How to Make Brownie Christmas Trees
Preheat the oven and prepare your baking pan., Melt the butter and chocolate., Beat a wet brownie batter., Whisk the dry ingredients and add them to the wet brownie batter., Bake the brownies., Soften the frosting ingredients., Beat the cream cheese...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare your baking pan.
Turn on the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
Get out a rimmed half-sheet pan that measures 13x18-inches (33 x 45 cm).
It should be about 1-inch deep.
Spray the pan with baking spray or butter and flour the pan so the brownies won't stick.If you don't have the time to bake brownies for the Christmas trees, you can use purchased brownies that are already baked.
You just may not get as many brownie Christmas trees out of a smaller pan of brownies. -
Step 2: Melt the butter and chocolate.
Place a double boiler on the stove or use a saucepan if you don't have a double boiler.
Fill the saucepan or boiler with an inch (2.5 cm) of water and bring it to a simmer.
Set a heat-proof bowl over the pan and add 1 pound (454 g) of unsalted butter, 16 ounces (453 g) of the semisweet chocolate chips, and 6 ounces (170 g) of chopped unsweetened chocolate.
Stir the chocolate as it melts.
Set it aside to cool as you mix the rest of the brownies.You could also melt the butter and chocolate in a microwave.
Just use a microwave-safe bowl and stir the mixture every 30 seconds until it's melted. , Get out a large mixing bowl and add 6 large eggs, 3 tablespoons of instant coffee granules, 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract, and 2 1/4 cups (450 g) of sugar.
Beat the wet mixture with an electric hand or stand mixer until it's combined.
Slowly stir in the melted butter and chocolate mixture until it's incorporated.The espresso powder will enhance the flavor of the chocolate and won't make the brownies taste like coffee.
If you like, you can leave it out. , Get out a medium-sized mixing bowl and add 1 cup (125 g) of the flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Whisk the dry ingredients together and then add it to the chocolate brownie batter in the larger mixing bowl.
Mix the remaining 12 ounces (350 g) of chocolate chips with the remaining 1/4 cup (25 g) of flour.
Stir this into the brownie batter.Tossing the chocolate chips in with the flour prevents the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the brownies as they bake. , Spread the brownie batter into the prepared half-sheet pan.
Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
The brownies should begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.
Remove the brownies and let them cool completely.Ensure that you don't over bake the brownies or they may be difficult to cut into Christmas tree shapes. , Set out 1/2 cup (115 g) of butter and 8 ounces (225 g) of cream cheese on the counter.
Let them warm up until they're at room temperature and are soft to the touch.It's important that the butter and cream cheese are soft.
If they're cold when you beat them together, you may get lumps in the frosting. , Put the softened cream cheese and butter into a large mixing bowl.
Use the beater attachment on a stand or electric mixer and beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed.
Beat the mixture for a few minutes until they're light and fluffy.Beating the cream cheese and butter is important since this will prevent your frosting from having pockets of butter or cream cheese. , Gradually beat in 3 1/2 to 4 cups (437 to 500 g) of powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Set the mixer speed to low so that the powdered sugar doesn't fly out of the mixing bowl.
You can eventually increase the speed to medium.
The frosting should be smooth and creamy.You may want to taste the frosting and add additional vanilla according to your taste. , Remove the cooled brownies from the pan by flipping the pan out onto a cutting board.
Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies into triangles.
You can make them all the same size or cut them into different types of triangles to make different shapes of Christmas trees.You could also use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to press out the brownie trees.
This will also give your trees more branches and definition. , Break or roughly cut a candy cane into two pieces that are about
1.5-inches (3.75 cm) long.
Repeat this for all 12 candy canes.
Insert one of the small straight pieces into the base of each brownie tree.Consider saving the curved parts of the candy canes that you don't use for the base.
You can crush these and sprinkle them on the Christmas tree brownies. , If you'd like to make green frosting for the Christmas trees, you can add a little bit of food coloring gel to the cream cheese frosting.
Dip a toothpick into the gel so that you get a little on the end.
Run this through the frosting.
Beat the frosting so the color is incorporated.
Continue adding the food coloring until you get the shade you'd like.
Avoid using standard liquid food coloring since this can cause the frosting to clump up. , Spoon the cream cheese frosting into a pastry bag with your favorite pastry tip.
Pipe the frosting onto each brownie tree, moving back and forth as you go so it looks like garland.If you don't have a pastry bag, you could scoop the frosting into a large freezer bag.
Cut a 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) hole in one corner of the plastic bag so you can squeeze the frosting out. , Use your imagination to sprinkle the frosted brownie Christmas trees with a variety of edible decorations.
Once they're decorated, you can refrigerate the brownies in an airtight container until you're ready to serve them.
Consider decorating the brownies with:
Crushed peppermint candies Colored sugar Colored sprinkles -
Step 3: Beat a wet brownie batter.
-
Step 4: Whisk the dry ingredients and add them to the wet brownie batter.
-
Step 5: Bake the brownies.
-
Step 6: Soften the frosting ingredients.
