Brownies are a favourite treat all year round. But when you make them in festively decorated tiny baking cups and top them with a chocolate swirl candy, they become Christmas delights. These Elfin Brownie Bites are always popular on my holiday dessert trays, and they may become a tradition in your home too.

Treats that you bring forth only once a year make the holiday season all the more festive. While there’s nothing particularly Christmasy about brownies, when you bake them in tiny petit four cups and adorn them with a chocolate swirl, they quickly become a new holiday tradition. I’ve made a version of these almost every year since since my children were young, and even as adults now they’re always delighted to see them again.

I used to call these miniature brownies, but a more whimsical name seemed in order. Voila, Elfin Brownie Bites!

The Appeal of Elfin Brownie Bites

Children young and old are drawn to these diminutive treats. Who wouldn’t want a little bite of chewy chocolatey goodness with a pop of tartness from dried cranberries? (Okay, some of my Offspring don’t care for cranberries or nuts, so I just leave them out as need be—no problem!)That swirl of chocolate on top only adds to the appeal. These miniature brownies are positively elfin, wouldn’t you say?

These treats work well on a dessert tray following the big holiday feast, or on the serving table at a holiday open house. I like to have at least one chocolate offering and these little bites satisfy that craving quite nicely, even for your guests who are somehow able to limit themselves to just one.

To make your holiday entertaining easier, bake these elfin brownies in advance and freeze them. They’re a little fussier to make than a pan of brownies, but more than make up for that in charm.

In place of the jaunty chocolate topper, you can customize the garnish in any number of ways, like piping on some white chocolate buttercream or dolloping with ganache and sprinkling with sanding sugar. Whatever you choose, something tells me they’ll become part of your holiday tradition, too!

Let’s Make Elfin Brownie Bites

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Elfin Brownie Bites

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

 

These chocolatey little treats topped with chocolate swirl candies like Rosebuds or Kisses are always a hit on my holiday dessert trays. If you opt to use the dried cranberries, look for ones that have been sweetened with apple juice. They're far less sweet than conventional brands and offer more true cranberry flavour. 

Category: Dessert

Keyword: elfin brownie bites

Servings: 60 pieces

Author: © Marlene Cornelis/UrbanCottageLife.com 2014–2022

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp butter cut into pieces
• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chopped tart dried cranberries (optional)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
• 60 chocolate swirl candies or other topping of your choice

How To Make This Recipe

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 ℉. Set out 60 paper petit four cups on one or two baking trays. The cups should be about 1 inch in diameter at the bottom.

2. Place the butter, chocolate, cocoa powder and sugar in the top of a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl. Set over a pot of  simmering water and melt together, stirring occasionally. When everything is almost melted, take bowl off the pot and set on a trivet. Stir until the mixture is smooth and let cool for a few minutes.
3. Stir in the beaten eggs and vanilla, followed by the flour and salt. Finally, add in the cranberries and walnuts if using.

4. Using a piping bag or simply a measuring teaspoon, fill the petit four cups about 3/4 of the way. Bake for 10 minutes. If using the chocolate rosebuds, set one atop each miniature brownie while they're still warm, and then remove them all to a mesh cooling rack. The heat will adhere the chocolates.

5. If making ahead, you can freeze these with the chocolates on them, but handle them gently. Remove from the freezer a few hours before serving. Occasionally some of the chocolate toppings come loose, but it’s not generally a problem and I just set them back on. Or, you could freeze the brownie bites unadorned and decorate them once they’ve thawed.

Looking for More Holiday Treats?

Here are three treats that I like to have on my holiday dessert trays, in increasing order of “challenge” to make. Peppermint Meringues are one of the easiest things you can bake and they’re also eye-catching. Cherry Coconut Bars are a timeless treat around here; I’ve been making them since I was a kid. My mom’s recipe for Butter Horns takes me right back to watching Mom make magic in her kitchen. They’re a bit fiddly, but oh so worth it.

^{First Published 2014 11 21
Republished 2022 12 03}