Christmas Brownies
Description
Move over sugar cookies, the traditional brownie is here to show off with sweet frosting and candy decorations just in time for the Christmas season!
Ingredients
•
1/2 cup unsalted butter
•
1 cup white sugar
•
2 large eggs
•
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
•
1/4 teaspoon salt
•
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
•
1 cup shortening
•
4 cups confectioners' sugar
•
3 fluid ounces heavy cream, or more as needed
•
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•
1/4 teaspoon salt
•
2 drops green gel food coloring, or as desired
•
edible candy decorations
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.
2
Melt butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
3
Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
4
Meanwhile cream shortening for frosting until fluffy. Gradually add confectioner's sugar and continue beating until creamy and well blended. Add 3 ounces cream, vanilla, and salt and blend on low speed until moistened. Add up to 1 more ounce cream if necessary. Beat on high speed until frosting is fluffy.
5
Transfer 1/2 of the frosting into another bowl and mix in green gel food coloring to get your preferred shade of green.
6
Use a tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 8 Christmas trees from the pan of cooled brownies.
7
Pipe green and white frostings onto cooled brownies to look like snow-covered trees. Decorate with candies.