Name: Santa Hat Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 12 brownies; 12 fresh strawberries (rinsed, hulled); 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened); 3 cups powdered sugar; 3 tbsp half and half; 1/2 tsp vanilla

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If you are looking for a Christmas themed treat that tastes as SWEET as it looks, try these Santa Hat brownies. They come together in no time and are absolutely delicious!

This Christmas treat is one that we have been making for over a decade. I saw a similar version in a magazine many years ago and decided to give them a try. Every year we have family over on Christmas Eve and I am always on the lookout for fun Christmas-y foods to serve. The first time that I made this dessert, I baked a pan of brownies and used a cookie cutter to cut out the round shape.

We couldn’t believe how easy these treats were to make – and a big shortcut was to pick up a container of round brownie bites from BJ’s. (Nice to free up the oven for other dishes, too!) If you can’t find a grocer that stocks them, you’ll have to bake up a batch of brownies and use a round cookie cutter to make your circles (which still won’t take you too awfully long). One of my friends baked her brownies in mini muffin pans one year and said they turned out well. That might be another option to try if you are making your own brownies.

We love whipping up these adorable Santa Hat Strawberry Brownie Bite desserts for Christmas Eve every year! They are totally scrumptious, you’ll find it hard not to pop one, two, three… There are always audible oooo’s and ahhhhh’s as we pull the tray of these treats out of the fridge.

How to Make Strawberry Santa Hats Recipe

(Scroll down for a printable version of this recipe.)

Santa Hat Brownies Ingredients

Brownies (make your own or grab a store bought variety)
Fresh Strawberries (rinsed, hulled)
1/2 cup unsalted butter -softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 TBSP half and half
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Santa Hat Brownie Instructions

1. Arrange brownie bites on a tray.
2. Make frosting: in a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, half and half and vanilla in a bowl. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes or until it becomes fluffy.
3. Spoon your frosting mixture into a ziploc bag and snip the corner to make a piping bag.
4. Swirl a circle of frosting on top of each brownie.
5. Top each brownie with a strawberry, cut side down (pointy side up).
6. Dot the top of each strawberry with a tiny bit of frosting.
7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Print Recipe

Santa Hat Brownies

These adorable santa hat brownies are easy to make and taste delicious. They are the perfect Christmas themed dessert.

Prep Time15 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brownies, christmas, strawberry

Servings: 12 treats

Ingredients

12 brownies
12 fresh strawberries rinsed, hulled
1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp half and half
1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Arrange brownies in a single layer on a tray or platter.

Frosting

Combine butter, sugar, half and half and vanilla in a bowl.
Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes (or until it becomes fluffy).
Place the frosting in a piping bag (you can use a Ziploc bag for a piping bag).
Swirl frosting on top of each brownie.
Top each brownie with a strawberry, cut side down.
For the finishing touch, place a small dot of frosting on top of each strawberry tip.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

We have now made these desserts for the last 5 or 6 years and every year they are a big hit with our holiday guests.

Prepping ahead: You can definitely make these treats a few hours before you intend to serve them. I do not recommend making them much earlier because the juice from the strawberries will slowly start to break down the icing and brownie.

Subbing whipped cream: Over the years I have been asked if you can substitute whipped cream or whipped topping for the frosting. You technically could use those alternatives, however I would recommend using the frosting as it is a bit stronger and firmer. It will hold up the strawberries a bit better than a whipped cream or whipped topping.

Storing leftovers: If you are good about returning the uneaten treats to the refrigerator, they will hold up for another day or two if you’d like to enjoy them as leftovers.

As you can see, these Santa Hat Strawberry Brownie Bites decorate your tray simply by being themselves! I alternate between different holiday serving platters for these desserts and they always look so festive and cute. They are definitely a treat that will make both young and old smile.

If you decide to give these Christmas treats a try, let us know how they turned out for you! If you post a picture of them to social media, feel free to tag us. We’d love to see them!