather than runny. You could also use traditional dairy cream cheese.
Coconut cream: this is the thick part from the top of a can of coconut milk. You must refrigerate the can for the thick part to form at the top.
Crushed candy canes: any candy canes will work. You could omit if you would like.
Chocolate chips: any chocolate will work.
Ingredients:
Vegan butter
Sugar
Applesauce
Almond butter
Nondairy milk
Peppermint extract
Baking powder
Cacao powder
Almond flour
All-purpose flour
Vegan cream cheese
Coconut cream
Chocolate
Crushed candy canes
Recipe:
Brownie layer:
¼ cup vegan butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup applesauce
1/3 cup almond butter
¼ cup nondairy milk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (can do more or less depending how much peppermint flavor you want)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup cacao powder
½ cup almond flour
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Middle layer:
½ cup vegan cream cheese
¼ cup coconut cream
1/3 cup sugar
Top:
1 cup chocolate
1/3 cup crushed candy cane (or however much you want)
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl melt the butter. Transfer to a larger bowl and add in the sugar, applesauce, almond butter, peppermint extract, and nondairy milk. Stir to combine.
3. Add in the baking powder, cacao powder, almond flour, and all-purpose flour. Stir until a batter is formed.
4. Transfer to the baking pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. While the brownies are baking, in a bowl combine the cream cheese, coconut cream, and sugar. Be sure there are no clumps. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator.
6. Once the brownies are done, allow to completely cool then add the middle layer. Spread evenly across the brownies. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, melt the chocolate and spread across the middle layer. Add the crushed candy canes. Place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. to allow everything to harden.
Be sure to store the brownies in the refrigerator in an airtight container. They should last up to one week. You can store them in the freezer to last longer.
Feel free to reach out with any questions! If you enjoy this recipe, it would help me a lot if you scrolled down and pressed the “like” button or left a comment!