Double-Chocolate Peppermint Brownies

This holiday season, I ordered Martha Stewart’s Holiday Cookie Box. It is similar to a meal delivery kit, but this a baking kit that comes complete with recipes and all of the ingredients needed for 4 different types of Christmas cookies. This recipe is the first that I have made out of the baking box, and I absolutely love it! The brownies are perfectly crunchy on the outside and gooey on the inside….and the peppermint! Absolutely delicious. I will be baking these next year for sure! And maybe again in a couple of weeks ;)…… Definitely don’t forget a nice cold glass of milk with this one.

3 oz. peppermint candies
1 stick unsalted butter
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Coat the inside of an 8 inch square baking dish with cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper. Unwrap the peppermint candies, transfer to a ziplock type bag and crush with a meat mallet or rolling pin, leaving some larger pieces.

Place the butter and the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl; set the bowl over (but not touching) the pan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar. Whisk in 3 large eggs, 1 at a time, until combined. Whisk in cocoa powder and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the flour and 2/3 of the crushed peppermints to the batter and stir until combined.

Scrape mixture into the baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining crushed peppermints. Bake until set or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool at least 2 hours before removing from the pan. Lift parchment to remove from pan; peel off parchment.
Cut into 16, 2-inch squares. Enjoy!