Christmas Tree Brownies are a festive twist on traditional brownies. They are cut into triangle shapes to resemble Christmas trees. After baking you have all the fun of decorating. The end result is a fun and festive treat that’s perfect for the holiday season!
If you love this recipe, you’ll definitely want to try my peppermint sugar cookie or these amazing hot cocoa balls.
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What Box Brownie is best?
Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix is the best overall brownie mix, and that the brownies are intensely chocolaty and almost taste homemade. However, you can use the brand that you like best.
Why This Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe is a Keeper
These brownies taste as good as they look because you make brownies that you love. Use your favorite box mix or recipe and then place anything on top of the brownies you like.
- Brownies are the Perfect holiday treat: It takes only a few minutes to make and bake the brownie mix. Then cut into triangles to make the trees and decorate.
- Easy Ingredients for Christmas Trees: A quick and easy treat as they are made with pantry staples.
- Family Friendly: Kids love to make fun for kids to help make and everyone will love to eat this sweet treat.
- Adaptable: Can make a low calorie or gluten-free mix for the brownies shaped like Christmas trees shape.
What is the difference between a cake brownie and a fudgy brownie?
Fudgy brownies are different from cakey brownies in their texture and flavor. They also use different ingredients. They are dense, moist, and rich in chocolate, with a shiny top.
Ingredient Notes to Decorate Brownie Trees
There are so many fun ways to make a fun holiday surprise or leave out for Santa with a glass of cold milk.
- Brownie Mix: A box brownie mix. Bake the brownies per the package directions in an preheated oven. Brownies are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Sprinkles: Star sprinkles or other fun sprinkles or granulated sugar for these Christmas brownie trees.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for Christmas Homemade Brownies
Make the easy mix, and pour into prepared pan and bake and then make diagonal cuts and let the fun begin.
- Chocolate Chips: Throw some into the batter or use them on top of the frost of the tree.
- Cooking variation: You can bake the brownies in baking pan that you line with parchment paper.
- Blondie Brownie: Then add green food coloring.
How to Make Christmas Tree Brownies
If you love a little debbie brownie christmas tree, then you will love these amazingly easy chocolate brownie for your fun Christmas party.
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These are the basic steps for making this Christmas Tree Dessert. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
STEP 1: Prepare the Brownie Batter and Pour into Prepared Pan
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees f prepare the pan with cooking spray and then in a large bowl, prepare the boxed mix and pour batter into the prepared pan and bake your brownies per the package directions in a well greased or parchment paper lined pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Next, allow the brownies to cool completely, then refrigerate for 30-45 minutes to help making cutting and removing from the pan easier.
STEP 2: Remove from the Pan and Cut the Brownies into Triangles
Then remove the brownies from the refrigerator, and gently run a butterknife around the edges of the baking pan to help loosen the brownies and remove brownies from the pan. Next, set the entire round batch of brownies on a cutting board or platter, and use a sharp knife to cut the brownies into 8 triangles, the way to cut is to slice it like a pie.
STEP 3: Arrange the Christmas Brownie and Decorate with the Green Frosting
Arrange the triangles in a row, with the wider edge at the bottom to make decorating easier. Then snip off the end of your icing, and moving your hand in a zigzag motion, create a “tree” on the brownie tree.
STEP 4: Decorate the Triangle Tree with Christmas Sprinkles
Finally, decorate with sprinkles and add a tiny dot of icing to the bottom of a Reese’s miniature and secure it to the bottom of the brownie tree.
Recipe FAQs for Easy Christmas Tree Brownies
Recipe Tips for Making This Christmas Recipe
This easy to follow food craft is wonderful for kids to help with, they love to put on the yellow star sprinkles, green candy or other fun decorations.
- Don’t have a Piping Bag: Use a plastic bag or buy tubes of premade icing tubes.
- Premade Brownies: If you do not want to use a boxed mix use a premade brownie.
- Cool: Let the brownies cool completely before attempting the frosting.
- Variation tip: Use a round cookie cutter and then decorate the brownies like Christmas ornaments.
Christmas Tree Brownies
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake pan
- Sharp Knife
- Cutting board or serving platter
- Small offset spatula (optional)
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Ingredients
- 1 batch Brownies, baked in a well-greased 9-inch round cake pan according to your favorite recipe or a boxed brownie mix
- 1 tube Green decorating icing
- 8 Reese’s Miniatures, unwrapped
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Christmas sprinkles or holiday candy decorations
Instructions
- Prepare and bake the brownies according to your favorite recipe or the package directions in a well-greased 9-inch round cake pan. Cool completely.
- Refrigerate the cooled brownies for 30 minutes to make them easier to remove and cut.
- Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the brownies. Carefully invert them onto a cutting board or serving platter.
- Cut the brownies into 8 equal wedges, like slicing a pie.
- Arrange the brownie wedges with the pointed ends facing up.
- Snip the tip from the decorating icing and pipe a zigzag pattern across each brownie wedge to resemble a Christmas tree.
- Immediately decorate with Christmas sprinkles or holiday candies while the icing is still soft.
- Pipe a small dot of icing onto the bottom of each Reese’s Miniature and attach it to the wide end of each brownie to create the tree trunk.
- Allow the icing to set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Christina’s Notes
Chill Before Cutting: Refrigerating the brownies makes cleaner slices and helps prevent the wedges from crumbling.
Decorate Right Away: Add the sprinkles while the icing is still wet so they stick without extra icing.
Customize the Decorations: Mini candy-coated chocolates, edible pearls, candy stars, or sanding sugar all make fun ornaments for the trees.
Make Ahead: Bake the brownies up to 2 days in advance. Store them tightly covered, then decorate the day you plan to serve them for the freshest appearance.
Storage: Store decorated brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze the undecorated brownie wedges for up to 2 months. Thaw completely, then decorate before serving.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.