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Last Updated on December 23, 2025 by becky
A semi-homemade Christmas tree brownie recipe made with store-bought brownie mix and homemade buttercream, decorated with Christmas sprinkles and plenty of edible sparkles. The easiest Christmas brownies!
What Inspired These Christmas Tree Brownies?
On a recent trip to the grocery store, I spotted a box of LIttle Debbie Christmas tree brownies. Which of course inspired me to make my own version, featuring tree-shaped chocolate brownies, my favorite homemade buttercream, and enough Christmas sprinkles and edible glitter to make any holiday table sparkle.
This recipe also draws inspiration from my buttercream Easter egg brownies. (Same concept, different holiday!) Like my Easter eggs, the baking begins with a store bought brownie mix, so you can skip right to the fun part—the decorating.
These Christmas tree brownies look especially festive on a holiday dessert tray or party spread. They’re equally great for gifting to friends and family or adding to a cookie box alongside other holiday classics like gingerbread cookies, sand tarts, and peppermint meringue kisses.
Christmas Tree Brownie Recipe Ingredients
To make this Christmas tree brownie recipe, you’ll need the following:
- Brownie Mix – Starting with a store-bought brownie mix means you can skip straight to the fun part—decorating! For mix and pan size adjustments, see my notes below.
- Butter – You’ll need softened, unsalted butter to make the buttercream frosting.
- Confectioner’s Sugar – Along with butter, confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar) forms the sugary-sweet buttercream. Keep some extra on hand to adjust the consistency, and take time to sift before getting started to remove any clumps or hard bits of sugar.
- Whole Milk – To adjust the consistency of the buttercream.
- Peppermint Oil – To make these brownies extra Christmas-y, I flavored my buttercream with peppermint oil. If you don’t like peppermint, you can use vanilla bean paste, almond extract, or any other type of flavoring you’d like.
- Gel Food Coloring – I used Chefmaster‘s Leaf Green and Red Red gel food coloring to tint my buttercream. You could introduce other colors for the decorations, or make blue and purple trees for Hanukkah instead.
- Christmas Sprinkles – I scattered my trees with these Christmas sprinkles, but any seasonal sprinkles will work. Or if you’re feeling ambitious, you can even make your own homemade sprinkles.
- Sparkles – Dust your decorated trees with edible glitter or edible foil stars for a festive finishing touch.
Notes on Brownie Mix and Pan Sizes
I made my brownies using a boxed brownie mix designed for an 8 x 8-inch square tin, by you can also use a mix meant to fill a larger, 9 x 13-inch rectangular tin.
With an 8 x 8 tin, this recipe will yield approximately 6-8 Christmas tree brownies, depending on the size of the cutter you’ve chosen. (The way you position your cutter can also affect the final count.) A mix designed for a 9 x 13 tin will make double the amount of trees, or perhaps a few more than that.
As written, the buttercream recipe makes enough frosting to decorate an 8×8-sized batch of trees. If making a larger pan, you’ll want to double the frosting recipe.
Choosing Your Cutter
The cookie cutter I used measured just over 4 inches long, and about 2 inches across the widest part of the tree, and I was able to cut 6 brownies (with some scraps left over for snacking!) The smaller the cutter, the more trees you’ll produce, but don’t go too small or the brownies will be difficult to decorate. Somewhere between 3 and 4 inches works best. Here is a good 3 1/2-inch option, or you could even buy a set like this and make trees in different sizes.
Whichever cutter you choose, opt for sturdy metal rather than plastic. Flimsy plastic cutters are not strong or sharp enough to cleanly slice through the brownie slab.
Decorating Ideas
Feel free to copy my Christmas tree design, or do something entirely different. Use your favorite piping tips to pipe stars, Christmas balls, tinsel, or strands of lights. If you’re comfortable writing with a fine piping tip, you can also add simple words or phrases, like “Merry Christmas” or “Ho Ho Ho.”
You can also add holiday gummy candies; Christmas nonpareils; silver cake decorating balls; bits of crushed peppermint; red and green M&Ms; or a candy star on the top of each tree.
Even children can help with the decorating. For a festive, family-friendly activity, arrange bowls of candy and sprinkles and piping bags of icing on the table alongside cooled and cut brownies, and let the kids design their own Christmas tree creation.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Arrange trees in a single layer to avoid damaging the buttercream.
Other Christmas recipes you might enjoy:
Gingerbread Cookies
Peppermint Meringues
Sand Tarts
Candy Cane Cookies
Brie and Cranberry Brownies
Nutella Wreath Hand Pies
Cornflake Holly Leaf Cookies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Christmas Tree Brownie Recipe
A semi-homemade Christmas tree brownie recipe made with store-bought brownie mix and homemade buttercream.
- Prep Time: 1 1/2 hours
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: About 8 hours, including cooling time
- Yield: 6-8 trees 1x
- Category: Brownies and Traybakes
- Method: Oven
Ingredients
1 box brownie mix, prepared according to package directions and cooled overnight
(8 x 8 inch pan)
60 grams unsalted butter, softened (1/4 cup / 4 tablespoons)
270 grams confectioner’s sugar (about 2 cups)
30 milliliters whole milk (2 tablespoons), plus more to adjust consistency
2-3 drops natural peppermint oil
Green and red gel food coloring
Homemade or store-bought Christmas sprinkles
Edible glitter, optional, for dusting
Instructions
Line an 8×8-inch square baking tin with parchment in a criss-cross pattern, allowing a 1-inch overhang on all sides.
Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Allow brownies to cool completely, at least 6-8 hours, or overnight.
In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip softened butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the confectioner’s sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with the milk and mixing well after each addition. If necessary, add a bit more milk or confectioner’s sugar to adjust the consistency. (The buttercream should be thick rather than runny or watery, but still thin enough to pipe with ease.) Add peppermint oil to taste.
Scoop about 65 grams (1/4 cup) into 2 small bowls. Tint one bowl with red gel food coloring, and leave the other bowl white. Tint remaining buttercream with green gel food coloring.
Transfer to individual piping bags, fitted with decorative piping tips.
Lifting by the parchment, remove the baked and cooled brownies from the tin. Transfer to a cutting board. Line a tray with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
With a 3- or 4-inch tree shaped cookie cutter, cut the brownie slab into trees. Arrange on prepared tray.
Pipe buttercream as desired.
Decorate with Christmas sprinkles and edible glitter.
Serve immediately. Store leftover brownies in a single layer in a parchment-lined airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
