Description
Santa Hat Brownies are a festive and fun holiday treat featuring rich mini brownies topped with fluffy whipped cream and fresh strawberries shaped like Santa hats. Perfect for Christmas parties and kids, these delightful bite-sized desserts are easy to make using a boxed brownie mix and simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Base
- 1 box brownie mix (plus eggs, oil, and water as directed on box)
- Nonstick spray or parchment paper for pan
Whipped Cream Topping
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Decoration
- 12 fresh strawberries, hulled
Instructions
- Prepare the Mini Brownies: Preheat the oven according to the brownie mix package directions. Prepare a mini muffin tin by spraying with nonstick spray or lining with parchment paper mini liners. Mix the brownie batter according to the box instructions, then spoon the batter into the mini muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake the Brownies: Bake the mini brownies for the time indicated on the box for mini muffins, usually between 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely before handling.
- Whip the Cream: While the brownies are cooling, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat until stiff peaks form, which means the cream holds firm when the beaters are lifted.
- Assemble the Santa Hats: Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with a small corner snipped off for easy piping. Place a swirl of whipped cream on top of each cooled mini brownie. Place a hulled strawberry upside down on the whipped cream, with the pointed end facing up to resemble a Santa hat.
- Finalize Decoration: Pipe a small dollop of whipped cream on the tip of each strawberry to mimic the fluffy pom-pom of a Santa hat. Chill the finished brownies until ready to serve or serve immediately to enjoy the whipped cream at its freshest.
Notes
- Chilling the mixing bowl and beaters before whipping cream helps achieve better volume and stability.
- Store-bought whipped topping or buttercream can be used as alternatives to freshly whipped cream.
- This recipe is ideal for holiday parties and is especially loved by children for its festive appearance.
