Christmas Tree Brownies: Fun & Festive Holiday Treats

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; 100 g unsalted butter; 200 g icing sugar; Green food colouring; Sprinkles; Sweets (such as M&Ms for star decoration)

There’s something truly magical about these festive treats that bring the smells and sights of the holidays right into your kitchen. This Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe isn’t just delicious; it’s a joyful craft project that turns classic brownies into charming Christmas trees, perfect for impressing family and friends during the season.

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

I’ve made a lot of holiday treats in my time, but this Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe holds a special place because it’s festive, fun, and truly versatile. It’s a showstopper on any holiday table and a great way to involve kids or friends in decorating.

Fun and Festive: The tree shape and colorful decorations turn ordinary brownies into a holiday centerpiece.
Easy to Follow: Despite the fancy look, the recipe has straightforward steps that I’m confident you’ll nail.
Customizable Decoration: You can get creative with icing, sprinkles, and candy to make each tree unique.
Perfect Gift Idea: These brownies make delightful homemade gifts, wrapped up with a bow.

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

The ingredients in this Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe come together to create a rich, fudgy brownie base balanced with just the right sweetness and a smooth buttercream that’s perfect for decorating. Paying attention to quality chocolate here makes a big difference!

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: Using unsalted lets you control the salt level and enhances the chocolate flavor.
Dark Chocolate: Provides depth and a rich cocoa kick—don't skimp here!
Eggs: These help bind the brownie and create a lovely, mousse-like texture when whisked properly.
Caster Sugar: Dissolves quickly and sweetens perfectly without a grainy texture.
Plain Flour: The base structure to hold everything together without making brownies cakey.
Cocoa Powder: Adds extra chocolate intensity; sift it to avoid lumps.
Milk Chocolate Chips & White Chocolate Chips: These add delicious pockets of melty chocolaty goodness and contrast.
Candy Canes: Not just for decoration—they add crunch and a festive peppermint touch.
Icing Sugar: Smooth and sweet, crucial for the buttercream’s lovely texture.
Green Food Colouring: Because what’s a Christmas tree without that classic green?
Sprinkles & Sweets: The fun finishing touches for your tree to sparkle!

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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

I love adding my own spin when making this Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe—it’s perfect for personalization! Whether you prefer a nutty crunch or a dairy-free version, there’s room to tweak and make it yours.

Variation: Once, I swapped out milk chocolate chips for chopped pistachios and it added a delightful texture and a pop of green that matched the frosting—totally loved the surprise.
Dairy-Free Option: You can use coconut oil instead of butter and dairy-free chocolate chips—just mind the texture and baking time.
Extra Peppermint Twist: Crush some candy canes to sprinkle inside the batter for peppermint bursts throughout the brownie.

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

Step 1: Get everything ready and melt the chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a 9-inch square baking tray with parchment paper. Melt the unsalted butter and dark chocolate together gently—either in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or briefly in the microwave. I like the stovetop method because it gives me more control and less chance of burning the chocolate. Once melted, set it aside to cool to room temperature.

Step 2: Whisk eggs and sugar until fluffy

This is the secret to lightness! Use an electric whisk or stand mixer to beat the eggs and caster sugar until pale, mousse-like, and roughly doubled in volume. When you lift the whisk, it should leave a trail that slowly fades in a couple of seconds. This step takes patience but it’s worth it for those soft, airy brownies.

Step 3: Fold in the chocolate mixture carefully

Pour your cooled chocolate-butter mixture over the egg and sugar mousse and fold it together gently. Take your time; you want to keep as much air in the batter as possible. Folding too aggressively can flatten the mix and change the texture.

Step 4: Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips

Sift the cocoa powder and plain flour evenly over your mix, then fold again carefully. Finally, fold in the milk and white chocolate chips. This part is where the texture and pockets of gooey chocolate magic come from!

