Christmas Tree Brownies
Christmas Tree Brownies start with a chocolate fudge brownie mix and decorated with green frosting and colorful sprinkles for the ornaments. This easy Christmas recipe is so fun to make with kids and they're fun to eat with a decorative red or green straw as a brownie lollipop.
Servings 12
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box (18.4 oz) chocolate fudge brownie mix
- Ingredients called for on brownie box
Brownie Tree Decorations
- green frosting/icing (store-bought OR homemade)
- colorful round sprinkles OR mini m&m's
- stars
- decorative party straws
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prepare a jelly roll pan (10" x 15" pan) by spraying it well with cooking spray or lining with parchment paper.
- Prepare the brownies according to the box instructions.* Most call for eggs, water, and oil.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the brownies to cool completely inside the pan. About 1 hour.
- Cut the brownies into 12 equal squares. Remove one brownie square from the pan and cut off the corners to make it a triangle (tree) shape. Repeat with remaining brownie squares. * Save the brownie scraps for snacking!
- If using straws then insert them before decorating. Cut the straw into 3-inch sections and gently insert one into the bottom of each tree. Place the green frosting into a piping bag (or use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped) and pipe it in a zig-zag pattern on each brownie tree. Decorate immediately with sprinkles and a star.
- Place them onto a festive Holiday platter and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips -
- Brownie Mix Size : Use any brownie mix you want but make sure that it is the correct size! We want the larger family-size brownie mix that is 18.4 ounces. For some reason the sizes are all over the place like 18.4 oz, 18.3 oz, and 18.2 oz. Make sure you get a box that is at least 18 ounces.
- Jelly Roll Pan : Traditionally, you bake the brownies in a 9x13 baking pan but not this recipe. You need a jelly roll pan (10x15 inches) which is slightly smaller than a cookie sheet. You could try making the recipe in a 9x13 baking pan but they will be thicker and you won't get as many Christmas trees.
- Allow Brownies To Cool Completely : It's important to allow the brownies to cool completely before trying to cut them. Plan on at least 1 hour of cooling time.
- Make It Ahead of Time : If you want to make these ahead of time then prepare the brownies as directed and let them cool to room temperature. Cover the cooled pan with plastic wrap or foil and let them set out at room temperature overnight. Decorate and serve the next day.
- Frosting/Icing : Use homemade frosting. Buy a tub of green frosting or white frosting (dye it green) at the store. Use green cookie icing. You can also use a few different colors of icing to mix it up; try using red, green, and white icing in the zig zag pattern on the brownie tree.
- Flavor The Frosting : Add just a touch of mint extract or peppermint extract for a peppermint flavor. You can also add almond extract for a variation.
- Decorations : Use any sprinkles you want to decorate the trees with. You can also use any small shaped candies like colorful mini m&m's or skittles. Or use candy + sprinkles!
- Straw : Inserting the straw into the bottom of the tree is totally optional. They're fun to eat as a lollipop with the straw and they present really well. Use any colored straw that you want like red & green striped, white, red, or all green. Or just pick the tree up with your hands and eat it that way.