Oh, the holidays! There’s just something magical about this time of year, especially when it comes to baking, right? My kitchen just fills with this cozy, happy vibe, and I love finding little treats that bring that festive sparkle without a ton of fuss. That’s exactly why I adore these Santa Hat Brownie Bites! They’re super easy to whip up, and honestly, they look absolutely adorable on any holiday dessert table. I remember making batches of these with my little cousins years ago – they’d get so excited helping me pipe on the little white pom-poms! It’s the kind of treat that just spreads smiles, and trust me, I’ve made my fair share of holiday goodies over the years, so I know a winner when I see one. These little guys are always a hit!
Why You’ll Love These Santa Hat Brownie Bites
These little Santa hats are a total win for so many reasons:
- Super Easy to Make: Seriously, even if you’re a total beginner, you can totally nail these.
- Festive & Adorable: They look SO cute and instantly add Christmas cheer to any plate.
- Crowd Pleaser: Everyone loves brownies, and these are bite-sized perfection that kids and adults alike will gobble up.
- Quick Prep Time: You can whip these up in hardly any time at all, which is a lifesaver during the busy holiday season!
Gather Your Ingredients for Santa Hat Brownie Bites
Alright, let’s get our Santa hats ready! You don’t need anything fancy for these, which is part of why I love them. You’ll grab your favorite brownie mix – I usually just use a standard box, but use your go-to homemade recipe if you want! Then, you’ll need the usual suspects for the brownie mix itself: eggs, vegetable oil, and water. For the Santa hat magic, we’ll need one can (about 16 oz) of white frosting. Make sure it’s the classic creamy kind, not the super whipped stuff. Oh, and we’ll need some red food coloring (gel works best for vibrant color!), a little bit of green sprinkles for the trim, and some tiny white nonpareils for that cute little pom-pom on top. Make sure your frosting isn’t too stiff before you start decorating; if it’s a bit thick, just give it a quick stir!
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Santa Hat Brownie Bites
Okay, ready to make some magic happen? It’s seriously so straightforward, you’ll wonder why you haven’t made these sooner! Grab your apron, and let’s get these adorable Santa hat brownie bites whipped up. It’s easier than you think! If you’re looking for even more brownie inspiration, check out these 5-Ingredient Peanut Butter Brownies for another easy win.
Bake the Brownie Bites
First things first, let’s get our brownie base ready. Preheat your oven to the temperature your brownie mix package suggests for mini muffins – usually around 350°F (175°C). Now, grab a mini muffin tin and give it a good greasing. You can use cooking spray or a little bit of butter and flour. Prepare your brownie mix according to the box directions, usually by mixing in the eggs, oil, and water. Once your batter looks smooth and delicious, carefully spoon it into the prepared mini muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Pop them into the oven and bake for about 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. We don’t want them to be dry, so keep an eye on them!
Prepare and Color the Frosting
While those yummy brownie bites are cooling (this is super important – don’t rush it!), let’s get our decorating station ready. Take that can of white frosting and divide it into two bowls. Leave one bowl white for Santa’s fluffy pom-pom. In the other bowl, it’s time for some color! Add your red food coloring a little bit at a time. Gel food coloring gives the most vibrant results, so just a few drops should do it. Stir it in until you get a nice, rich red color that screams Santa hat. You want the frosting to be smooth and spreadable, easy to work with, but not so runny that it just slides off. Give it a good stir until it’s perfectly creamy.
Decorate Your Santa Hat Brownie Bites
Now for the fun part – turning these little brownie rounds into Santa’s hats! Once your brownie bites are completely cool (I cannot stress this enough – warm brownies and frosting are a messy disaster!), it’s time to decorate. Grab a small spoon or, if you’re feeling fancy, a piping bag with a round tip. Spoon or pipe a nice cone shape of the red frosting onto the top of each brownie bite. Think of a little triangle sitting on top! Then, right at the pointy tip of the red cone, add a small dollop of the white frosting for Santa’s fluffy pom-pom. Finally, scatter a few green sprinkles over the red frosting to create the hat’s band, and perhaps a few white nonpareils onto the white pom-pom for extra sparkle! You could even use a toothpick to gently shape the frosting if you need a straighter edge or a sharper point.
