Santa Hat Brownies Recipe

Course: Bars, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 45

Servings: brownies

Calories: 132kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

These Santa hat brownies turn simple brownie bites into the cutest holiday treats with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. They’re quick, festive, and perfect for parties or kid-friendly baking days.

Print Recipe

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
2 Mini Muffin Tin(s)

Ingredients

19.9 ounces dark chocolate brownie mix (1 large box)
2 large eggs room temperature
½ cup salted butter melted (1 stick)*
¼ cup whole milk room temperature**
3 dozen fresh strawberries
13 ounces whipped cream (1 can)***
Sprinkles or clear sanding sugar optional, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and generously grease 2 mini muffin tins with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Mix the brownie mix, eggs, melted butter, and milk together in a large bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes.
19.9 ounces dark chocolate brownie mix, 2 large eggs, ½ cup salted butter, ¼ cup whole milk
Pour the brownie mix into the prepared mini muffin tins, filling each “brownie” about ¾ of the way full (about 23 grams per muffin well).
Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the brownies are beginning to get firm on the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.
Remove the brownie from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
While the brownies are cooling, rinse and dry the strawberries and then use a paring knife to cut the stem and top bit of each strawberry off. You want them to have a flat surface that allows them to “stand”.
3 dozen fresh strawberries
Once the brownies are cooled, remove them from the tin by gently swiveling them back and forth in the tin until they come loose. Use a spatula or plastic knife to loosen the edges only if absolutely necessary.
Use the can of whipped cream to pipe a circle around the top edge of each brownie.
13 ounces whipped cream
Place 1 strawberry on each brownie, on top of the whipped topping creating the hat.
Finish each hat with a small dollop of whipped topping and sprinkle with sprinkles or clear sanding sugar, if desired.
Sprinkles or clear sanding sugar

Notes

*If using unsalted butter, just add a pinch of salt.

**Whole milk, another percentage, or even a plant-based milk will work.

***In place of the whipped cream, you can use whipped topping, such as Cool Whip. This will last longer without deflating.

Tips:

Instead of a boxed mix, start with these fudgy brownies for the perfect base!
For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free brownie mix.
When shopping for strawberries, look for ones with a regular, conical shape for best hat shaped results.
For smaller Santa hats on top of your brownies, try using raspberries instead of strawberries!
Mini muffin brownies can stick easily. I recommend greasing your mini muffin tins and using a rubber spatula to gently separate the brownies from the pan.
Make sure to cool the brownies to room temperature before adding whipped cream and strawberries; otherwise, the whipped cream will melt.
Dry the strawberries thoroughly so they don't weep into the cream.
If you really want to go the extra mile with these, you can add about ½ teaspoon of strawberry jam to the center of the whipped cream circle before topping it with the strawberry. This adds a sweet surprise to each treat.
Dust the tops with powdered sugar for a snowy look.
Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.

Make-Ahead: You can bake the brownie bites up to 1 day ahead and store them at room temperature or in the refrigerator until ready to decorate.

Storage: Store Santa hat brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Nutrition