Holiday Baking Begins

It's my favorite time of year and I got an early start on holiday baking even though it's still November (maybe it's cause I got a little Christmas shopping done during Black Friday sales last weekend). Every holiday season, I go in search of a simple mint brownie recipe but most of the options I find online are topped with icing, frosting and/or ganache. I did bake mint brownies a few years ago  but found myself never making them again. 

I decided to go all out with the icing and ganache for this Melting Mint Brownie recipe from King Arthur Flour. But as I was assembling the batter, I decided to throw in some chocolate chips and decide after they baked if they needed the extra toppings. The answer: no!

Call me lazy or easily satisfied but these brownies were great sans fancy toppings. They were fluffy, flavorful but not too sweet. I would have preferred a fudgy over a cakey brownie but these were still delicious. These will definitely have a repeat baking.

Mint Brownies adapted from King Arthur Flour
Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, melted (1 1/2 sticks of butter)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 inch pan or line with parchment paper. Mix together melted butter, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Then mix in cocoa powder. Beat in eggs until combined and then mix in flour and baking powder. Add in peppermint extract and stir to combine and then fold in chocolate chips.
2.  Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake brownies for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a drying rack.
3. Slice brownies and enjoy!