Candy cane brownies Adapted from Nourishing Meals
These wholesome, yet richly satisfying brownies fit the bill for chocolaty, cakey sweetness and offer a signature holiday mint twist.
What may surprise you, is that aside from their decorative (and tasty) candy cane topping, the bulk of these brownies are made entirely of nutritious ingredients.
Ground walnuts form the base and, barring any nut allergies, they may be one of the best foods you can eat. Ultra-rich in omega 3s, they are pure brain food. Just a modest amount of walnuts in the diet have been known to improve mood, cognitive function, memory, and even promote brain healing. That’s to say nothing about their effect on heart disease, breast cancer, type-2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
So while everyone else is recovering from sugar-comas and empty calorie indulgences, you can rest assured that these brownies will actually be doing your body good. No recovery required.
Candy Cane Brownies: Ingredients
- 2 cups raw walnuts
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 2 large organic eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ½ tsp high-quality vanilla extract
- ½ tsp high-quality peppermint extract
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¼ – ⅓ cup crushed, but not pulverized, organic candy canes, optional
Method
- Over medium-low heat, toast the walnuts in a large skillet until they are fragrant and slightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch x 8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or grease it with ghee, butter, or coconut oil.
- Place the cooled walnuts in a food processor and process until very finely ground, being careful not to turn them into nut butter. Add in the cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt and pulse to combine.
- Add the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract and process again until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and evenly distribute it.
- Bake for 25 minutes, then cool on a wire rack for half an hour.
- Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave then spread it over the cooled brownies with an offset spatula or back of a large spoon.
- Top with the crushed candy cane.
