Speckled Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies

The first things that come to mind around Easter time for me are pastels and chocolate. What better dessert to showcase chocolate than a batch of brownies. You will love these Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies that are super fudgy with rich chocolate flavor and topped with a fun, creamy speckled robin's egg-colored vanilla buttercream. These are so fun to make with the kids and the whole family will love them. If you love baking with mini eggs, try my Soft & Chewy Mini Egg Sugar Cookies too, then be sure to browse my full Easter dessert menu.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy to make - this is the EASIEST homemade brownie recipe! All you need is 7 simple ingredients plus mini eggs. It is based off of my popular fudge brownie recipe.
• No mixer - you can make these brownies without any special equipment. You can use just a bowl and a whisk or spatula. You can even make the frosting without a mixer.
• Few ingredients - this doesn't make an overly decadent and deep brownie that uses loads of butter and eggs, so it's the perfect base for mix-ins and an added layer of sweetness from the frosting.
• Fudgy chocolate brownies - these are not cakey at all! They have the fudgiest texture and stay moist for days without drying out.
• Rich chocolate flavor - you can expect intense chocolate taste thanks to extra dark chocolate and not a lot of flour. The dark flavor profile offsets the sweetness from the buttercream and the chocolate mini eggs.
• Creamy vanilla frosting - you'll make this simple vanilla buttercream and tint it blue to resemble a robin's egg. My secret is a bit of unrefined coconut oil in the frosting which gives it a nostalgic candy-like taste.
• Cocoa speckles - a simple mixture of cocoa powder and water is all you need to create fun speckles over top to resemble a specked egg.

INGREDIENTS FOR MINI EGG COOKIES

• Dark chocolate - It is important to use bittersweet chocolate otherwise the brownies will be too sweet. Anything between 70 and 85% cocoa solids will work. I prefer bittersweet chocolate or extra dark chocolate, and these bittersweet chocolate callets are very convenient.
• Butter - the best brownies that have a chewy fudgy texture are made with butter. You can use unsalted butter or salted butter. If you use salted butter, then reduce the added salt to ¼ teaspoon. You'll also need unsalted butter for the frosting.
• Egg - 2 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in these brownies.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps these brownies moist. If you reduce the sugar they will not be as fudgy and they are less likely to have the shiny crust.
• All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy brownies. Use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Mini eggs - milk chocolate mini eggs are so fun and festive! Use your favorite brand, which for many people is Cadbury Mini Eggs.
• Cocoa powder - if you'd like to make the pretty speckles on the brownies to resemble a speckled egg, you'll need just a bit of cocoa powder and hot water.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE MINI EGG BROWNIES

• STEP 1). Melt together the chocolate and butter In a large bowl over a pot with ½-inch of simmering water, stir together chocolate and butter until completely melted, smooth and glossy. You can also melt it in the microwave with 20 second bursts and stirring each time. Set it aside and keep it warm (no need to let it cool).
• STEP 2). Combine eggs with sugar. Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale, creamy, thick and lightened by a shade. It will take a minute or two, and it doesn't need to get very aerated. You can also use an electric handheld mixer on medium-high speed, but do not over-whip at this stage since it can encourage the development of a very thin crust. Normally that is desirable, but since these brownies have a frosting, it's better that the crust does not separate.
• STEP 3). Add the warm chocolate. Mix in vanilla and salt. Add the warm chocolate mixture and mix well with a spatula or the whisk until evenly combined. The mixture should tighten up and become glossy when the chocolate is thoroughly incorporated.
• STEP 4). Add the flour. Sift in flour to remove lumps and fold it in gently until well incorporated and smooth. Fold in chopped mini eggs.
• STEP 5). Bake. Scrape batter into prepared pan and use a small offset spatula to smooth out the surface. Bake for 22-26 minutes until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted someplace between the edge and the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Do not over-bake!
• STEP 6). Make the frosting. Combine soft butter, coconut oil, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl and mix vigorously until smooth, light and fluffy. Mix in the milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency that is soft and spreadable. Add 2-3 drops of blue food coloring and one drop of green to create this pastel aqua color. Always start by adding very little and then adding more if necessary! Spread immediately onto the cooled brownies. Sprinkle extra chopped mini eggs on top.
• STEP 7). Decorate with speckles. Combine cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl. Whisk until combined. Dip the tip of a dry pastry brush or new (clean) paint brush into the cocoa mixture and shake off any excess. Hold the brush about 5 inches above the brownies, then use your pointer finger to pull the bristles back and slowly release to "flick" the mixture over the frosting. Repeat as many times as you'd like to create the pattern. Note: this can be slightly messy, so do it over a large work surface and wear an apron. Slice with a hot dry knife and serve!

