The Viral Christmas Brownie Slab Everyone Is Making, and You’ll Crave All Season

Let’s be honest: the holidays are basically a marathon fueled by butter, sugar, and pure joy. And nothing wins the dessert table faster than a brownie slab—especially one that’s festive, chewy at the edges, fudgy in the middle, and easy to decorate like a sugary winter runway. These five slabs bring the cheer: big-batch, one-pan brownies that slice beautifully, travel well, and taste like your favorite cozy sweater. Grab a 9×13 pan, preheat the oven, and let’s make brownies that look like Christmas, taste like heaven, and go viral on your feed.

1. Classic Fudgy Peppermint Bark Slab That Snaps, Crackles, Fudges

This is the holiday brownie everyone reaches for first. It’s dense and glossy with a crackly top, then finished with silky white chocolate and a blizzard of crushed candy canes. Serve it at a cookie swap or pack into tins—these keep beautifully and look like they came from a fancy bakery.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter
• 8 oz (225 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (50 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder (optional, for depth)
• 8 oz (225 g) white chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candies
• 1 tbsp neutral oil (for thinning white chocolate)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang.
2. In a heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate, stirring until smooth. Cool 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in granulated and brown sugars until glossy. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well. Stir in vanilla.
4. Sift in flour, cocoa, salt, and espresso powder. Fold gently until just combined—don’t overmix.
5. Spread into pan. Bake 24–28 minutes until the edges are set and a toothpick has a few moist crumbs.
6. Cool completely. Mix melted white chocolate with oil until pourable. Spread on top; shower with crushed candy canes.
7. Chill 15 minutes to set, then lift out and slice into squares or triangles.

Serve it up: Pair with hot cocoa or spiked coffee. Swap white chocolate for dark if you’re not team peppermint bark. For extra crunch, add 1 cup mini pretzels to the batter—sweet-salty bliss.

2. Gingerbread Swirl Brownie Slab With Brown Butter Frosting Snow

Spicy meets fudgy in this head-turner. You’ll marble in a molasses-ginger cookie batter that bakes into ribbons through rich chocolate, then top the whole thing with a cloud of brown butter frosting. It tastes like Christmas market meets cocoa bar.

Ingredients:

Brownie base:

• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter
• 6 oz (170 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup (30 g) cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt

Gingerbread swirl:

• 1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) unsulphured molasses
• 1/3 cup (70 g) brown sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt

Brown butter frosting:

• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• 1 3/4 cups (210 g) powdered sugar
• 1–2 tbsp milk or cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
2. Make brownie base: Melt butter and chocolate together; cool slightly. Whisk in sugars, then eggs and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients just until combined. Spread in pan.
3. Make gingerbread swirl: Stir melted butter, molasses, brown sugar, and egg yolk. Fold in flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Dollop over brownie batter and swirl with a knife.
4. Bake 25–30 minutes until the center barely jiggles. Cool completely.
5. Make frosting: Brown the butter in a saucepan until nutty and amber; cool 10 minutes. Beat with powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until fluffy. Spread over cooled slab.

Pro tip: Dust with cinnamon sugar or add sugared cranberries on top for sparkle. If you prefer less frosting, skip it and sift powdered sugar over the top—still gorgeous, still festive.

3. Triple-Chocolate Hazelnut Crunch Slab That Belongs Under the Tree

For the chocolate maximalists. This slab layers cocoa-rich brownie with toasted hazelnuts, melty chocolate chunks, and a glossy ganache cap that sets just firm enough to slice cleanly. It’s the Ferrero fantasy, minus the tiny wrappers.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter
• 4 oz (115 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup (120 g) toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chunks

Ganache topping:

• 8 oz (225 g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tbsp hazelnut spread (optional for gloss)
• 1/2 tsp flaky salt (for finish)

Instructions:

1. Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
2. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate until smooth. Whisk in sugar. Add eggs one by one, then vanilla.
3. Fold in flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir just until combined. Fold in hazelnuts and chocolate chunks.
4. Bake 22–27 minutes until edges set and center has moist crumbs. Cool completely.
5. Heat cream to steaming; pour over chopped dark chocolate. Wait 2 minutes, then whisk smooth. Stir in hazelnut spread if using.
6. Spread ganache over cooled brownies. Sprinkle flaky salt. Chill 20–30 minutes to set before slicing.

Serve smart: Cut small—they’re rich. Swap hazelnuts for almonds or pecans if needed. For extra crunch, scatter crushed wafer cookies over the ganache before it sets.

4. White Chocolate Cranberry Blondie-Brownie Slab (The Snowy Crowd-Pleaser)

This is the cheerful cousin in the lineup: part brownie energy, part blondie warmth. Buttery vanilla base meets white chocolate and tart pops of cranberry, then gets a glossy drizzle. It’s festive without being too sweet—perfect for afternoon tea or post-dinner nibbling.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 cup (200 g) brown sugar
• 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup (170 g) white chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup (90 g) dried cranberries
• Zest of 1 orange

Drizzle:

• 4 oz (115 g) white chocolate, melted
• 1 tsp coconut oil or neutral oil

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
2. Whisk melted butter with brown and granulated sugar until shiny. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined. Stir in white chocolate chips, cranberries, and orange zest.
4. Spread evenly in pan. Bake 22–25 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
5. Cool, then mix melted white chocolate with oil and drizzle over the slab. Let set 10 minutes before slicing.

Variations: Sub chopped fresh cranberries for a tangier bite (bake 2–3 minutes longer). Add pistachios for green-and-red magic. Not into white chocolate? Use dark and skip the drizzle—still stunning.

5. Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownie Slab With Gooey Puddles

Sweet, salty, chewy, crunchy—this one hits every craving. A deep cocoa base gets studded with pretzels and a ripple of salted caramel that bakes into shiny pockets. It’s the “wait, who made this?” brownie that disappears first, trust me.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter
• 10 oz (285 g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (50 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups (75 g) mini pretzels, roughly broken
• 3/4 cup (240 g) thick salted caramel sauce, plus extra for drizzling
• Flaky salt, for finishing

Instructions:

1. Preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
2. Melt butter and chocolate until smooth; cool slightly. Whisk in sugars, then eggs and vanilla.
3. Fold in flour, cocoa, and fine salt. Stir in half the pretzels.
4. Spread half the batter in the pan. Spoon half the caramel in dollops. Top with remaining batter; dollop remaining caramel. Swirl gently with a knife.
5. Scatter remaining pretzels on top. Bake 25–30 minutes until set at edges with a soft center.
6. Cool 20 minutes. Sprinkle flaky salt and drizzle extra caramel before slicing.

Serving ideas: Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hot espresso pour-over for instant affogato vibes. Swap pretzels for chopped peanuts or pecans. Want extra goo? Warm slices 10 seconds in the microwave—seriously, game changer.

Brownie Slab Success Tips

• Don’t overbake. Pull them when the center has moist crumbs; they firm as they cool.
• Use parchment with overhang. Lift the slab out for clean slicing.
• Room-temp eggs. They emulsify better for that shiny top.
• Weigh ingredients. Especially flour and cocoa; too much equals cakey slabs.
• Chill to set toppings. Fifteen to thirty minutes tightens ganache and drizzles for neat edges.

Ready to bake the dessert that’ll steal the party? Pick one slab, preheat the oven, and make your kitchen smell like pure holiday magic. Then post the slice shot—because The Viral Christmas Brownie Slab Everyone Is Making deserves its moment on your table and your timeline.