It's time to dust off your jingle bells and embrace the festive spirit of Christmas. What better way to get in the holiday mood than to whip up a batch of Santa Brownie Hats. These bite-sized treats are the tastiest, most adorable little treats this side of the North Pole!
While I don't bake much throughout the year, I absolutely adore holiday baking when i can find the time. There's something magical about whipping up sweet treats during the most wonderful time of the year. These Santa Hat Brownie Bites are a personal favorite because they're not only incredibly easy to make (we're using a boxed mix!) but also add a playful, festive twist to the usual brownie bites. It's like spreading the joy of Christmas through a batch of delicious, chocolatey creations.
If you're looking for a fun and delicious way to spread holiday cheer, you've come to the right place. These Christmas brownie bites are a perfect combination of chocolatey goodness and yuletide whimsy.
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Ingredients
- Brownie Mix – Choose your favorite boxed mix and prepare the recipe as directed with the required eggs, oil and butter.
- Strawberries – Look for small to medium strawberries that will fit on top of the mini brownies.
- Icing – Grab a tube of your favorite white cupcake icing or make homemade icing and use a piping bag if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare the brownie mix according to the package directions.
Scoop the batter into mini muffin tins filling each space about ¾ of the way full. Bake for 25 minutes.
While the brownies cool, use a paring knife to remove the tops from the strawberries.
Pipe the icing onto the cupcake to form the edge of the hat. Top with an upsidedown strawberry and add a little ball of icing to the top.
Hint: Bake the brownies in a mini muffin tin for the best results. The baking time will be shorter than for making regular brownies.
Variations/ Substitutions
- Gluten Free and Diet Friendly - You can easily make this gluten free or diet friendly by choosing a brownie mix that fits your dietary needs. Be sure to check that the icing also meets your needs.
- No Baking - Buy already prepared brownie bites and you don't even have to bake the brownies!
- Add Candy - Sprinkle the icing with crushed up peppermint candy or sprinkles for a fun and festive touch.
Equipment
For crafting the perfect Santa Brown Hats, a non-stick mini muffin tin with 24 wells is an absolute game-changer. Its non-stick surface ensures that your brownie bites pop out effortlessly, preserving their adorable shape and keeping your creations intact. Plus, it makes cleanup a breeze, which is a holiday blessing in itself. With each delectable Santa hat as charming as the last, your festive treats will be nothing short of irresistible.
Storage
Store the brownies in a covered container at room temperature for up to 24 hours. If you need to store them longer, place them in the fridge. However, brownies tend to become harder in the fridge so we recommend only making these when you plan to eat them.
Although we don't recommend freezing with the icing and strawberries you can make the brownies in advance and freeze separately. Place the brownies on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until they're firm. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag. Be sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. When ready to prepare simply that the browines for about 30 minutes and top with icing and strawberries.
Top Tips
- A mini muffin tin is essential for getting the perfect bite-sized Santa hats. Make sure it's non-stick or use paper liners to prevent sticking.
- Follow the brownie mix instructions carefully. Don't overmix the batter, as it can make the brownies tough. Add any desired flavor variations at this stage.
- Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to evenly distribute the brownie batter into each muffin cup. This will help ensure consistent sizes.
- Don't be afraid to get creative with your decorations. Try different candies or edible food colors to add unique touches to each Santa hat.
- These brownie bites are delicious when served slightly warm or at room temperature.
FAQ
To make this without a mini muffin tin bake a pan of brownies according to the package. When the brownies have cooled, use a round cookie cutter to cut out the brownies into bite-sized bits.
You can use your favorite homemade brownie recipe instead of a mix.
You can make the brownies up to 2 days in advance or longer if you freeze them. We recommend that you wait until just before serving to add the decorations.
Feel free to experiment with flavors like peppermint extract, orange zest, or any other complementary additions (like candy) to the brownie batter to give your Santa Brownie Hats a unique twist.
More Holiday Treats:
These Santa hat brownie bites make a delicious addition to any holiday tray or spread. They are bite-sized and don't require any silverware. If you are looking for more holiday treats you will also love:
- Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels
- Festive Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Easy White Chocolate Fudge
- Christmas Pretzel Wreath
- White Chocolate Dipped Gingersnaps
- Christmas Crunch
If you like this Christmas brownie bites recipe, please leave a 5-star rating.
RECIPE
Santa Brownie Hats
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix (14 to 17 ounces) plus ingredients needed (eggs, vegetable oil and water as instructed on box)
- 24 small strawberries
- 1 tube of white cupcake icing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan with oil or nonstick baking spray.
- Prepare the brownie mix as listed on the box. Fill each mini-muffin cavity about ¾ full. Bake for 25 minutes and then remove from the oven to cool for about 15 minutes.
- As the brownies are cooling, begin to wash and cut the green off of the strawberries.
- Once the brownies are cool, place the strawberries upside down on top of the brownie bites using a bit of frosting to hold them together..
- Pipe a ring around the base of each strawberry with the tube of white cupcake icing. Then place a small dollop on the top of the strawberry to create a Santa hat.
Notes
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COlleen says
My daughter saw these and just had to make them! She practiced for the holidays and of course enjoyed eating them this weekend! She's a teenager and it was a simple fun recipe for her. TY
shelby says
I usually like to make treats for my grandson when he's here and when I saw these I knew we had to make these! He loves strawberries and chocolate (ok anything sweet lol) and he had so much fun putting the strawberries on top! (the ones he didn't eat while we were assembling!) I love how cute these are and they are the perfect one bite treat to set out for holiday gatherings.
Kristin says
Adorable! Made these with the kids over the weekend and we had so much fun, plus they were really delicious. You can't go wrong with a recipe that's fun to make and fun to eat, too. We can't wait to make them again to take to Christmas parties. Thanks for the great recipe!
Shelby says
Absolutely adorable and perfect for our family holiday party!
Carrie Robinson says
This is the cutest idea! And I love how easy these are to make. 🙂
Ned says
This recipe was absolutely delicious and definitely a new favorite! Seriously gonna keep making this all month! So cute and festive!
Andrea says
These are super fun and festive! I can't wait to make them with my grandkids. They are going to love these.
Shashi says
Oh my - how adorable! Though, TBH, a batch of these won't last long in my house!
Eileen Ann Kelly says
We made these adorable santa brownie hats and what a great idea. It is so creative and my niece and her friends had so much fun putting the santa hats together.