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About This Recipe
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!
The perfect “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!
And if you love all things peppermint like me this time of year, don’t miss my Skinny Peppermint Protein Milkshake! Or for more rich and fudgy goodness, try my Creamy Mint Brownies with Chocolate Ganache or Cherry Cheesecake Swirl Brownies!
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!
For the brownies:
- Protein powder – I used PEScience Peppermint Bark for the brownies and PEScience Vanilla for the frosting. But a vanilla flavor works great for both, 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 and sugar-free pancake syrup as my sweeteners. 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!
- Nut butter – Drippy is best! I like using cashew because you don’t taste the nut as much in the frosting!
- 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
- 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!
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.
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 Delicious Brownie Recipes To Try
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Healthy Peppermint Brownies with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Brownies:
- 1/2 cup chocolate, vanilla or peppermint 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) or milk of choice
- 2 Tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips (30g) melted
Chocolate Frosting:
- 2 Tbsp cocoa powder (10g)
- 1/2 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder (15g) 15g
- 1/4 cup nut butter (56g) drippy is best
- 1/4 cup sugar free pancake syrup (60g)
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk (30g) or milk of choice
Topping:
- 2 Tbsp peppermint crunch chips (23g) or your favorite peppermint bark broken into tiny pieces!
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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
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
