Peppermint Oreo Truffle Brownies: Decadent layers of rich brownie, white chocolate ganache, peppermint Oreo truffles, MORE chocolate, and crushed candy canes! All without the mess of making Oreo truffles!
Say hello to your new best Christmas friend!
I’ve totally gushed this holiday season about my long-time love for all things peppermint when I shared The Peppermint Mochatini last week. Soooo, I’ll do my best not to do too much gushing here.
I’ll try!!
But first, can I just say how much I LOVE how the blogging world has embraced peppermint in the way that it has?
I feel like when I first started blogging in 2007 (uhhh…yes, I’m an old-timer!) peppermint wasn’t really a thing. Well, I should say that it wasn’t THE thing. It wasn’t the craze that it is today!
And I’m positive we have Pinterest to thank for that. Have you done a general search for ‘peppermint’ on Pinterest recently? The return is like a pink nightmare all up in your face!
AND I LOVE IT!!!
The very first peppermint recipe I posted was those peppermint brownies way back in 2011. Man alive, those brownies were so so good!
In 2012, I made copycat peppermint patties for the first time and for the love of all things holy, I fell for them HARD! And I don’t even LIKE peppermint patties!
I really just made them for Kyle since he adores them. He loves them so much he receives a bag in his stocking each year from Santa.
But that homemade version – delish!!
These peppermint Oreo truffle brownies are kind of a mish mosh of those peppermint brownies and those downright sinful Oreo truffles that also took the blogging world by storm 10 years ago.
Get ready for one of the richest brownies you’ve ever eaten! Yes, richer than my red velvet brownies with white chocolate buttercream frosting!
Let’s start at the bottom and discuss our way up to the top, shall we?
The brownie layer is the first layer and it’s just so chocolatey! I made one of my favorite brownie recipes but using a box mix would be just fine here too.
Then, because I love Oreo truffles coated in white chocolate rather than milk or semi-sweet, I added a layer of white chocolate ganache on top of the brownies.
Atop the white chocolate ganache sits the Oreo truffle layer. Except, these are no ordinary Oreo truffles. They’re peppermint Oreo truffles!
YAAASSS! I made this layer with a box of Trader Joe’s Candy Candy Joe-Joes instead of regular Oreos!
And let me tell you, this was the best decision ever! The peppermint flavor is just enough without being over-powering. And because the Oreos were already flavored, I didn’t have to fuss with deciding on how much peppermint extract or oil to use.
The last step in these peppermint Oreo truffle brownies is a quick drizzle of melted chocolate and a sprinkle of crushed candy canes. Because no peppermint dessert would be complete without candy canes!
The result is one of the richest, most decadent brownies I’ve ever eaten! The texture of all 3 layers together forms a soft, moist (sorry – had to!), chewy dessert with that crunchy sprinkle of the candy cane on top.
The peppermint Oreo truffle layer is TO.DIE.FOR. !!!!! And even for Kyle, who claims he’s not a fan of peppermint (he lies! remember those peppermint patties!?), there’s just enough peppermint flavor to not overwhelm you.
They’re basically the most perfect Christmas treat I’ve had in AGES. And they’re going on my holiday bake list every year now, right along with my fave white chocolate gingerbread blondies.
And if you’re wondering if you can freeze Oreo truffle brownies, the answer is yes! They freeze beautifully, actually.
I wrapped a single layer of the brownies in a piece of parchment paper and then in a large piece of foil. The room temperature brownies can be a bit sticky so the parchment paper will help them from sticking to the foil in the freezer and when you thaw them.
. . . . .
Looking for More Peppermint Dessert Inspiration?
