Holiday Double Chocolate Brownies

These holiday brownies get a festive upgrade: candy-coated chocolate pieces (think holiday-colored M&Ms) sprinkled over the top partway through baking so they sink slightly into the surface and set into a colorful, crunchy mosaic.

The brownie base is a rich cocoa-butter formula. A full cup of melted butter, two cups of sugar, four eggs, and half a cup of cocoa create a dense, fudgy batter that bakes into exactly the kind of brownie you want under all that candy: moist, chewy, and intensely chocolate.

The timing of the candy addition is what makes this work. Ten minutes into the bake, the top has set just enough to support the candy pieces without them sinking to the bottom. They press into the warm surface and finish baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, becoming partially embedded with a slightly softened candy shell and a still-crunchy coating.

Chef Tips

• Melt the butter in the microwave and let it cool slightly before adding the sugar and eggs. Hot butter can partially cook the eggs.
• Add the candy pieces at exactly the 10-minute mark. Too early and they sink. Too late and they sit on top without embedding.
• The brownies are done when they pull away from the sides of the pan. Don’t overbake or the fudgy center dries out.
• Cool completely before cutting. Warm brownies with partially melted candy on top are a sticky mess to slice.

Variations

• Use seasonal candy colors: red and green for Christmas, pastels for Easter, orange and brown for Halloween.
• Swap candy pieces for peanut butter cups chopped into chunks for a richer topping.
• Add a cup of chopped nuts to the batter for extra texture beneath the candy layer.