Mint Chocolate Brownies

When I was only four years old, we relocated from Wisconsin to Vermont, where I grew up until after I graduated college. Some of the kids I graduated high school with, I have known since pre-school. Several years after we moved to Vermont, a few mothers in my 2nd grade class got together to a organize a holiday cookie exchange. Twenty years later, it is still going on with most of the original moms and some new ones we have met along the way.

When I was little, I looked forward to the cookie exchange every Christmas. It meant a few things for me. I got to help my mom bake cookies and I had an excuse to see my friends on a school night. Plus I got to eat lots and lots of delicious homemade cookies. This year was the 20th anniversary of my Mom’s cookie exchange.

Chocolaty goodness

I thought it would be fun for my Mom and I to each make a recipe of her mother’s Mint Frosted Brownies on the weekend of the cookie exchange. Even though I am 3000 miles away, we constantly swap cooking advice, especially around this time of year. How do I make that again? These mint frosted brownies were one of my absolute favorite Christmas cookies that my grandmother used to make; I swear, this is how I became hooked on mint chocolate. Well Grandma’s recipe is true to it’s taste, the same way it was when I was a child.

The brownies are thick, the frosting is minimal and the ganache is a bite of sweet on top.

Mint Frosted Brownies
Make 1-1 ½ Dozen

3/4 C Flour

1/2 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 C Vegetable Shortening

2 Squares unsweetened chocolate

2 Eggs

1 C Sugar

1 tbsp Water

1 tsp Vanilla

2/3 C Chopped nuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Mix together dry ingredients and set aside.
Melt shortening and chocolate in the microwave in 20 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth.
Stir in eggs, sugar and water. Then add to dry ingredients; beat well. Add vanilla and nuts.
Bake in a greased 9” square pan for 25 minutes. Allow brownies to cool completely.

Spread batter in a 9″ square pan

Mint Frosting:
If you like a lot of frosting, double this recipe.

1 C Powdered sugar

2 tbsp Margarine (or butter at room temperature)

1 tbsp Cream (half and half or heavy cream)

1/4 tsp Mint extract

Green food coloring

Blend confectionery sugar, margarine, cream and extract until well combined
Add food coloring
Frost cooled brownies and refrigerate for 1- 2 minutes to let the chocolate set

Chocolate Ganache glaze:
If you like a lot of chocolate, double this recipe

1 square (1 ounce) Unsweetened Chocolate

1 tsp Margarine or Butter

Melt 1 square chocolate with 1 tbsp margarine in the microwave in 20 second increments until melted. Stir until smooth.
Pour over one end of the pan and tilt to cause to flow the opposite side of the pan, spread with a knife or drizzle on top of brownies.

My mom made her in a mini muffin tin

I asked my mom to share with me some pictures from the cookie exchange, since it was her turn to host this year. I was so bummed I couldn’t be there, my friends and I could use a mid-week play date. Happy holidays everyone!