Melted Snowman Brownies are a fun and festive way to spruce up your brownies! This easy icing and marshmallow topping is perfect for Christmas on these chewy, fudgy brownies. They look fun, taste incredible, and are a great way to get the kids involved in the kitchen.
Brownies are great, but they're even better when you add melted snowmen on top! Pure Christmas deliciousness.
This Melted Snowman Brownies recipe shows you how to create a melting snowman look on top of a chewy, fudgy brownie using homemade royal icing and marshmallows with fun snowman faces.
This recipe is great to bring to a holiday party or dessert exchange. It’s also a tasty way to get kids involved in holiday baking as they love decorating the snowman faces and seeing the finished treat.
This easy snowmen topping is the perfect way to add some pizazz and personality back into your brownie recipe for the holidays.
Bake up a batch of classic chocolate brownies and pour royal icing on top when cooled. Add a marshmallow to the top with a snowman face and you’ll have a festive Christmas treat with lots of personality!
This was inspired by my Gingerbread Brownies recipe on this site, and pairs well with this 3D Christmas Trees Cookie recipe.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Melted Snowman Brownies look festive on a holiday treat table.
Kids love decorating these brownies by making melted snowmen from marshmallows.
You can make homemade brownies or use a boxed mix to save time.
They use simple baking ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
Ingredients
For the brownies:
Melted Butter - Melted butter helps brownies bake up with a dense and fudgy texture.
Granulated White Sugar -This ingredient gives the base of the brownies a sweet sugary flavor.
Vanilla Extract - Vanilla extract enhances and deepens the flavor of the brownies.
Flour - Flour is a binder that helps hold all ingredients together, which makes them moist and chewy.
Eggs - Add richness, moisture, and structure to the brownies and help them set properly when baked.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - This ingredient gives the brownies their rich chocolate flavor.
For decorating:
Egg White - Help to create a stiff and glossy icing.
Powdered Sugar -Makes the royal icing thick and helps it hold its shape.
Vanilla Extract - Contributes flavor a light vanilla flavor to the icing.
Lemon Juice - Helps to keep the icing from becoming too stiff and adds a slight tart flavor.
Marshmallows - Used to create melted snowmen heads on top of the brownies.
Decorating Icing - Orange and black gel icing used to pipe the faces of the melted snowmen onto the marshmallows.
Please see the recipe card below for quantities.
Instructions
Wondering how to make this recipe? It's easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square pan with spray oil or butter, or line with baking parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients: Add the butter and sugar to a medium-sized bowl, and whisk until fully combined. Then, add each egg stirring until combined one at a time.
Mix in the dry ingredients: Sift the cocoa powder and flour into the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined and there are no visible streaks of white flour.
Bake the brownies: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread out the batter to the edges using a rubber spatula. Bake for 20 minutes or until the center is set but still soft. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares.
Prepare the royal icing: While the brownies are cooling, add an egg white into a large bowl and mix until frothy with an electric mixer. Add in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time and continue to whisk until a spreadable icing is formed. Add in the lemon juice. Use more lemon juice or more sugar to create the desired texture.
Make the snowmen: Using the icing, pipe a face and nose onto each marshmallow and set them aside.
Assemble the melted snowman brownies: Add the royal icing to the completely cooled brownies, then add the marshmallow on top while the icing is wet to look like a melted snowman. Let the icing harden before serving.
Top tips
You can either use melted butter to make your own brownies from scratch or start with a boxed mix to save time. If you are using a boxed mix, be sure to follow the instructions for adding melted butter.
The melted butter, sugar, and eggs should all be at room temperature before beginning to bake the brownies.
When adding the cocoa powder to the melted butter and sugar, be sure to sift well to combine and avoid any lumps.
Mix the brownie batter until just combined. Overworking the batter could cause the texture to be too stiff and tough.
The melted snowmen should be assembled on top of the brownies while they completely cooled in order to ensure they stick.
To pipe, the faces of the melted snowmen, use a small star tip and black and orange gel icing.
Serving Suggestions
Serve as a midday snack along with a hot mug of Gingerbread Latte.
Bring to a cookie exchange alongside a batch of Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.
Layer them with Sable cookies, Bethmannchen and Pignoli cookies for a festive cookie platter.
Serve them as a part of Christmas brunch on a Breakfast Charcuterie Platter.
Variations
You can also make these brownies dairy-free by using sunflower seed butter or almond butter in place of the melted butter. This will produce a very fudgy brownie.
For a chocolate mint flavor, add ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract to the melted butter and sugar.
To make a pumpkin spice version, add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice to the melted butter and sugar.
To make these brownies into ice cream sandwiches, let them cool completely then place a scoop of ice cream between two brownie squares. Freeze for about an hour before serving.
Storage
Storing: The brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. The melted snowmen can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days as the marshmallows will become stiff.
Freezing: To freeze, let the brownies cool completely then place them in a freezer-safe container WITHOUT decorating for up to 3 months. To thaw, either place them in the fridge overnight or let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Then decorate them with royal icing and marshmallows.
FAQs
Yes, you can make the brownies ahead of time without the snowman decorations. They will be best if eaten within 2-3 days.
The main difference between melted snowman brownies and regular brownies is that melted snowmen brownies use melted butter and marshmallows melted on top. You can add other ingredients such as nuts or chocolate chips to regular brownies to make them your own.
Yes, you can use any type of frosting you would like on melted snowman brownies. You could also use melted chocolate or caramel in place of the royal icing but for best results, use something that is white and will harden.
More Christmas dessert recipes
I hope you love these melted snowman brownies as much as we do! Be sure to also try these other Christmas dessert recipes too.
Sign up for our free newsletter and never miss a recipe!
Plus, you'll get a free eBook: 15 Minute Vegan Dinners!
📖 Recipe
Melted Snowman Brownies
Equipment
- Fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
For the brownies
- ½ cup (115g) melted butter
- ¾ cup (150g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (50g0 unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour plain flour
For the royal icing
- 1 egg white
- 1 ½ cups (170g) confectioners' sugar or more as needed, sifted
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice or as needed
To decorate
- 16 marshmallows
- Black and orange decorating gel/writing icing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square pan with spray oil or butter, or line with baking parchment paper.
- Whisk the butter, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl together well.
- Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.
- Sift in the cocoa powder and flour, and gently stir to combine (don’t overmix, but ensure there are no streaks of flour).
- Pour the batter into the pan and spread out to the edges. Bake for 20 minutes or until the centre is just about set (don’t overbake or it will be cake-like and not chewy and soft).
- Cool completely then remove from the pan and cut into squares.
- Meanwhile, for the royal icing, beat the egg white lightly in a large bowl using an electric mixer until frothy. Slowly beat the powdered sugar into egg whites, a tablespoonful at a time, to make icing that will hold shape. Mix in the lemon juice. Add a little more juice to thin, or more sugar to thicken.
- Decorate the marshmallows with snowman faces.
- When the brownies are completely cooled, drizzle with the royal icing and top with a decorated marshmallow to look like a melted snowman.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Tawnie Kroll
These brownies were so fudgy and everyone loved how festive they were! Sooo cute, thank you!
Angela
These cute little melted snowmen were the hit of my son's school party. Everyone loved them. I was surprised at how easy they were to make.
Vicky
These are precious! I know Santa likes cookies, but I think for a change he might enjoy this cute brownie. Chocolate and marshmallows are one of my favorite flavor combos!
Heather
sooooo fudgy and decadent - especially with the royal icing - fit for a Queen!! 👑 👸
Angela
What a cute idea!! These are so easy to make and a great changeup from all of the Christmas cookies I've been baking. Thanks for the fun and festive recipe!