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR MINI EGG BROWNIES

• Mix eggs and sugar first. The key to making these brownies moist and fudgy is to make sure the sugar is dissolved and the only way that can happen is if you combine the sugar with the eggs, which serve as the main source of moisture in a brownie recipe.
• Do not over-bake. Bake just until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist sticky crumbs attached. If it comes out with wet batter, then the brownies are still raw and if it comes out dry then they are over-baked.
• Cool completely. Let the brownies cool completely and then refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing. This time spent cooling will ensure the fudgiest texture and also improve the flavor. You can also make neater slices when brownies are thoroughly chilled.

RECIPE FAQ

If you love brownies, check out these other brownie recipes:

Video

Speckled Chocolate Mini Egg Brownies

Christina Marsigliese, Food Scientist MSc.

These fudgy dark chocolate brownies are studded with chocolate mini eggs and topped with a speckled buttercream frosting which makes them perfect for Easter!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 16 brownies

Ingredients

  

Brownie batter:

• 5 oz (142g) bittersweet chocolate with 70% cocoa solids or extra dark 85% chocolate, coarsely chopped (NOTE: you must use bittersweet chocolate or the brownies will be too sweet)
• 6 tablespoon (84g) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• heaped ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp (60g) all-purpose flour
• heaped ½ cup (100g) chopped mini eggs plus extra for topping

Frosting:

• 3 tablespoon (42g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon (14g) coconut oil, softened
• 1 cup (120g) powdered confectioner's sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 3 teaspoon (15ml) whole milk, at room temperature

Speckle:

• 1 teaspoon (2g) cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoon (10ml) hot water

NOTE: for best results, use a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients.

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a 7x7-inch or 8x8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang at each side and secure the sides down on the edge of the pan with ¾-inch binder clips. Brownies baked in a 7-inch pan will be slightly thicker.
• Make the brownie batter. In a large bowl over a pot with ½-inch of simmering water, stir together chocolate and butter until completely melted, smooth and glossy. You can also melt it in the microwave with 20 second bursts and stirring each time. Set it aside and keep it warm (no need to let it cool).
• Combine eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale, creamy, thick and lightened by a shade. It will take a minute or two, and it doesn't need to get very aerated. You can also use an electric handheld mixer on medium-high speed, but do not over-whip at this stage since it can encourage the development of a very thin crust. Normally that is desirable, but since these brownies have a frosting, it's better that the crust does not separate.
• Mix in vanilla and salt. Add the warm chocolate mixture and mix well with a spatula or the whisk until evenly combined. The mixture should tighten up and become glossy when the chocolate is thoroughly incorporated.
• Sift in flour to remove lumps and fold it in gently until well incorporated and smooth. Fold in chopped mini eggs.
• Scrape batter into prepared pan and use a small offset spatula to smooth out the surface. Bake for 22-26 minutes until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted someplace between the edge and the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Do not over-bake!
• Use the parchment overhand to transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Make the frosting. Combine soft butter, coconut oil, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl and mix vigorously until smooth, light and fluffy. Mix in the milk one teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency that is soft and spreadable. Add 2-3 drops of blue food coloring and one drop of green to create this pastel aqua color. Always start by adding very little and then adding more if necessary! Spread immediately onto the cooled brownies. Sprinkle extra chopped mini eggs on top.
• Decorate with speckles. Combine cocoa powder and hot water in a small bowl. Whisk until combined. Dip the tip of a dry pastry brush or new (clean) paint brush into the cocoa mixture and shake off any excess. Hold the brush about 5 inches above the brownies, then use your pointer finger to pull the bristles back and slowly release to "flick" the mixture over the frosting. Repeat as many times as you'd like to create the pattern. Note: this can be slightly messy, so do it over a large work surface and wear an apron. Slice with a hot dry knife and serve!