What size strawberries work best for santa hat brownies?

Choose small to medium strawberries that are roughly the same width as your mini brownie bites, so the hats sit centered without overhang. Pick berries that are deep red all the way to the tip, since they are the sweetest and look the most festive. Avoid jumbo berries, which topple over and throw off the cute proportions.

Can I use canned whipped cream instead of homemade stabilized cream?

You can in a pinch, but canned whipped cream starts to deflate within 30 to 60 minutes, so only use it if you assemble right before serving. The homemade stabilized version with instant pudding mix holds its piped shape for 4 hours or more at party temperature. For buffets and potlucks, the stabilized cream is worth the extra 3 minutes.

How far in advance can I decorate the brownies?

Assemble the hats up to 4 hours before serving and keep the platter refrigerated until party time. For longer planning, bake the brownie bites up to 2 days ahead and store them airtight at room temperature, then whip the cream and decorate on serving day. Undecorated brownie bites also freeze well for up to 1 month.

Why do my strawberry hats keep sliding off?

Sliding hats are almost always caused by moisture, so pat every strawberry completely dry with paper towels after rinsing. Pipe a thick ring of cream as edible glue and press the berry down firmly into the center. A 15 minute chill after assembly sets everything in place before transport.

Can I freeze santa hat brownies?

Freeze only the undecorated brownie bites, wrapped well, for up to 1 month, then thaw at room temperature and decorate fresh. Do not freeze fully assembled hats, because the whipped cream weeps when thawed and the strawberries turn soft and watery. Fresh decoration takes 10 minutes and looks far better.

Santa Hat Brownies – 30-Minute Festive Recipe

Ingredients

Scale

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup (35 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (65 g) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
24 small fresh strawberries, hulled

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 24 cup mini muffin tin well with butter or nonstick spray, or line with mini paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and granulated sugar together until glossy and well combined, about 30 seconds.
Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each, then stir in the vanilla extract until the batter looks smooth and slightly thick.
Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder, then fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about three quarters full. A small cookie scoop keeps the portions even.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. The centers should still look slightly soft.
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Short on time? Slide the rack into the freezer for 10 minutes to cool them fast.
In a chilled bowl, beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and instant pudding mix with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star tip, or a zip top bag with one corner snipped off.
Hull the strawberries and slice a thin sliver off the stem end so each berry sits flat. Pipe a generous ring of cream on each cooled brownie, then press a strawberry upside down into the center, point facing up.
Add a small dot of cream to the tip of each strawberry for the pom pom, dust lightly with powdered sugar, and serve right away or refrigerate.

Author: Chef Hanna Zest
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes