This recipe for creme de menthe brownies puts a modern spin on the popular vintage dessert. Fudgy brownies are baked from scratch before they're topped with a creamy mint crème de menthe layer followed by a rich chocolate coating. Your search for St. Patrick's Day desserts ends here!
I don't know the exact origins of creme de menthe brownies, but I do know that they've been around for a long time. In fact, my mom has a recipe for them that's written on a recipe card by her grandmother (my great-grandmother). And since truly good things tend to stick around, here we are, still making creme de menthe brownies for St. Patrick's Day.
Creme de menthe brownies (which are technically crème de menthe brownies, but I'm omitting the accent to keep Google happy 😉) are made up of three layers:
- A fudgy chocolate brownie base.
- A sweet and creamy mint layer, made with crème de menthe mint-flavored liqueur.
- A rich chocolatey coating.
This recipe is a more modern take on the classic recipe passed down from my great-grandmother. I decided to substitute my favorite brownie recipe (with some minor tweaking) for the brownie base because the original recipe calls for a can of chocolate syrup (huh?) and because I'll use any excuse to make my favorite brownies.
The other two layers I left unchanged. The mint layer in the center is made from a combination of crème de menthe, melted butter, and confectioners' sugar. Crème de menthe is available in both green and white/clear varieties. The two taste identical, but make sure you use green crème de menthe if you want the mint layer to be green.)
And the chocolate layer on top? It's a combination of melted chocolate and butter. Basically it's my two favorite food groups blended together to create a rich and creamy chocolate coating. It's the cherry on top of this festive, nostalgic dessert.
Chocolate Mint Creme de Menthe Brownies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes (does not include time for brownies to cool before adding top layers or time for brownies to chill before slicing)
- Yield: 16 brownies 1x
Description
This recipe for creme de menthe brownies puts a modern spin on the popular vintage dessert. Fudgy brownies are baked from scratch before they're topped with a creamy mint crème de menthe layer followed by a rich chocolate coating.
Ingredients
for the brownie base:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking bar, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup plus 1 ½ T brown sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
for the crème de menthe layer:
- ¼ cup (4 T) unsalted butter
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 T green crème de menthe
for the chocolate topping:
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 T unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8″x8″ metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang so that you can easily pull the baked brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper. Set the pan aside.
- Make the brownie base. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments. Whisk until smooth. Add both sugars and whisk until combined. Add vanilla and eggs and whisk until combined.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt and fold into the sugar mixture. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. The tops should appear shiny and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan.
- Once the brownies are completely cooked, make the crème de menthe layer. Place butter in a medium, microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave. Add confectioner's sugar and crème de menthe and whisk until smooth. Spread the mixture over the cooled brownies. Place the brownies in the fridge for 5 minutes while you prepare the chocolate topping.
- Make the chocolate topping. Add chocolate chips and butter to another medium, microwave-safe bowl. Heat the chocolate chips and butter in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each stint in the microwave, until melted and smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly so that it is thick but easily spreadable. Remove the brownies from the fridge and spread the chocolate mixture over top. Return the brownies to the fridge until the chocolate sets.
- Once the chocolate has set, remove the brownies from the pan by pulling up on the parchment paper. Slice the brownies into 16 squares and serve.
Notes
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
You can also double this recipe and bake the brownies in a 9″x13″ pan. To do this, double the amount of all ingredients and add about 5 minutes to the baking time for the brownies (for a total bake time of 35-39 minutes).
- Category: Dessert, Brownies
Keywords: creme de menthe brownies, chocolate mint brownies, brownies from scratch, St. Patrick's Day dessert
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