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Rows of triangle Christmas tree brownies piped with green buttercream zigzags, sprinkled with colorful ornaments and topped with yellow star sprinkles, each with a pretzel trunk

Christmas Tree Brownies

Fudgy homemade brownies cut into triangles, piped with green buttercream and decorated with sprinkles, stars and pretzel trunks.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 28 minutes
Cooling and chilling 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 28 minutes
Servings: 20 trees
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 300
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brownies
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted (226 g)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar (400 g)
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted (65 g)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (125 g)
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips optional (85 g)
Green buttercream
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (113 g)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar sifted (240 g)
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon green gel food coloring or to taste
Decorations
  • 20 pretzel sticks broken into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons rainbow nonpareils or mini candies
  • 20 yellow star sprinkles

Method
 

Brownies
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan and line with a parchment sling.
  2. Whisk the melted butter and sugar. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, until glossy.
  3. Sift in the cocoa, add the flour and salt and fold just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips if using.
  4. Spread in the pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs.
  5. Cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour, then refrigerate 30 minutes.
Frosting and decorating
  1. Beat the butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Tint deep green and transfer to a piping bag.
  2. Lift the slab onto a board. Cut lengthwise into three 3-inch strips, then cut each strip into alternating triangles.
  3. Pipe green zigzags over each tree, add sprinkles and a star on top.
  4. Press a pretzel piece into the base of each tree as the trunk. Serve or store.

Notes

Make ahead: Bake the brownies up to 2 days ahead or freeze the uncut slab for 3 months.
Storage: Cool room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.
Nutrition is an estimate per tree.