Peppermint Chip Almond Flour Brownies! An extra moist, melt-in-your-mouth, chocolatey, pepperminty dessert for Christmas time!
As I was wandering through the grocery store recently, trying to come up with some delicious recipes for this holiday season, I happened upon Ghirardelli Peppermint Baking Chunks! I had been contemplating an almond flour brownie or cake, and I’ll get into why a bit later, but once I saw these I knew I had to make these peppermint chip brownies. The pairing of chocolate and peppermint is one of my all time faves. I could eat mint chocolate chip anything, any time of year!
Why Use Almond Flour?
In my baking experience, almond flour is more moist than regular wheat flour, while still being light in flavor. It behaves a lot like regular flour in baked goods, but is a bit sweeter and is a great alternative for those who have gluten intolerances.
Almond flour is also high in healthy fats, which makes sense since almonds do as well. An ounce of the flour also contains about 3g of fiber and a third of your daily vitamin E requirements. It has a low glycemic index, meaning it causes your blood sugar to raise relatively slowly when compared to traditional wheat flours.
How to Make Peppermint Chip Almond Flour Brownies
These brownies are easy-peasy. Let’s break down how to make these beauties so you can bake with confidence!
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then prepare a baking pan. You can line it with parchment paper if you like, or grease it with butter or a cooking spray. Either of these methods will aid in removing the brownies from the pan once they’re done.
Next, you’ll combine all of your ingredients except the almond flour and baking powder. Mix this well, but be sure not to overmix! You want to mix until the ingredients are just combined. Sometimes it’s helpful to mix all of your dry ingredients together first, create a well in the center, add your wet ingredients and whisk those until the eggs and butter are well combined; then stir all the contents of the bowl together!
Third, you’ll add the almond flour and baking powder to the mix. Again, mix until the batter is just combined. It’s a VERY thick batter, so don’t be surprised if you see how much flour you have left to add and the batter is already thick. Go ahead and add it all, it’s going to turn out great!
The next thing you’ll do is pour the batter into your prepared baking pan. You can top with the Ghirardelli peppermint baking chips/chunks at this step. If you prefer to leave them out or have other toppings you’d like to bake on top of the brownies instead, now’s the time to do that too!
Bake for about 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the brownies to cool before topping with a dusting of powdered sugar and some chopped soft peppermint sticks or candy canes!
Are These Brownies Gluten-Free?
Almond flour alone is naturally gluten-free, and the rest of the ingredients in these brownies are naturally gluten-free too! However, it is always best to take the time to read labels before you buy if you have a wheat/gluten intolerance.
What If I Can’t Find Ghirardelli Peppermint Chunks?
If you’re unable to find peppermint chunks, you can use peppermint bark or white chocolate chips instead! If you use peppermint bark, I’d recommend chopping it up into bite-sized pieces before sprinkling it on top of the unbaked brownies.
The final result should be very similar if you use either of these methods!
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments. Happy baking!
Peppermint Chip Almond Flour Brownies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 5 tbsp butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups almond flour I use Bob's Red Mill
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup white chocolate peppermint chunks or chips I used Ghirardelli Peppermint Chunks
- powdered sugar, for dusting optional
- mini candy canes, peppermint sticks, or other items to garnish with
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter or grease an 8×8 square or 9" round baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine cocoa powder, sugar, salt,melted butter, peppermint extract, and eggs.
- Add baking powder and almond flour. The batter should be very thick!
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Spread to edges with spatula, ensuring it's an even layer.
- Top with a small handful or two of peppermint chunks, about ½ a cup.
- Bake for 32-35 minutes at 350°F until top is set, and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow them to cool before dusting the brownies with powdered sugar (if desired) and devouring! Store for up to a week at room temperature or in the fridge.
