Description
Cute and festive chocolate reindeer brownies that kids and adults will love! These wonderful Christmas brownies are made with all real ingredients, are gluten-free, and are mostly refined sugar-free. They make the best holiday dessert to bring to parties.
Ingredients
Scale
For the brownies
- 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour – you can also use regular all-purpose flour.
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder – unsweetened
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder – only use 1/4 teaspoon if you are using regular flour.
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup neutral oil ( such as avocado oil or grapeseed oil) or melted butter.
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips – optional
For decorating
- 1 cup chocolate frosting
- 16 mini pretzels
- 16 googly eyes
- 8 red M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch cake pan, or 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking. You can also line it with parchment paper cut to fit the pan you are using.
- In a medium-sized bowl mix the flour with the cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the oil, sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Then mix in the eggs.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well to combine. Then fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. Until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out mostly clean with only a few wet crumbs on it. Place the brownies, in the pan onto a cooling rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Then cut the brownies into 8 even size triangles. You can also cut them smaller but you will need more decorating supplies. I found it easier to turn the brownies onto a cutting board to cut them but you can also cut them right in the pan and lift them out.
- Frost each brownie with some of the chocolate frosting, then add 2 pretzels for antlers, 2 googly eyes, and a red M&M for the nose to each brownie to turn them into reindeer. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make these brownies fudgier, use butter instead of oil.
- You can leave out frosting the brownies and just add a dab of frosting on the back of each of the decorations to make them stick to the brownies if you prefer.
- You can find edible googly eyes on Amazon, or at most craft stores. M&M’S and pretzels can easily be found at most grocery stores.
- You can store these brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 3 days. Then decorate when you are ready to enjoy them.
- To freeze brownies: freeze them undecorated and wrapped in plastic wrap in a freezer-friendly container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight and decorate when you are ready to serve them.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Healthy Desserts
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: reindeer brownies, Christmas brownies, brownies