These fudgy peppermint patty brownies are dark, moist, and about as easy as from-scratch brownies get. All you need are some pantry staples plus a bag of York Peppermint Patties. They’re also a wonderful recipe to make with kids, with real jobs for little hands and a result that looks far more impressive than the effort involved.
Some folks fall in love with the combination of chocolate and peppermint as youngsters: the tingling rush of cool mint across the taste buds is a gorgeous sensation. Some of us develop a taste for it later in life, appreciating the complex relationship of dark, rich chocolate and luminous, bright mint… along with perhaps a sip of scotch or sherry. And a crackling fire in the fireplace. And someone special to chat with.
Why You’ll Love These Peppermint Patty Brownies
If you want a recipe that will actually get made on a busy weeknight, this one delivers. It’s easy. The batter comes together with simple stirring, and there’s no mixer to haul out. It’s fun. Kids get the thrill of hiding chopped peppermint patties between two layers of batter, then decorating the top with whole patties that soften in the oven. And it’s impressive. The texture is fudge-like and moist, with pockets of cool mint inside and creamy melted patties on top. The brownies cut into squares that are easy to pack up and share.
Peppermint Patty Brownies for School, Parties, and Trick-or-Treaters
Halloween Brownies to Share at School
Cut into squares, these brownies are easy to pack for a class celebration or a lunchbox treat, and kids feel proud handing out something they made themselves. Check your school’s policy on homemade treats first, since many classrooms have rules about ingredients and allergies.
A Halloween Party Dessert That Looks Fancy
On a party table, the melted peppermint patties on top look like you fussed for hours. Let the kids plan a design for the top, like some colorful Halloween-themed cookies sprinkles. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream made with a drop or two of mint extract, or all on their own.
Homemade Treats for Special Trick-or-Treaters
For the neighbors and friends who deserve something better than fun-size candy, wrap a cooled brownie square individually in cellophane or wax paper and tie it with ribbon. Homemade treats are best saved for friends, neighbors, and families you know. Add a small tag listing the ingredients: these brownies contain eggs, butter, and wheat flour, and York Peppermint Patties are not dairy-free.
Ingredient Notes: Peppermint Patties, Cocoa, and Flour
York Peppermint Patties. This candy is a Pennsylvania original, which makes it a hometown favorite for TABLE’s Western Pennsylvania readers. Henry Kessler, owner of the York Cone Company in York, Pennsylvania, introduced it in 1940 and named it for the town where it began and for its round “pattie” center. Every pattie originally had to pass a “snap test,” breaking cleanly down the middle, or it wasn’t packaged for sale. Locals would come to the plant to scoop up the imperfect batches. Hershey acquired the brand in 1988. In these brownies, chopped patties melt into pockets inside the batter, and whole patties on top soften into creamy mint.
Special Dark cocoa. Dark cocoa gives the brownies a deep chocolate flavor that stands up to the mint. Stirring the cocoa with baking soda, then melted butter and hot water, helps it dissolve into a uniform batter.
King Arthur unbleached flour. King Arthur was founded in Boston in 1790 as Henry Wood & Company and is considered the first flour company in the United States. Today it is employee-owned and based in Norwich, Vermont.
Tips for Making Peppermint Patty Brownies
This recipe is as simple as can be. The only trick is to pour only half the batter into the pan before adding chopped peppermint patties, and then covering them with the other half. Keep the chopped candy from touching the sides of the pan, where it can melt and stick. Placing whole patties on top about 10 minutes before baking is complete gives just enough time for gentle melting and the gorgeous appearance of a bit of creamy mint. The texture is fudge-like and moist. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, or all on their own. Enjoy!
Stir until uniform. After adding the hot water and vanilla, keep stirring until the batter is combined and uniform, then add the sugar, eggs, and flour one at a time.
Let them cool. Wait until the brownies reach room temperature before slicing. Patience gives you neat squares.
Lift them out carefully. Inevitably, some of the chopped candy will melt onto the bottom of the pan. Use a metal spatula and a little patience for successful removal.
How Kids Can Help Make Peppermint Patty Brownies
Kids can measure and stir the dry ingredients, unwrap the peppermint patties (a job that usually comes with a little sampling), spread the batter, and scatter the chopped candy in the pan. Adults should handle the melted butter, hot water, knife work, and oven.
Looking for more? See our easy Halloween treats to make with kids, and browse TABLE’s Cooking with Kids and Desserts recipes.
Storing and Wrapping Peppermint Patty Brownies
Let the brownies cool completely, then store them in an airtight container for up to a week. For school, parties, or trick-or-treaters, wrap squares individually.
Print
Simple Fudgy Peppermint Patty Brownies
- Total Time: About 60 minutes
- Yield: 8 to 10 brownies 1x
Description
Fudgy dark cocoa brownies with chopped York Peppermint Patties baked inside and whole patties melted on top. An easy chocolate-mint recipe kids can help make.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Hershey’s Cocoa, Special Dark 100% Cacao
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¾ cup butter, divided into two parts
- ½ cup hot water
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups King Arthur unbleached flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 12 York Peppermint Pattys, roughly chopped
- 6 York Peppermint Pattys, whole
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease a 12” baking pan.
- Melt butter.
- Stir together cocoa, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Add butter and mix well.
- Add hot water and vanilla. Stir until combined and uniform.
- Add sugar and eggs. Stir until combined.
- Add flour and stir until combined.
- Spread half of the mixture into the greased baking pan.
- Place chopped peppermint pattys evenly over the mixture. Try to be sure there’s no contact between candy and sides of the pan.
- Spread remaining batter over the peppermint pattys.
- Bake approximately 30 minutes. Remove from oven and place whole pattys on top. Return immediately to oven for approximately 10 min.
- Let cool until room temperature before slicing into squares.
- Carefully remove with a metal spatula. Inevitably, some of the chopped candy will melt onto the bottom of the pan, but a little patience will allow for successful removal.
- Serve with a glass of milk… or a bit of scotch or sherry for the grown-ups.
- Prep Time: About 20 minutes
- Cook Time: About 40 minutes (30 minutes, then 10 minutes with the whole patties on top)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie
- Calories: Approximately 645 calories per brownie
Peppermint Patty Brownie FAQs
Can kids help make peppermint patty brownies?
Yes. Kids can measure, stir, unwrap the patties, spread the batter, and scatter the chopped candy. Adults should handle the melted butter, hot water, knife work, and oven.
How do I keep the candy from sticking to the pan?
Keep the chopped patties from touching the sides of the pan. Some candy will still melt onto the bottom, so let the brownies cool to room temperature and lift the squares out with a metal spatula.
When do I add the whole peppermint patties on top?
After the brownies have baked for about 30 minutes. Set the whole patties on top and return the pan to the oven right away for about 10 more minutes.
Can I give these brownies to trick-or-treaters?
Yes, for friends, neighbors, and families you know. Wrap each square individually and add an ingredient tag. The brownies contain eggs, butter, and wheat flour, and York Peppermint Patties are not dairy-free.
Are these brownies fudgy or cakey?
Fudgy. The texture is fudge-like and moist.
Are you still hungry for brownies?
Try TABLE Magazine’s fantastic recipe for customizable Boyfriend Brownies.
About the Author and Photographer
Keith Recker is Editor in Chief and Co-Owner of TABLE Magazine. A color and trend forecaster for nearly 20 years, his clients have included Pantone, WGSN, Stylus, and the Color Association of the United States. He is the author of three books on color, including Deep Color: The Shades That Shape Our Souls and True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments, and co-founder of the Open Source Colour Association. Read more of his work here or contact him at keith@tablemagazine.com.
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.
