Irish Mint Brownies

These Irish Mint Brownies, topped with mint cream cheese frosting, always make an appearance on our St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Three layers of decadence that never fail to impress. I start with an indulgent, fudgy brownie layer, topped with a smooth, creamy miny cream cheese frosting, and finally a drizzle of melted chocolate, which adds the ideal light crunch to balance the rather delicate dessert.

On St. Patrick’s Day, we go all in on food and vibrant green desserts. These mint chocolate chip pudding cookies and mint chocolate chip cake are two more favorites that fans of the classic, rich, and refreshing mint-and-chocolate flavor combo will appreciate.

These brownies always go fast. The minty green layer pairs so well with the intense brownie base and balances the rich chocolate flavors by adding brightness and a pop of color, making them even more appealing. I like to prepare these brownies for friends’ gatherings, potlucks, and even as a hostess gift, since they look festive and each bite delivers a gastronomic experience, especially when served with Bailey’s Affogato. The best part is that this luxurious-looking dessert is very easy to make and is ready in about one hour!

Why you will love this recipe 

• Fudgy brownie with buttercream icing: I love fudgy brownies, and having frosting on them makes them 2x as good. But these also have that extra mint flavor, making them wonderfully special. Chocolate and mint go perfectly hand in hand.
• They’re so easy: While they look stunning, the brownie and mint frosting are really easy to make. You can even take a shortcut and use a store-bought brownie mix.
• Ideal for a party: Sometimes I double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan for a party or family gathering, or when I intend to make these for a potluck.
• They freeze wonderfully: If we don’t eat them all (hardly ever happens), I can wrap them individually in plastic and put them in freezer bags. Then, I can take them out whenever I want one or two. 

What you will need

For the brownies

• Wet ingredients: I use unsalted butter so I can control how much salt goes into the batter. The eggs should be at room temperature, so they incorporate better to prevent a curdled batter. Dark chocolate adds a rich, deep cocoa flavor to these brownies, pairing well with the mint. I use Ghirardelli baking chocolate for the best flavor and melting. 
• Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour gives these brownies a good structure that is slightly chewy yet tender and moist. I also use white granulated sugar for its clean sweetness that doesn’t overpower the mint flavor. It also provides a glossy, crunchy top crust.

For the topping

• Wet ingredients: I use brick-style full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese, softened to room temperature for the thickest, creamiest frosting. I also use softened unsalted butter so that I can control the salt level. Pure peppermint extract adds the perfect natural flavor without any additives, so there is no bitter aftertaste. I like to use green food coloring gel instead of liquid because I don’t want to add any more liquid to the frosting. Finally, I melted some more dark chocolate to drizzle on top for a decadent look and taste. 
• Dry ingredients: Powdered sugar is perfect for making this topping because it thickens the mixture while sweetening, and it doesn’t get gritty like granulated sugar sometimes does. It melts without needing any heat at all. The cornstarch in the powdered sugar also keeps the frosting stable and helps it hold its shape. 

How to make 

Preheat the oven: First, I preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, letting it hang over on two sides. I grease the foil with baking spray and set it aside. 

Mix the batter: Now, I melt ½ cup of butter in a saucepan over medium heat with 6 ounces of chocolate, stirring until it is smooth. Then I turn it off and stir in the remaining brownie ingredients until well-mixed. 

Bake the brownies: This batter goes into the prepared pan and is baked for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it pulls away from the sides. 

Make the topping: While I let the brownies cool completely, I mix all the ingredients except the chocolate in a large bowl at medium speed until creamy. 

Spread: Then, I spread the mint frosting over the cooled brownies.

Chill and serve: drizzle the chocolate on top, then chill the brownies for a few hours before serving.  

Expert tip

Room temperature ingredients

Most of the time when baking, dairy products like butter, cream cheese, cream, and even milk should be at room temperature to help them blend properly and prevent curdling. Cold eggs can make the fats get hard again, causing lumpy batter and making it more difficult to smooth everything out. In this recipe, it is essential to have the butter, cream cheese, and eggs at room temperature.

More tips to consider:

• Don’t use chocolate chips. They have added ingredients to help them hold their shape. This prevents them from melting properly. 
• Use gel food coloring to keep from adding any more liquid to the topping.
• For nice, clean pieces, dip the knife in hot water before each slice and wipe it off with a paper towel.
• Make sure the brownies are completely cool before topping them. Otherwise, the topping will melt.
• Chill the brownies for 30 minutes before lifting them from the pan so the cream cheese topping has time to set.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Add Irish cream: To give these brownies an Irish whiskey flavor, I add 2 to 3 tablespoons of Baileys to the brownie batter. It’s still safe for kids because the alcohol bakes out of it. 
• Go nuts: I often add nuts to my brownies. I really like them with chopped walnuts or pecans, but crushed pistachios are good too. 
• Caramel sauce: To make these delicious mint brownies even more decadent, I sometimes drizzle my rich, thick homemade caramel sauce on top. It is easy to make in minutes with just 3 ingredients. 
• Mints: Another way to top these is to sprinkle some crushed peppermint candy on them while the chocolate is still wet. 
• Lucky Charms: For a bit of cutesy decorations, I let the kids put some of those Lucky Charms marshmallows on top of each brownie. 
• Make it faster: To skip some work and make these faster, use a boxed brownie mix instead of making your own. 

Serving suggestions:

Because this is a minty dessert, I like to serve it with a scoop of my mint-chocolate chip avocado ice cream. These 2 go together even better because they’re similar in color, which also helps them pair well with my St. Patrick’s Day meal. I also like to serve the brownies with chocolate sauce on the side and fluffy chocolate whipped cream.

I usually serve this slow-cooker corned beef and cabbage for the main dish which is a favorite at my house. Another meal that I often serve on this day is Guinness beef stew. With tender beef simmered in Guinness Beer and beef broth, this stew is both hearty and savory, featuring carrots and potatoes. Then, I can make my own Instant Pot buttered cabbage to serve on the side, along with some potato rolls to soak up the thick beefy broth. 

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.   
• Freezing: To freeze, I wrap them individually in plastic and place them in freezer bags so I can take them out when the craving hits. 
• Defrost: I thaw out the brownies overnight in the fridge for the best results. 

Frequently asked questions

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