Name: Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 200 g unsalted butter; 200 g dark chocolate; 4 medium eggs; 275 g caster sugar; 100 g plain flour; 50 g cocoa powder; 100 g milk chocolate chips; 100 g white chocolate chips; 10 candy canes (straight parts only); 100 g unsalted butter; 200 g icing sugar; Green food colouring; Sprinkles; Sweets (e.g., M&M for star)

There’s something utterly magical about turning a classic treat into a festive delight, and this Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe does just that. Rich, fudgy brownies meet playful holiday spirit — perfect for sharing, gifting, or just sneaking a bite (or two) yourself.

The image shows several triangular chocolate brownies arranged on a white marbled surface. Each brownie has one layer of dark brown cake topped with a thick layer of bright green frosting shaped like a zigzag Christmas tree. The frosting is decorated with small, round, colorful candy balls in shades of pink, purple, blue, red, yellow, green, and orange. Sticking out from the base of each brownie is a small candy cane with white, pink, and green stripes, acting as the tree trunk. Additional colorful candy balls are scattered around the brownies on the white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Jump to:

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients & Why They Work
Make It Your Way
Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe
Top Tip
How to Serve Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Frequently Asked Questions:
Final Thoughts
Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This recipe combines the best brownie texture with a seasonal twist that makes your holiday table pop. I love how it’s not only delicious but a fun activity too — decorating those little trees is half the joy.

Festive Fun: These brownies aren’t just tasty, they’re shaped and decorated like Christmas trees – perfect for parties or gifting.
Fudgy Texture: The recipe delivers that unbeatable fudgy, chocolatey bite that brownie lovers crave.
Simple Ingredients: You won’t need anything exotic — just familiar pantry staples with a sprinkle of holiday creativity.
Customizable Decoration: You can tailor the look with colorful buttercream, sprinkles, and candy canes to match your holiday style.

A woman's hand is holding a triangular brownie piece shaped like a Christmas tree, with a pink and white striped candy stick at the bottom as the trunk. The brownie has two layers: the dark brown, textured base and a thick swirl of smooth, bright green frosting on top, decorated with small, shiny, round candy balls in colors like pink, orange, purple, blue, and yellow. In the background, more brownies with the same decoration are placed on a white marbled surface, along with blurred gingerbread men and soft warm lights in the background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 2:3 --v 7

Ingredients & Why They Work

This Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe blends simple yet quality ingredients to build layers of flavor and texture — from the smooth cocoa to the crunchy candy canes for decoration. Here’s what you’ll need and why I rely on these choices.

Flat lay of a small block of unsalted butter, a roughly chopped dark chocolate bar, four whole medium eggs with clean shells, a simple white ceramic bowl filled with caster sugar, a small white bowl holding plain flour, a small white bowl with cocoa powder, a small white bowl overflowing with milk chocolate chips, a small white bowl with white chocolate chips, several straight candy cane sticks with their curved tops snapped off, a small white bowl filled with unsalted butter for buttercream, a small white bowl containing icing sugar, a small white bowl with vibrant green food colouring liquid, assorted colorful sprinkles scattered neatly, assorted small sweets arranged artfully, all ingredients carefully arranged with perfect symmetry, placed on a clean white marble surface, soft natural light, photo taken with an iPhone, professional food photography style, fresh ingredients, white ceramic bowls, no bottles, no duplicates, no utensils, no packaging --ar 2:3 --v 7 --p m7354615311229779997

Unsalted butter: Melts beautifully with chocolate to create a luscious, silky batter without the extra salt masking the cocoa’s richness.
Dark chocolate: Provides deep chocolate flavor and the fudgy base that brownie lovers adore.
Eggs: Essential for structure and that airy mousse-like texture when whipped well with sugar.
Caster sugar: Dissolves easily to create smooth, sweet batter without graininess.
Plain flour: Just enough to bind everything without making the brownies cakey.
Cocoa powder: Amplifies chocolaty goodness while keeping the batter light.
Milk chocolate chips: Adds pockets of milky sweetness that melt just right in your bite.
White chocolate chips: Offers a lovely contrast in color and creamy texture within the brownie.
Candy canes: Used as edible “tree trunks” — plus, the peppermint adds a festive zing.
Icing sugar & butter (for buttercream): Whipped into smooth frosting that you tint green for decorating.
Green food colouring: Turns your buttercream into charming evergreen branches.
Sprinkles and sweets: Your “baubles” to really bring the Christmas tree to life.

📝

Note: You'll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Make It Your Way

One of the best things about this Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe is how easy it is to make it your own. I’ve tinkered with different toppings and colors, and each time it still turns out a showstopper on the dessert table.

Variation: I once added a handful of crushed peppermint candies into the batter for an extra holiday crunch — it was a hit! Feel free to swap the milk and white chocolate chips for nuts or dried fruits if you prefer.
Dietary tweaks: For a gluten-free twist, try substituting the plain flour with a gluten-free flour blend — just be mindful it might affect texture slightly.
Color play: You can brighten your buttercream with different shades of green or even a dusting of edible glitter to make your trees sparkle under holiday lights.

Step-by-Step: How I Make Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe

Step 1: Melt and Cool the Chocolate-Butter Mixture

Start by melting your unsalted butter together with the dark chocolate. I use a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water – it’s gentle and prevents any burning. Alternatively, a quick zap in the microwave for 1–2 minutes works too, but keep an eye so it doesn’t scorch. Once melted and glossy, set it aside to cool to room temperature. This cooling step is key — you don’t want to scramble your eggs in the next step!

