Peppermint Brownie Christmas Trees

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These Peppermint Brownie Christmas Trees are simple, festive, and guaranteed to to be a crowd-pleaser. They’re chocolatey, minty and so easy to make using a simple cake box mix. Whether you’re planning your next Christmas party, searching for easy Christmas desserts made with cake box mix, or looking for Christmas sweets for party tables, this recipe checks all the boxes.

You don’t need any fancy baking skills for this one. Just a brownie mix, some white icing, crushed candy canes, and a few star sprinkles. These Xmas party ideas food treats are a great project to make with kids or as a last-minute easy Christmas dessert when you need something that looks like you spent hours but actually took less than 30 minutes of hands-on time.

The combination of rich chocolate brownies, cool peppermint, and creamy frosting gives that perfect holiday flavor balance—sweet, refreshing, and indulgent. Serve them at your Christmas party, gift them in treat boxes, or bring them along to any festive get-together. Everyone will love these bite-sized Christmas trees that taste as good as they look.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Festive & fun: The layered “tree” look makes these stand out on any dessert table.
• Easy to make: Uses boxed brownie mix for guaranteed results every time.
• Customizable: Swap icing colors, add edible glitter, or use chocolate frosting instead of white.
• Kid-friendly: Perfect for letting kids help assemble and decorate.
• Ideal for gifting: Wrap them individually in cellophane for adorable edible gifts.

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix (plus ingredients listed on the package): Any brand works fine. You’ll typically need eggs, oil, and water. If you prefer fudgier brownies, reduce the water slightly.
• 1 tub white icing (or homemade): Vanilla or cream cheese frosting both complement the peppermint flavor perfectly. You can tint it green with gel food coloring for a more tree-like look.
• Crushed candy canes: Adds crunch and that signature peppermint bite. You can also use peppermint candies or sprinkles if that’s what you have on hand.
• Silver star sprinkles: For a festive finishing touch. Gold or white also look great.

Equipment: Circle cookie cutters (3 graduated sizes), piping bag, and a large piping tip (like Wilton 2D or 1M).

How To Make Christmas Tree Brownies

Prep your pan: Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. This makes removing and cutting brownies much easier.

Make the brownies: Prepare the mix according to package instructions. Bake until the edges are firm and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean.

Cool completely: Let the brownies cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then lift them out using the parchment. Chill in the freezer for about 10 minutes so they’re easier to cut cleanly.

Cut out the circles: Using three cookie cutters (small, medium, and large), cut circles from the cooled brownies. Each “tree” will need one of each size.

Prepare your frosting bag: Fit your piping bag with a large star tip and fill it with icing.

Assemble the trees:

Place the largest brownie circle on a flat surface or plate. Pipe a layer of icing over it.

Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top.

Stack the medium circle, pipe another icing layer, and add more peppermint.

Finish with the smallest circle. Pipe a swirl of icing on top, sprinkle with peppermint pieces, and top with a silver star sprinkle.

Repeat: Continue assembling until you’ve used all the brownie circles.

You should end up with around 6 beautiful brownie Christmas trees.

Storage & Serving Tips

• Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5.
• Make ahead: Bake brownies a day early, then decorate before serving.
• Serving: Serve at room temperature for the best texture and flavor. These pair beautifully with hot chocolate, coffee, or eggnog.

Variations

• Mint-chocolate lovers: Add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract to your brownie batter.
• Colorful frosting: Use green frosting for a realistic look or red for a fun candy-cane vibe.
• Decoration ideas: Add mini M&Ms, gold sugar pearls, or drizzle with melted white chocolate.
• Dairy-free: Use dairy-free brownie mix and coconut oil-based frosting.

FAQ

Can I use homemade brownies instead of a box mix?
Absolutely. Any dense, fudgy brownie recipe works great—just avoid cakey brownies, as they won’t hold their shape as well.

Do I need to chill the brownies before cutting?
Yes. Chilling them briefly helps prevent crumbling and makes stacking much cleaner.

Can I make these in advance?
Yes, you can bake and cut the brownies up to two days ahead, then decorate on the day of your party.

Can I freeze them?
You can freeze undecorated brownie circles for up to a month. Thaw, then frost and decorate before serving.

How do I make them more “tree-like”?
Tint your icing green, pipe in upward swirls, and add small colored sprinkles as “ornaments”.