Easy Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies

These brownies were a compilation of many different Christmas brownie recipes.  I was originally going to make these, but then I didn't feel like pulling together all kinds of chocolate and flour and sugar to actually make the brownies, so I used a box mix.  Dreadful, I know.  But I was making all the food for a huge group of high school kids, remember!  It would have been better from scratch, but I will put the boxed part of the recipe down below, and if you want to make them from scratch, use the recipe above or look up any number of good recipes online.  Anyways, moving on.

How can you move on from this?

Then, I went to swimming and, while I was there, Mom made the peppermint icing, from her own recipe.  I don't have it, so I'd recommend going with the original recipe, which I will put below.  Then, I wanted to make the ganache with cream, instead of butter. And I didn't really feel like measuring out my candy canes, so I didn't.  I just used two, which seemed like enough to me!

Brownie bites for a party.  I like when hosts cut their sweets small, so I can try just a little bit without feeling like a hog.

Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
Adapted liberally from Our Best Bites

1 boxed brownie mix, prepared according to package directions in a 9x13 pan
2 candy canes, crushed (I left them in the wrappers and rapped them with an ice cream scoop to crush them)

For the Peppermint Frosting:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbs. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 Tbs. milk
Red/pink food coloring

For the Chocolate Ganache:
6 oz. (1 cup, 1/2 a package) semisweet chocolate chips
5 T cream


Let your baked brownies chill in the fridge.  When they are completely cooled, mix all the ingredients for the peppermint frosting together until light and fluffy.  Spread on top of the brownies.  Place back in the fridge until frosting is set.

Melt the chocolate chips and cream in the microwave on 15-second intervals (I used the defrost setting, and it only took 45 seconds) until melted.  Sprinkle with the crushed candy cane and chill again until set.  Cut into squares and serve!