Tips for Perfect Santa Hat Brownie Bites
Okay, so you’ve baked up these cute little brownie bases, and now it’s decorating time! A few little tricks I’ve learned over the years really make these Santa Hat Brownie Bites shine. First off, and I can’t say this enough, let those brownies COOL COMPLETELY! Seriously, wrap your head around that. If they’re even a little warm, your frosting will melt into a sad, red puddle. I usually bake mine way ahead of time, even the day before. Also, if your frosting seems a bit stiff, just give it a gentle stir with a spoon or a tiny bit of milk to get it nice and spreadable – you want it to flow easily but not be too runny. And for shaping that little red cone, don’t be afraid to use the back of your spoon! If you want super crisp edges, a toothpick can help you neaten things up. For extra pizzazz, try a sprinkle of edible glitter or even some tiny edible pearls on the white pom-pom! If you’re looking for more festive inspiration, check out this easy chocolate peppermint layer cake recipe. It’s all about having fun with it.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
When you’re whipping up these Santa Hat Brownie Bites, don’t stress too much if you don’t have the exact frosting or sprinkles on hand! For the white frosting, if you can’t find the canned stuff, a buttercream made from butter and powdered sugar works too, just make sure it’s nice and smooth. Sometimes I even use cream cheese frosting if that’s what I have! And the decorations? Green sprinkles are great for the hat band, but edible green shimmer dust or even finely chopped pistachios can give a similar effect. For the white pom-pom, tiny white candies or even a small dab of plain white frosting work like a charm if you’re out of nonpareils. The key is just having fun with it!
Serving and Storage Suggestions
These little Santa hat treats are just begging to be served with a tall glass of cold milk, a warm mug of hot chocolate, or even a nice cup of coffee. They’re perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or just a fun afternoon snack. If, by some miracle, you have any left over, just pop them into an airtight container. They do best stored at room temperature for about 3-4 days. Keeping them in a cool, dry spot helps them stay fresh and prevents the frosting from getting sticky!
Frequently Asked Questions About Santa Hat Brownie Bites
Got questions about these festive little Santa Hat Brownie Bites? I’ve got you covered! Lots of happy bakers have asked me about making these ahead of time or if there are any tricks to get them looking just right.
Can I make these Santa Hat Brownie Bites ahead of time?
Absolutely! That’s one of the things I love most about them. You can bake the brownie bites a day or two in advance and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Just wait to decorate them until closer to when you want to serve them, or at least a few hours before, so the frosting has a chance to set up nicely. They’re perfect for getting a head start on your holiday baking!
How long do Santa Hat Brownie Bites stay fresh?
Stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, these cute little treats will stay fresh and delicious for about 3 to 4 days. Honestly, they usually disappear much faster than that in my house! Just make sure they’re in a cool, dry spot, and they’ll hold up beautifully.
My frosting is too stiff to pipe, what should I do?
Oh, that’s a common one! If your white frosting or the red frosting is a bit too stiff, don’t worry. You can usually loosen it up by stirring in a tiny bit of milk or water, about half a teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a nice, spreadable consistency. You want it smooth enough to pipe or spoon easily, but not so thin that it runs everywhere! A good stir is usually all it takes. If you’re using gel food coloring, it can sometimes thicken frosting a bit, so a little liquid is often the perfect fix.
Can I use a different type of frosting or sprinkles?
For sure! While the recipe calls for standard white frosting and specific sprinkles, feel free to get creative! A simple buttercream also works wonders, or even a cream cheese frosting if you like that tang. For the decorations, if you don’t have green sprinkles, you could use edible green shimmer dust or even finely chopped nuts. And for the pom-pom, tiny white candies or even a small blob of plain white frosting will do the trick. I even have a recipe for easy homemade pumpkin pie spiced whipped cream that could be a fun topping if you wanted something different!
Nutritional Information
Just a heads-up, these numbers are estimates and can change a bit depending on the brownie mix you use and how generous you are with the frosting! Each adorable Santa Hat Brownie Bite has roughly 150 calories. You’re looking at about 7g of fat (with 3g being saturated), 20g of carbohydrates (with 20g of that being sugar – they are holiday treats, after all!), and around 2g of protein per bite. Enjoy them guilt-free!
Share Your Festive Creations!
I’d absolutely LOVE to see your Santa Hat Brownie Bites! Did you make them with your little ones? Did they turn out super cute? Tag me on social media or leave a comment below with your experience and a rating! Your pictures and stories make my day. For even more dessert inspiration, hop over to check out all the goodies in the desserts section. Happy baking, and happy holidays!
Print
Santa Hat Brownie Bites
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 24 bites 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Easy and festive brownie bites shaped like Santa hats.
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix
- Ingredients for brownie mix (eggs, oil, water)
- 1 can (16 oz) white frosting
- Red food coloring
- Green sprinkles
- White nonpareils
Instructions
- Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.
- Pour batter into a greased mini muffin tin.
- Bake according to package directions for mini muffins. Let cool completely.
- Divide white frosting into two bowls.
- Color one bowl of frosting red.
- Spoon or pipe red frosting onto the top of each brownie bite to form a cone shape.
- Add a dollop of white frosting to the tip of each red cone for the Santa hat pom-pom.
- Decorate the red frosting with green sprinkles to resemble the hat’s trim.
- Add white nonpareils to the pom-pom.
Notes
- You can use store-bought brownie mix or your favorite homemade recipe.
- Adjust the amount of red food coloring to achieve your desired shade of red.
- Get creative with decorations! You can use edible glitter or other small candies.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 75mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
Keywords: Santa Hat Brownie Bites, Christmas brownies, easy holiday treats, festive desserts, brownie bites, no-bake decorations