Double Chocolate Peppermint Brownies {vegan}

It’s Friday in mid-December, so it’s only right that we celebrate with a holiday-ish dessert recipe, am I right?

I am pretty excited about this recipe my friends! I have been mildly obsessed with the combination of chocolate + mint all year long, but it’s gone into overdrive over the past month. Mint is a holiday season favorite, and let’s be honest: chocolate is a favorite every damn day.

I’m also psyched about this recipe because I’ve been craving brownies for awhile now, and when I finally came up with a brownie recipe, it was a yummy success… a vegan success at that! There are no eggs or dairy in this recipe whatsoever. Although I eat dairy sometimes, I wanted to challenge myself with coming up with a vegan brownie recipe. And this is my first EVER brownie recipe posted on the blog!

In place of eggs and butter, I used flaxseed eggs and Earth Balance vegan buttery spread, which is made with a variety of natural oils.

I tried using Earth Balance in a recipe forever ago and hated the way it tasted, so I had been shy with using it ever since then. But I decided to give it a go for brownie recipe testing, and ya know what? I did not mind it in the least bit! Looking back, I think it was the recipe itself that I didn’t care for, not necessarily the Earth Balance. Since I’ve been getting more and more picky with the dairy I eat, I now have a new appreciation for Earth Balance and will be using it more often.

To make the brownie batter, slowly melt Earth Balance and some bittersweet chocolate, then combine it with flax eggs, a combo of wheat & white flours, a bit of vegetable oil, peppermint extract, cocoa powder, and light brown and cane sugars.

While the brownie batter is cooking, make the frosting by beating together confectionary sugar, peppermint extract, almond milk, and more Earth Balance and cooca powder. If you’re anything like me, you won’t be able to stop licking the frosting. So good! 

Once the brownies are baked and cooled, spread the frosting evenly on top and cut into squares.

Now comes time to take out any anger or aggression that you have inside by beating some candy canes into little pieces. I used mini candy canes, which makes the job easier, and placed them in a plastic bag, then shattered them by hitting the candy with a mojito mint crushing gadget….anything that’ll get the job done works!

Sprinkle the crushed peppermint candy canes on top of the brownies, and you’re all set to indulge in your double chocolate peppermint brownies.

I hope that you like them as much as I do! I might have eaten two brownies before going to a HIIT workout earlier this week, and I was then bouncing off the walls on a chocolate/sugar high… not that I advise these to be eaten as a pre-workout snack, but hey, it happens! 😉

Double Chocolate Peppermint Brownies {vegan}

Foodie Loves Fitness

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Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 12

Calories 220 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the brownie batter:

• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped (ensure it's vegan if necessary - cocoa butter is vegan, milk fat is not)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance or other vegan buttery spread*
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 TBSP vegetable oil
• 2 TBSP ground flaxseed meal*
• 6 TBSP water*
• 1 TSP baking powder
• 1/2 TSP peppermint extract
• 1/2 TSP salt

For the peppermint frosting & topping:

• 1 cup confectionary sugar
• 2 TBSP almond milk*
• 2 TBSP Earth Balance or other vegan buttery spread*
• 2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 TSP peppermint extract
• 50 g/10 mini peppermint candy canes

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flaxseed meal and water. Stir and let it sit to thicken.
• Melt the 1/4 cup Earth balance in a small pot over low heat. Slowly add in the bittersweet chocolate, stirring often until it's melted and smooth.
• Pour the chocolate/buttery spread mixture into the mixing bowl. Add in the vegetable oil, peppermint extract, flaxseed mixture, light brown and cane sugars. Use an electric mixer to combine well.
• In another bowl, combine the flours, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Sift together, then slowly add into the wet mixture bowl. Beat until combined well.
• Pour the brownie batter into the pan, and bake for 17 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the batter.
• While the brownies are cooking, make the frosting: Combine all of the frosting ingredients except the candy canes in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer 3-5 minutes, or until it's smooth and creamy. Place frosting in the fridge to thicken up.
• Place the candy canes in a plastic bag and crush into tiny pieces. You can use a mojito mint crusher as I did, a meat tenderizer, or any kitchen gadget that'll break the candy up well.
• Once the brownies are done cooking, remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before spreading the frosting evenly on top.
• Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top, and cut into 12 squares. Stick the brownies in the fridge if you'd like the frosting to thicken up a bit before enjoying.

Notes

*Note: You can use regular butter, milk, and eggs in place of the Earth Balance, almond milk, and flax eggs (flaxseed meal + water) if you desire.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2.5gFiber: 2gSugar: 26g

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Tell me…. If you had to pick, which do you like the most: brownies, cookies or donuts?