Step 5: Bake and cool

Pour the batter into your prepared tray and bake for 25-30 minutes, checking near the end. The brownies should look set around the edges but still slightly soft in the middle. Allow them to cool completely in the tin before cutting—this helps keep the shapes neat when you transform them into your Christmas trees.

Step 6: Shape and decorate your trees

Once cool, cut the brownies into tree shapes. I usually slice the tray in half, then cut each half into triangles like little pine trees, saving and snacking on any offcuts (because why not?). Insert candy cane sticks into the bases for a festive stand. Then, whip up your buttercream by creaming together unsalted butter and icing sugar, adding green food coloring until you hit that perfect hue. Pipe zigzags across the trees, add sprinkles, sweets, and don’t forget a little star at the top—an M&M works beautifully here. Plenty of joy in that simple finishing touch!

Top Tip

Throughout making these Christmas Tree Brownies, I’ve learned a few tips that make the experience smoother and the result even better. These are golden nuggets if you want your brownies to shine both in taste and presentation.

Whisking Eggs Properly: Don’t rush this step; achieving the light mousse-like texture is key to fluffy brownies that still feel rich.
Cooling the Chocolate: Make sure your chocolate and butter mix have cooled before folding in the eggs; otherwise, you risk cooking the eggs prematurely.
Folding Gently: Use a spatula and fold slowly to keep the air in the batter, which keeps brownies tender and light.
Cutting Clean Shapes: Chill your brownies if the buttercream starts to melt; it makes cutting triangular trees much easier and less crumbly.

How to Serve Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe

Christmas Tree Brownies - Serving Suggestion

Garnishes

I like to keep it classic with colorful sprinkles and tiny candy baubles—ones that look like little Christmas tree ornaments. Sometimes I add edible glitter for extra sparkle. A bright M&M or a star-shaped candy makes the perfect tree topper, bringing the whole look to life.

Side Dishes

These brownies stand beautifully alongside a cup of eggnog or rich hot chocolate. For holiday parties, I serve them with a simple platter of mini marshmallows, roasted nuts, and fresh berries for a colorful contrast.

Creative Ways to Present

Try arranging your Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe on a large platter, nestled in a bed of pine branches or festive napkins for a rustic look. Another sweet idea is to present individual brownies in small clear boxes tied with ribbon—makes for memorable party favors!

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

I store these brownies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they stay beautifully moist for up to a week. If the buttercream starts to soften in warmer weather, chilled storage works well and just bring them back to room temp before serving.

Freezing

Yes, you can freeze these brownies! I wrap each decorated tree individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge to preserve the frosting best.

Reheating

Since these are brownies, they’re best served at room temperature or chilled—not heated. But if you prefer warmed brownies, try heating just a plain brownie piece for 10-15 seconds in the microwave and adding the frosting after reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can I use store-bought brownie mix for this recipe?

While store-bought mixes can be a quick fix, they usually don’t whip up the mousse-like egg and sugar base you need for these to have that light texture, so I recommend making from scratch for best results.

How do I make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn when melting?

Use low heat, either melting your chocolate and butter over a pan of simmering water (double boiler) or microwave in short bursts of 20-30 seconds, stirring between each until smooth to avoid burning.

Can I make these Christmas Tree Brownies ahead of time?

Absolutely! These brownies can be baked and cut a day or two in advance. Just hold off on frosting until right before serving for the freshest look.

What’s the best way to decorate if I’m short on time?

Keep it simple by piping quick zigzags of green buttercream and sprinkling colorful sprinkles—no need for elaborate piping techniques for a festive look. Using pre-made fondant stars or candy tops can save time too!

Final Thoughts

This Christmas Tree Brownies Recipe has become a holiday tradition for me and my loved ones—a bite of these brownies feels like cozy winter evenings and laughter with friends. I encourage you to try it out, decorate with that joyful spirit, and make delicious memories of your own. Trust me, once you make these, they’ll be a cherished part of your Christmas celebrations for years to come.