Healthy Peppermint Brownies with Chocolate Frosting

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These Healthy Peppermint Brownies with Chocolate Frosting are the perfect dessert for any occasion ALL December long! So rich and fudgy with the perfect pop of sweet peppermint! They’ll be eaten right up!!!!

If you are a chocoholic, you’re going to FLIP over these Healthy Peppermint Brownies with Chocolate Frosting!

These brownies are so incredibly chocolatey and are lathered in the richest chocolate frosting. I don’t know why I haven’t thought to add frosting to brownies before, but now I am HOOKED! But there’s more. They’re also filled with delicious and refreshing peppermint flavor thanks to some peppermint extract in the batter and peppermint baking chips on top! What an indulgent dessert to help ring in the holiday season! 😋

I can’t go without mentioning that these peppermint brownies are also lightened up and healthier than your traditional brownie. But no one will ever know! (Unless you tell them. But I bet they won’t even care because they’re so DANG GOOD) Bring these amazing brownies to a holiday party or make them with your family and you can be sure they’ll be eaten right up!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE PEPPERMINT BROWNIES

They’re refreshing while still incredibly indulgent.
The brownies are fudgy with rich, gooey frosting and creamy crunchy peppermint chips!
You get rich chocolate and peppermint flavor in each bite.
Lightened up and lower calorie than your traditional brownie recipe with some added protein!
Festive, fancy, and way easy to make 🙌🏼
They do not taste healthy for A SECONDDDD!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

For the brownies:

Protein powder – I used PEScience Peppermint Bark, but a vanilla flavor works great, too! Not all protein powders bake the same, so keep that in mind when choosing one for this recipe. A whey + casein blend or a plant based blend would likely bring about the best texture. For all PEScience products, you can use code Laurenfitfoodie to save 10%.
Oat flour – White all-purpose and Bob’s 1:1 gluten free flour also work here.
Cocoa powder – You can use normal, dark, or black cocoa! I used normal cocoa powder.
Sweetener – I used Swerve Granular Sweetener. Any sweetener works.
Baking powder & baking soda – To help our brownies rise in the oven.
Canned pumpkin
Light butter – I used I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spreadable butter.
Peppermint extract
Milk – I used unsweetened almond milk. Any kind will work here.
Chocolate chips – I used semi-sweet (my favorite kind of chocolate) to mix in!

For the chocolate frosting and topping:

Cocoa powder – I used normal cocoa powder.
Protein powder – I used PEScience Vanilla.
Nut butter – Drippy is best! I like using cashew because you don’t taste the nut as much in the frosting!
Pancake syrup – I used sugar-free, but pure maple syrup works, too.
Milk – I used unsweetened almond milk. You can use your milk of choice.
Peppermint baking chips – To sprinkle on top! I used Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips. These chips aren’t just like broken up candy canes. They’re creamy like a white chocolate morsel with peppermint flavor! See the FAQ below if you need to substitute.

HOW TO MAKE THESE PEPPERMINT BROWNIES

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, add the protein powder, oat flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir dry ingredients until mixed well. Then, add the pumpkin, butter, peppermint extract, milk, and melted chocolate. Mix to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let brownies cool completely before adding frosting.
While the brownies are baking, mix all of the frosting ingredients together and beat until smooth. Set aside.
To frost, scoop dollops of frosting over the brownies and spread evenly. Sprinkle peppermint baking chips over top.
Cover and place in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours before slicing. It’s actually best to let these brownies sit overnight so the flavors can come together!

HOW TO STORE YOUR BROWNIES

Store these brownies in the fridge, covered, for up to a week.

I used a baking dish with a lid (this 8-inch Square Glass Baking Dish from Amazon) to avoid messy saran wrap.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: PEPPERMINT BROWNIES

Do I need to use oat flour in this recipe?

No, you don’t. All-purpose flour and 1:1 gluten-free flour will work great.

What if I can’t find Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips?

They sell Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips at most grocery stores during the holidays, but if you can’t find them, no worries! You can use a combination of broken up Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Squares and a crushed candy cane to create a similar texture/flavor. Or you can use your favorite peppermint bark brand/recipe!

Can I freeze these brownies?

Yes, these brownies do freeze well. The frosting can get a little messy, so if possible, freeze the brownies and add the frosting + chips later on. Just cut the brownies, wrap individually in aluminum foil, and store in an air tight freezer safe Ziploc bag. They will stay fresh for 3 months.

Can I leave out the protein powder?

You most certainly can. If you don’t want to add protein, you still need to maintain a similar wet/dry ratio of ingredients. So, just replace with the same amount of flour. One scoop of protein powder is about 1/4 cup of flour.

MORE YUMMY BROWNIE RECIPES

WANT TO MAKE THIS RECIPE?

If you try these peppermint brownies and love them, please rate this recipe!

You can also tag me on Instagram, @LaurenFitFoodie. It makes my day seeing your yummy recreations!

Yield: 12

Peppermint Brownies with Chocolate Frosting

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Brownies:

2 scoops chocolate or vanilla protein powder (62g)
1/4 cup oat flour (30g)
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp cocoa powder (40g)
1/4 cup Swerve granular sweetener (48g)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup canned pumpkin (244g)
2 Tbsp light butter (28g)
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk (30g)
2 Tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips, melted (30g)

Chocolate Frosting:

2 Tbsp cocoa powder (10g)
1/2 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder (15g)
1/4 cup nut butter (56g) - drippy is best
1/4 cup sugar free pancake syrup (60g)
2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk - or milk of choice (30g)

Topping:

2 Tbsp peppermint crunch chips (23g) - or your favorite peppermint bark broken into tiny pieces!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
In a large bowl, add the protein powder, oat flour, cocoa powder, sweetener, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir dry ingredients until mixed well. Then, add the pumpkin, butter, peppermint extract, milk, and melted chocolate. Mix to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a toothpick inserted in the center should still be slightly gooey (for a more moist texture!) Let brownies cool completely before adding frosting.
While the brownies are baking, mix all of the frosting ingredients together and beat until smooth. Set aside.
To frost, scoop dollops of frosting over the brownies and spread evenly. Sprinkle peppermint baking chips over top.
Cover and place in the fridge to chill for a minimum of 1-2 hours before slicing. For BEST texture and flavor, allow brownies to sit in the fridge overnight.

Notes

MFP entry: LFF Peppermint Brownies with Chocolate Frosting

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 brownie (56g)
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 122Total Fat: 5.2gSaturated Fat: 1.5gCarbohydrates: 10.8gFiber: 2.8gSugar: 4.5gProtein: 8g