Snowy Brownie Trees

Servings: 12

Total time: 55 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups granulated sugar

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal® Baking Salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ cups unsalted butter (divided)

4 large eggs

1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract (divided)

2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Green gel food coloring (as desired)

Shredded coconut flakes (as desired)

Pretzel sticks (for garnish) 

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside. Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Slowly add 1 cup of melted butter, eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 20-30 minutes. Cool completely in pan set on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, beat remaining butter until smooth in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Slowly add in powdered sugar, remaining vanilla and heavy cream until combined.

Add green food coloring and beat mixture until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

Remove brownies from pan and cut into about 12 triangle shapes, with two long sides and one short side. Place frosting into a piping bag. Pipe frosting onto each brownie to resemble a pine tree. Top each triangle with coconut flakes to resemble snowy branches. Insert a pretzel stick into short side of each triangle to resemble a tree trunk. Place on a serving tray and enjoy.