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Step 7: Beat the cream cheese and butter.
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Step 8: Add the powdered sugar and vanilla.
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Step 9: Cut the brownies into triangles.
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Step 10: Insert a candy cane into the base of each tree brownie.
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Step 11: Consider tinting the frosting green.
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Step 12: Frost the brownie trees with cream cheese frosting.
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Step 13: Decorate the brownie Christmas trees.
Detailed Guide
Turn on the oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
Get out a rimmed half-sheet pan that measures 13x18-inches (33 x 45 cm).
It should be about 1-inch deep.
Spray the pan with baking spray or butter and flour the pan so the brownies won't stick.If you don't have the time to bake brownies for the Christmas trees, you can use purchased brownies that are already baked.
You just may not get as many brownie Christmas trees out of a smaller pan of brownies.
Place a double boiler on the stove or use a saucepan if you don't have a double boiler.
Fill the saucepan or boiler with an inch (2.5 cm) of water and bring it to a simmer.
Set a heat-proof bowl over the pan and add 1 pound (454 g) of unsalted butter, 16 ounces (453 g) of the semisweet chocolate chips, and 6 ounces (170 g) of chopped unsweetened chocolate.
Stir the chocolate as it melts.
Set it aside to cool as you mix the rest of the brownies.You could also melt the butter and chocolate in a microwave.
Just use a microwave-safe bowl and stir the mixture every 30 seconds until it's melted. , Get out a large mixing bowl and add 6 large eggs, 3 tablespoons of instant coffee granules, 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract, and 2 1/4 cups (450 g) of sugar.
Beat the wet mixture with an electric hand or stand mixer until it's combined.
Slowly stir in the melted butter and chocolate mixture until it's incorporated.The espresso powder will enhance the flavor of the chocolate and won't make the brownies taste like coffee.
If you like, you can leave it out. , Get out a medium-sized mixing bowl and add 1 cup (125 g) of the flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Whisk the dry ingredients together and then add it to the chocolate brownie batter in the larger mixing bowl.
Mix the remaining 12 ounces (350 g) of chocolate chips with the remaining 1/4 cup (25 g) of flour.
Stir this into the brownie batter.Tossing the chocolate chips in with the flour prevents the chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom of the brownies as they bake. , Spread the brownie batter into the prepared half-sheet pan.
Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
The brownies should begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean.
Remove the brownies and let them cool completely.Ensure that you don't over bake the brownies or they may be difficult to cut into Christmas tree shapes. , Set out 1/2 cup (115 g) of butter and 8 ounces (225 g) of cream cheese on the counter.
Let them warm up until they're at room temperature and are soft to the touch.It's important that the butter and cream cheese are soft.
If they're cold when you beat them together, you may get lumps in the frosting. , Put the softened cream cheese and butter into a large mixing bowl.
Use the beater attachment on a stand or electric mixer and beat the butter and cream cheese on medium-high speed.
Beat the mixture for a few minutes until they're light and fluffy.Beating the cream cheese and butter is important since this will prevent your frosting from having pockets of butter or cream cheese. , Gradually beat in 3 1/2 to 4 cups (437 to 500 g) of powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Set the mixer speed to low so that the powdered sugar doesn't fly out of the mixing bowl.
You can eventually increase the speed to medium.
The frosting should be smooth and creamy.You may want to taste the frosting and add additional vanilla according to your taste. , Remove the cooled brownies from the pan by flipping the pan out onto a cutting board.
Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies into triangles.
You can make them all the same size or cut them into different types of triangles to make different shapes of Christmas trees.You could also use a Christmas tree cookie cutter to press out the brownie trees.
This will also give your trees more branches and definition. , Break or roughly cut a candy cane into two pieces that are about
1.5-inches (3.75 cm) long.
Repeat this for all 12 candy canes.
Insert one of the small straight pieces into the base of each brownie tree.Consider saving the curved parts of the candy canes that you don't use for the base.
You can crush these and sprinkle them on the Christmas tree brownies. , If you'd like to make green frosting for the Christmas trees, you can add a little bit of food coloring gel to the cream cheese frosting.
Dip a toothpick into the gel so that you get a little on the end.
Run this through the frosting.
Beat the frosting so the color is incorporated.
Continue adding the food coloring until you get the shade you'd like.
Avoid using standard liquid food coloring since this can cause the frosting to clump up. , Spoon the cream cheese frosting into a pastry bag with your favorite pastry tip.
Pipe the frosting onto each brownie tree, moving back and forth as you go so it looks like garland.If you don't have a pastry bag, you could scoop the frosting into a large freezer bag.
Cut a 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) hole in one corner of the plastic bag so you can squeeze the frosting out. , Use your imagination to sprinkle the frosted brownie Christmas trees with a variety of edible decorations.
Once they're decorated, you can refrigerate the brownies in an airtight container until you're ready to serve them.
Consider decorating the brownies with:
Crushed peppermint candies Colored sugar Colored sprinkles
About the Author
Laura Ford
Experienced content creator specializing in crafts guides and tutorials.
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