Peppermint Brownies

A few weeks ago my brother-in-law mentioned how much he likes Starbucks peppermint brownies - that got my attention because I've been loving chocolate and peppermint together lately! So I decided to come up with a similar recipe to Starbucks. If you've had one from Starbucks, you will notice that mine don't have the extra layer of chocolate frosting on top. I decided that a decadent brownie topped with peppermint frosting was enough richness for my brownies!

Peppermint Brownies

(Printable Recipe)

Brownies:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp peppermint extract

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking pan.

In a large bowl whisk together first seven ingredients. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; beat until well combined.

Spread in prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Peppermint Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 T. water

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies

In a medium bowl beat butter until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar or more water if the consistency is too thin or too thick - you want the frosting to be spreadable, but not too thin.

Spread evenly over cooled brownies. Refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting into squares. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

To Die For Brownies

Seriously, these are the most amazing "from scratch" brownies I've ever made or eaten. My family and friends agree too! Yes, there are black beans in them, but no! you cannot tastes them at all!

The black beans take the place of oil and eggs and they also add good fiber and protein! Sounds pretty healthful to me...except for the outrageous amount of sugar. But all brownies I have ever made from scratch or from a box have a ton of sugar in them.

Ok, here's the recipe:

To Die For Brownies (adapted from $5 Dinners)
(Printable Version)

2 (15oz each) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 - 3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa (I used Hershy's Special Dark)
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 (12oz) pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Puree black beans in blender with water until smoothie like consistency. {I added a 1/2 cup of water first and then added a little more during blending}

Combine black bean mixture, sugar, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Mix with electric mixer until well combined.

Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until smooth.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan. {Feel free to lick the bowl since there are no eggs in it!}

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. {Mine were done in 30 minutes and they were a little gooey in the middle - Love that!}

Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

Brownie Bites

I made these adorable little brownie bites to give my family for Valentine's Day. They really are pretty easy even though there are several steps involved!

Brownie Bites
(Printable Version)
1 family size brownie mix
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 T milk
2 drops red food coloring
1 cup semisweet (or dark chocolate) chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the mini cupcake holders in a mini muffin tin. Make brownie mix according to package directions and fill muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool in pan 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl melt chocolate chips in microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and continue heating in 30 second increments as needed until all chips are melted. Spoon into a quart size ziplock bag. Let chocolate cool in bag 10-15 minutes. Cut the tip off the bag {just the very tip!}. Pipe chocolate into heart shapes onto waxed paper. Refrigerate until hard.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla, 2 T milk and food coloring. The mixture will not look like frosting. Beat for 5 minutes {this is very important!}. Add remaining tablespoon of milk as needed for the right consistency. You want the frosting to be light and fluffy so it will be easy to pipe onto the brownies. Fill a large ziplock bag or decorator's bag with frosting. You can use a large star tip, round tip, or no tip at all. I used a ziplock bag with just the icing coupler in it because I didn't have a large round tip.

Now you are ready to assemble the brownie bites! Pipe frosting onto cooled brownies starting at the edge of the brownie and ending at the center. Carefully remove chocolate hearts from waxed paper using a metal pancake turner. Gently stick a chocolate heart into the frosting on each brownie. You have to work fast because the chocolate will start to melt in your hands.

Yield: about 48

Enjoy!

Flourless Chocolate Brownies

Today I have been craving something chocolate...like cookies or brownies. A piece of dark chocolate just would not do! Since I have food allergies and I have to use a special kind of flour (expensive flour I might add), I was hoping to make something that didn't use flour. So I googled "flourless brownies" and I found this recipe. I tweaked it a little to suit my taste and this is what I came up with to satisfy my chocolate craving!

Flourless Chocolate Brownies

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate
1 cup butter
2/3 c. sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups ground almonds (I used a mixture of almonds, pecans and walnuts)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Over low heat in a heavy saucepan melt butter and chocolate together. Take the pan off heat and add the sugar and vanilla. Let the mixture cool a little.

Whisk the eggs into the chocolate mixture, then add the ground almonds (I ground up the nuts in my food processor. They were still a little mealy, but you don't want to grind them too much and make butter!)

Turn batter into a greased 9-inch square baking pan and bake 25-30 minutes (I baked mine for 30). The edges and most of the top will have set but it will still be a bit wiggly in the middle when shook. Allow to cool and then cut into 16 pieces and serve. Brownies will be fudgy and gooey.

Gluten-Free Brownies

My blogging friend SnoWhite posted this recipe on her blog awhile back. I finally got to make them this week! They are so yummy and no one would ever guess that they have no flour in them. There is one special ingredient...Jacob tried to guess, but couldn't get it right...

Black beans!!

I know it sounds weird, but don't write it off til you try them!

Gluten-Free Brownies

1 can (15.5 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
3 eggs
3 T olive oil (I used vegetable oil because I was out of olive oil)
1/4 C cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C white sugar
1/2 C chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 8x8 or 7x11 pan (I used 7x11).
2. In your blender, combine the beans, eggs and oil. Then, puree the mixture. Scrape down the sides several times to make sure everything gets evenly pureed.
3. Add in the cocoa, sugar, baking powder, pinch of salt and vanilla and puree until smooth. Scrape down the sides again to get everything mixed in.
4. Pour the brownie mixture in the pan.
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top of the brownies.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Hope you enjoy! The brownies will be gooey and have a different (but good!) texture.