Candy Cane S’mores Skillet Dip with Boozy Marshmallows from Gastronom
Hot Chocolate Peppermint Shots from Spabettie
Peppermint Brownie Cookies from Savory Nothings
Peppermint Hot Chocolate Truffle Bombs from Stress Baking
No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake from My Heavenly Recipes
Chocolate Peppermint Sauce from Saving Room for Dessert
White Chocolate Candy Cane Cake from Liv for Cake
Candy Cane Crunch Funfetti Sugar Cookie Bars from Good Life Eats
And not a dessert recipe per se, but a fabulous idea for gifts or your own kitchen! Homemade Peppermint Extract from Sustainable Cooks
Peppermint Oreo Truffle Brownies
- Prep Time: 20min (brownies) | 10min (ganache) | 5min (truffle) | 10min (to finish) + 4hrs 30min chill time
- Cook Time: 25-27min
- Yield: 36 brownies
Notes
White chocolate tends to be a little finicky when being melted and I’ve never had good luck with melting white chocolate chips. So I don’t recommend using them in this recipe. For the white chocolate ganache, you’ll want to use high-quality white chocolate in block, bar, or wafer-form like Callebaut, Ghirardelli, or Valrhona.
Ingredients
For the brownie layer:
10 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
¾ cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder (like Hershey’s or King Arthur Flour)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp espresso powder
2 large eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 oz semi- or bittersweet chocolate chopped
For the white chocolate ganache layer:
10 oz white chocolate (see note above)
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch piece, at room temperature
For the Oreo truffle layer:
32 (1 package) peppermint Oreos (either name brand or something like Trader Joe’s Candy Cane Joe-Joes) –
8 oz cream cheese
For the garnish:
4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 tsp coconut oil
1/4 cup crushed candy canes or peppermints
Instructions
- 01
To make the brownies: Preheat oven to 325° F with a rack in the second to lowest position. Line an 13×9-inch pan with parchment paper and grease with baking spray or butter (if using butter, grease the paper first, then fit it to the pan).
- 02
In a medium sauce pan set over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once melted, start swirling the pan around over the heat until the color deepens to a deep brown and little brown bits start to form. Take the pan off the heat and turn the burner off. Whisk in the sugar until combined. The mixture will be thick and look grainy, and there may be some pesky butter left that won’t incorporate; don’t worry about it. Stir the cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder into the mixture with a wooden spoon and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes to cool a little.
- 03
Once the mixture has cooled but is still slightly warm, beat in the eggs until well-blended and the mixture is thick and shiny. Stir in the vanilla. Add the flour and stir slowly to incorporate and then beat the mixture vigorously for about 10 seconds. Fold in the chopped chocolate. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a rubber or offset spatula.
- 04
Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 05
To make the white chocolate ganache: Add the chopped white chocolate to a medium heat-proof bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a small sauce pan over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Immediately pour the heavy cream over the white chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes.
Using a rubber/silicone spatula, slowly stir the white chocolate and cream together until completely smooth. Then stir in the butter pieces one at a time, until each has incorporated.
Pour the ganache over the cooled brownies and smooth into an even layer with an offset spatula. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before proceeding.
- 06
To make the Oreo truffle layer: Add the cookies to the food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Add the cream cheese and run the food processor until completely combined and the mixture starts to form a mass around the blade.
Transfer the truffle mass to the top of the chilled white chocolate ganache layer and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula. Chill for 2 hours.
- 07
To finish: Melt the chocolate and oil in a small heatproof bowl in the microwave, stirring after each 30-second interval until completely melted. Drizzle over brownies and sprinkle the top with the crushed candy canes/peppermints. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
- 08
Storage Notes:
- These brownies should be kept in the refrigerator since the truffle and ganache layers will become very soft if left at room temperature for too long. They will keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- The brownies freeze exceptionally well! Wrap the brownies up in a piece of parchment paper and then wrap that in a larger piece of aluminum foil. The parchment will prevent the brownies from sticking to the foil. Freeze for up to 1 month and thaw in the fridge.
Smells Like Home original | ganache adapted from Food52
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All of my favourite things in one! These sound and look unbelievable. Perfect for the holidays!
Thank you, Olivia! They’re completely sinful!