Brownie snowmen are fun, but you can also make other shapes for different days.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cookie decorations: confectioner's sugar, fruit leather, frosting, and M&M's Minis
1. Heat the oven to 350. Line a 17 1/4 by 11 1/4 by 3/4-inch jellyroll pan with aluminum foil so that it extends 2 inches beyond the long sides of the pan. Lightly butter the bottom and sides of the foil-lined pan.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and the chocolate in a microwave on high for 1 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Cool at room temperature for 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at medium-high speed, beat the eggs and sugars for 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the chocolate mixture and vanilla extract until blended. Beat in the flour and salt just until combined.
4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Cool in the pan set on a wire rack.
5. Using the two ends of the foil as handles, lift the brownies from the pan. Cut them into snowmen or other festive shapes with cookie cutters.
6. Decorate with frosting and candy (dust snowmen with confectioner's sugar, then use frosting to attach a fruit leather scarf and hat and M&M's Minis eyes and buttons). Makes 12 to 24 Brownie Snowmen, depending on their size.
7. KIDS' STEPS: Kids can mix and measure ingredients, crack eggs, cut out the brownies, and decorate them to look like snowmen.
