Viral Santa Hat Brownie Bites (Easy Christmas Dessert with Strawberries & Cream)

Few Christmas treats make people smile before they even take a bite, but these Santa Hat Brownie Bites do exactly that. Fudgy brownie bites are topped with a fresh strawberry turned upside down to look like Santa's hat, finished with a swirl of whipped cream for the fur trim and a tiny cream dot for the pom-pom. They look like they took all afternoon, yet the whole batch comes together in about 30 minutes.

This recipe has been all over Pinterest this holiday season, and it is easy to see why: it needs only three main ingredients, no special skills, and the result is the cutest thing on any Christmas dessert tray. Kids love assembling them, guests reach for them first, and they are just as welcome at a cookie swap as they are at a fancy holiday party.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Only 3 main ingredients — brownie bites, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream.
• Ready in 30 minutes — use a box brownie mix or store-bought brownie bites for a shortcut.
• Kid-friendly to assemble — a fun family activity on Christmas Eve.
• Crowd-sized batch — one recipe makes 24 bites, perfect for parties and potlucks.

Ingredients

• 1 box fudgy brownie mix, plus the eggs, oil, and water called for on the package
• 24 medium strawberries, hulled and patted dry
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan or line it with mini paper liners.
2. Prepare the brownie batter according to the package directions. Fill each muffin cup about three-quarters full.
3. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. While the brownies cool, whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until stiff peaks form. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small round or star tip (a zip-top bag with the corner snipped works too).
5. Hull the strawberries so they sit flat, trimming the very tip if needed so the hat looks tall and straight.
6. Pipe a ring of whipped cream on top of each cooled brownie bite, set one strawberry point-side up in the center, then pipe a tiny dot of cream on the tip of each strawberry for the pom-pom.
7. Serve right away, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

Tips for the Cutest Santa Hats

Choose strawberries that are tall and cone-shaped rather than round — they look the most like hats. A fudgy (not cakey) brownie mix holds up better under the weight of the berry. Make sure the brownie bites are fully cooled before piping, or the cream will melt. For an extra-festive touch, dust the finished tray lightly with powdered sugar to look like fresh snow.

Make-Ahead & Storage

Bake the brownie bites up to 2 days ahead and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Assemble the hats no more than 2 hours before serving and keep the finished bites chilled, as whipped cream softens at room temperature. Leftover assembled bites keep in the fridge for 1 day, though they are best the day they are made.

Nutrition (Estimate)

Per bite (estimate): 165 calories, 22 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 8 g fat, 13 g sugar, 1 g fiber. Estimates only — values vary with the brownie mix and cream used.