Santa Hat Brownies

Santa hat brownies are delicious and delightful on a holiday dessert table! Plus, the iconic chocolate and strawberry flavor combo is always a crowd-pleaser!

Everyone craves a warm, fudgy brownie from time to time. This recipe takes it to the next level. Topping brownies with juicy fresh strawberries and smooth cream cheese frosting creates an adorable, festive treat for the holiday season!

Why you'll love this recipe   

✔️ Santa hat brownies are fun and festive. This easy recipe is fun to make with the kids during their holiday break from school!

✔️ This recipe calls for store-bought brownie bites, or you can make homemade brownies depending on the time and effort you wish to spend.

✔️ Delicious and totally post-worthy on social media, get ready for this fun, easy Christmas recipe to become a new yearly tradition!

Ingredients

Please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for the exact measurements. 

• 24 brownie bites pre-made or homemade, your choice!
• fresh strawberries
• unsalted butter
• cream cheese
• powdered sugar
• pure vanilla extract

Instructions 

This is an overview of the instructions. For complete directions, scroll down to the bottom.

1. Clean and hull the berries. Dry them off completely. Cut the tips off the top of the berries to create the Santa hat shapes.
2. Cream cheese Frosting:
3. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
4. Add powdered sugar gradually, beating well after each addition.
5. Stir in vanilla extract and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
6. Assemble the Santa Hat Brownies:
7. Place the pre-made brownie bites on a serving platter.
8. Add a small dollop of homemade cream cheese frosting on the top of each brownie bite.
9. Gently press a strawberry, with the cut side down, onto the cream cheese frosting to create the Santa hat shape.
10. Use a piping bag (or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off) to pipe a small amount of cream cheese frosting around the base of each strawberry to resemble the hat's brim.

Watch and learn: recipe video

Equipment

• sharp knife
• piping bag
• star tip

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FAQ's

Test kitchen tips

• Keep the cream cheese frosting in the fridge as long as possible before assembling the brownies so that it doesn't run or melt. 
• For best results, use a flat surface (like a platter, tray, or cutting board) to assemble and store the brownie Santa hats.
• Use a hand or stand mixer for this cream cheese icing recipe—it takes a lot of muscle power to whip cream cheese by hand!
• If you don't have a pastry/piping bag on hand, snip the corner off of a plastic baggie and use that to add icing to your Santa hat brownies.

Variations

• If you’re feeling fancy, whip up a mascarpone cheese icing instead of the cream cheese icing. It's subtle but delicious!
• Finish off these easy Santa hat brownies with edible glitter or small metallic sprinkles for an extra magical touch.

Storage

Refrigerate—Because of the cream cheese icing and fresh fruit, refrigerate leftover Santa hat brownies in an airtight container for 1-2 days.

From the refrigerator, allow brownies to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so.

Related recipes

• My popular Double Chocolate Cherry Brownie recipe is a homemade, ultra-fudgy batch of brownies you can use for strawberry Santa hats!
• This Brownie Bundt Cake with Strawberries is a mouthwatering and classy dessert. It's a perfect holiday treat your guests will swoon over.
• Christmas Wreath Cupcakes look gorgeous on a dessert table and are fun to make for the whole family.

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If you love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! 

5 from 7 votes

Santa Hat Brownies

This fun little treat is the centerpiece of your holiday table! They are easy-to-make and always a hit!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time0 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24 treats

Calories: 94kcal

Author: Deb Clark

Ingredients

• ▢ 24 brownie bites pre-made or homemade, your choice!
• ▢ 24 Fresh strawberries washed and hulled
• ▢ Cream Cheese Frosting:
• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter softened (1 stick)
• ▢ 4 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

• Clean and hull the berries. Dry them off completely. Cut the tips off the top of the berries to create the Santa hat shapes.
• Cream cheese Frosting:
• In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
• Add powdered sugar gradually, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in vanilla extract and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
• Assemble the Santa Hat Brownies:
• Place the pre-made brownie bites on a serving platter.
• Add a small dollop of homemade cream cheese frosting on the top of each brownie bite.
• Gently press a strawberry, with the cut side down, onto the cream cheese frosting to create the Santa hat shape.
• Use a piping bag (or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off) to pipe a small amount of cream cheese frosting around the base of each strawberry to resemble the hat's brim.

Notes

Storage - Store these treats in the refrigerator to keep the cream cheese frosting and strawberries fresh.

They are best when consumed within 1-2 days of assembly. The brownie bites can absorb moisture from the frosting and strawberries, so their texture may change over time.

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Nutrition

Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 16mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.1mg