Step 2: Whisk Eggs & Sugar Until Mousse-Like

This is where your brownies get that light texture. Using an electric whisk or stand mixer, beat the eggs and caster sugar until the mixture turns pale, mousse-like, and doubles in volume. Here’s the trick: when you lift the whisk out, it should leave a trail on top for a couple of seconds before fading away. Patience here pays off big time for fluffy, airy brownies.

Step 3: Fold in Your Chocolate Mixture

Gently pour the cooled chocolate-butter mixture over the fluffy eggs and sugar. Use a spatula to fold it in carefully — you want to preserve that precious air you just whisked in. It might take a bit of patience, but folding (not stirring!) is the secret to keeping these brownies tender and light on top but fudgy inside.

Step 4: Add Flour, Cocoa Powder & Chocolate Chips

Sift your plain flour and cocoa powder over the mix so you avoid lumps. Then, fold them into the batter gently, still being careful not to knock out the air. Once smooth, stir in the milk and white chocolate chips — they’ll melt slightly during baking and create fond little nuggets of sweetness.

Step 5: Bake and Cool Completely

Pour the batter into a lined 9" square baking tin and bake at 180°C (160°C fan) for 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on it at the 25-minute mark — the brownies should be set around the edges but still slightly gooey in the middle. Once out of the oven, cool the brownies completely in the tin. This chilling step helps when you cut the shapes next.

Step 6: Cut Into Christmas Tree Shapes and Add Candy Cane Sticks

I usually cut the cooled brownie slab in half, then cut each half into triangles to mimic Christmas trees. Don’t worry about the offcuts — I always sneak those! Then, carefully insert candy cane sticks at the base of each tree to act as trunks and an easy handle for little hands.

Step 7: Make Your Green Buttercream and Decorate

Cream together unsalted butter and icing sugar until fluffy. Add green food coloring a drop at a time until you reach a vibrant, festive shade. I love using a piping bag with a star tip (like a 2D closed star) to make zigzag lines on each brownie tree — it looks like branches! After piping, decorate with sprinkles, sweets, and don’t forget to top with a yellow star-shaped candy (I use M&Ms) for that final touch.

Top Tip

From my many attempts decorating these festive brownies, I’ve picked up a few gems that make the whole process easier and way more fun. These tips will help you wow your friends and family with minimal stress!

Whisk to the right texture: Don’t rush the eggs and sugar step — that mousse-like volume is the foundation for lightness in these brownies.
Cool chocolate fully: Adding warm chocolate too soon can curdle the eggs. I always test touch the bowl — if it feels just cool to the touch, it's perfect.
Fold gently: Use a spatula and fold slowly — this keeps the batter airy. Stirring vigorously can make denser brownies.
Use parchment paper: Lining your tin isn’t just about cleanup — it helps lift out brownies smoothly for clean, crisp tree shapes!

How to Serve Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe

Christmas Tree Brownies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I love decorating these brownies with colorful sprinkles and tiny candy baubles to mimic Christmas tree decorations. A little dusting of edible glitter makes them sparkle under the holiday lights. Using an M&M or a small star candy at the top always gets a lot of compliments — it’s those small details that make the difference.

Side Dishes

These brownies pair beautifully with a cup of hot cocoa or mulled wine if you’re serving adults. For kids’ parties, a creamy vanilla ice cream or whipped cream adds a nice cool contrast to the rich, fudgy texture.

Creative Ways to Present

Try arranging the brownies on a platter lined with fresh pine sprigs or holly for a festive touch. You can even place them standing upright on sticks in a foam block covered with decorative paper to create a whimsical "brownie forest" centerpiece that kids and adults will adore.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store any leftover Christmas Tree Brownies in an airtight container in the fridge — they stay moist and delicious for up to a week. Just remember to bring them back to room temperature before enjoying for the best flavor and texture.

Freezing

These brownies freeze surprisingly well! I pop the decorated trees on a baking tray to freeze solid individually, then transfer them into zip bags to keep the decorations intact. When you want a treat later, thaw them overnight in the fridge for the best results.

Reheating

If you want your brownies warm, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave does the trick. Just be careful not to melt the icing decorations too much! I usually remove any candy cane sticks before reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use store-bought brownies for this Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe?

While you can use store-bought brownies, homemade ones let you control texture and flavor better, and they’ll hold up nicely when cutting shapes and decorating.

What’s the best way to cut the brownies into tree shapes?

I find dividing the square tray in half, then cutting each half into triangular shapes works best to make simple Christmas tree shapes with minimal waste.

Can I make the frosting ahead of time?

Absolutely! The buttercream frosting can be made a day ahead and stored covered in the fridge. Just bring it back to room temperature and give it a quick whisk before piping.

Is this recipe suitable for kids to make?

Definitely! Kids love helping with the decorating part, and cutting the brownies with adult supervision is a fun way for them to get hands-on. Just be mindful of using candy cane sticks safely.

Final Thoughts

This Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe is one of my go-to festive treats because it brings together flavor, fun, and the joy of holiday traditions all in one. Whether you’re baking with family or looking for a sweet gift idea, these brownies are sure to bring smiles and plenty of “oohs” and “ahhs.” I hope you enjoy making (and eating) them as much as I do — happy holiday baking!