Description
These Viral Pine Cone Brownies are a creative twist on traditional brownies, shaped like pine cones and decorated with almond slices to mimic pine cone scales. They have a gooey, rich chocolate center and are coated in melted chocolate for a stunning presentation perfect for holidays or special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Base
- 1 box gluten-free/grain-free brownie mix (such as Simple Mills) and the ingredients required for the mix
- 1 cup sliced almonds (can substitute with cereal flakes)
Coating
- 9 oz chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil
Finishing
- Powdered sugar or powdered monk fruit for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare brownie base: Follow the brownie mix package instructions carefully to prepare the batter. Bake the brownies but avoid overbaking to keep the center gooey and workable. Once baked, let them cool for about 10 minutes so they are warm but not hardened.
- Shape pine cones: Take the cooled brownie mixture and form approximately 12 cone shapes by hand, similar to shaping cake pops. These shapes will be the base of your pine cones.
- Apply almond “scales”: Gently press the sliced almonds (or cereal flakes) into and around the brownie cones to create the appearance of pine cone scales. Handle the brownies carefully as they are delicate.
- Freeze pine cones: Arrange the pine cone brownies on a parchment-lined sheet pan and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up.
- Melt chocolate coating: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips with coconut oil. Melt in 30-second increments, stirring between each until smooth. Alternatively, melt using a double boiler.
- Coat the pine cones: Remove the pine cones from the freezer and carefully dip or brush each one with the melted chocolate to coat completely. Return them to the parchment-lined tray to set.
- Finish and serve: Once the chocolate has set, sprinkle the pine cone brownies lightly with powdered sugar or powdered monk fruit to create a frosted look. Enjoy!
Notes
- Brownie mixes vary in results; using the recommended Simple Mills brand gives best results but results may vary with others.
- If melted chocolate is too thick for coating, add more coconut oil to thin it out.
- Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work better than milk chocolate for coating.
- If the brownie mixture is crumbly, incorporate some chocolate or cream cheese frosting to help bind the mixture for shaping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 pine cone brownie (approximate)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 15mg
