Fresh Mint Brownies

I see tons of brownie recipes that use mint extract for their flavoring, but what if we went for something a little more natural? How about these Fresh Mint Brownies? Let me promise you, the flavor is amazing!

You might have already noticed I have a thing for brownies. I mean, these spelt brownies are my all-time favorites. Or how about these partial wheat brownies with walnuts? I also created a peanut butter protein brownie for all you protein lovers out there. If you are looking for a smaller batch of brownies, I have that recipe too.

What Makes This Recipe Work?

First, this is a great brownie recipe. It is a classic thick and fudgy recipe that everyone will love.

Second, is there anything better than a chocolate and mint combo for dessert? My oldest son doesn't think so, and I can agree.

Third, if you are looking for an indulgent dessert, this is it. If you are looking for a dessert that will impress your friends, this is it.

Ingredients

• Eggs- they will be the structure and stability of this recipe.
• Brown and granulated sugar- I love to use both. They sweeten and add to that chewy texture.
• Fresh mint leaves
• Vanilla
• Milk
• Whole Wheat Flour- I will add notes in the recipe if you are hesitant to try whole wheat flour in this recipe, but I think you should give it a try, this recipe will change your mind about whole wheat baked goods.
• All-purpose flour
• Salt
• Cocoa Powder- I love Hershey's special dark.
• Butter- of course, always butter.
• Chocolate chips or chunks- you can also cut up a chocolate bar as I did.

How To Make

The first thing to do is add the granulated sugar and mint to a small food processor and pulse to combine. You can chop the mint and add it in, but I find the flavor disperses better when you pulse it with the sugar and then add it in.

Make sure your eggs are at room temperature, then add them to a bowl and beat for at least 3-4 minutes on high speed. They should be light and fluffy.

Then add in the sugar and vanilla. Beat this for about a minute. In another bowl, add the butter, peanut butter, and milk. Microwave to melt, well, almost melted. It should melt all the way when you mix it. Mine took about 45 seconds.

Pour this into your egg mixture and this time only mix to combine.

Next, mix your flour, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl, then add this to the egg mixture as well. This is only mixed to combine as well.

Pour into your prepared pan and bake for 45-47 minutes. The worst thing you can do for these brownies is to overbake, so keep an eye on that time!

Remove them from the oven and let them cool for about 5 minutes in the pan, then remove them and move them to a cooling rack. I like to use parchment paper in a pan, it makes for easy removal.

That is it! These delicious brownies are done!

Notes

• The first suggestion I have is to make sure you beat those eggs well before proceeding with the rest of the recipe. They will provide much of the structure in this recipe, so don't skip that step.
• You can buy a wide variety of fresh mint, or use your own if you are growing some. The main thing to note is each variety in taste, but it is especially noticeable between spearmint and peppermint.
• I prefer peppermint but use whatever both are good. I found the spearmint, at least the one I used, to produce a milder mint flavor. That may have just been the one I used though.

• Do not overbake. I cannot stress this enough. Nothing will ruin these brownies more than overbaking them!
• When I say don't bake longer than 40 minutes, I mean it. 37-40 minutes is optimal.
• If you don't like wheat flour, you don't have to use it. You can use all-purpose flour. Just make sure to increase this to 1 ½ cups, and take out the milk.

If you are looking for an even simpler recipe, how about these cake mix brownies. They are rich, decadent and pretty easy to make.

• Bars & Brownies
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour