BYU Mint Brownies
These delicious copycat BYU Mint Brownies are made with a thick and rich brownie base with chopped walnuts for texture, then are topped with a thin layer of luscious mint icing and are topped again with a smooth chocolate frosting. These mint brownies are made famous by Brigham Young University’s BYU Creamery and they are completely irresistible!
Mint and chocolate are like chocolate and peanut butter — made for each other! If you feel the same way, then you’ll love my Chocolate Andes Mint Cookies! Or for another frosted brownies recipe, make our Lunch Lady Brownies — they’re to die for!
If you’ve had the pleasure of eating these famous BYU mint brownies, then you know you’re in for a real treat with this recipe. If you haven’t had the pleasure, then let me just tell you that you’re going to love this recipe!
Brigham Young University (BYU) makes these chocolate mint brownies and sells them at the BYU campus and as an item for catering. If you talk to any BYU student or BYU alumni they’ll know about these mint brownies. The university even created a version of their famous chocolate milk with the mint brownie flavor. Hopefully that builds up the cred enough for you to feel confident in trying this amazing BYU brownie recipe!
Why This Recipe Works
- Brownies with nuts. BYU brownies are chocolate walnut brownies! Since these brownies are so fudgy and creamy, the added nuttiness really helps create the perfect harmony of textures! Use pecans if you are allergic or don’t like walnuts.
- Delicious BYU brownies mint frosting recipe. The smooth and creamy mint frosting recipe is perfect atop these fudgy mint brownies!
- Make these famous brownies right at home! Now you can make this BYU copycat recipe right at home for any mint brownies cravings, to add green to your St. Patrick’s day, or when you want to cheer on your BYU Cougars!
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter: You’ll want to melt the butter and then let it cool slightly for making the chocolate walnut brownies which is the brownie base for this BYU brownies recipe. I always use unsalted butter in baking because I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder: I would steer towards using the natural cocoa powder. You can use dutch process cocoa, but it will make the color and the flavor different, and you won’t get the classic BYU mint brownies flavor. Read more of my Best Cocoa Powder for Baking guide for more information.
- Honey: Using honey adds some natural sweetness and moistness to these BYU brownies.
- Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent in the BYU mint brownie recipe. The fat and protein in eggs also helps emulsify the mixture and combine the butter, giving the brownie batter a creamy texture.
- Sugar: sweetens the brownie and contributes to a brownies overall texture.
- Baking Powder: adding baking powder to brownies gives them a little lift. These brownies need a small lift in them so that they aren’t overly dense.
- Walnuts: BYU mint brownies are not just known for the mint icing, but they are also made with some chopped walnuts in the brownie base. This gives some nice, needed texture to these creamy and fudgy BYU brownies. If you don’t like walnuts or you have a walnut allergy, use chopped pecans.
- Light Corn Syrup: There is only a small amount of light corn syrup in the frostings, but it is necessary to get that crazy silky texture in the frostings that you would get from the BYU creamery’s brownies!
- Powdered Sugar: Be sure to sift the powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting so that silky smooth texture isn’t lost!
- Mint Extract: This wouldn’t be a BYU mint brownies recipe without the mint extract!
- Green Food Coloring: First add in 1-2 drops of green food coloring and mix. This way you can gauge the green color. Add another drop in if needed.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Make the chocolate walnut brownie batter. Combine 1 cup melted butter and 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to a large bowl and mix until combined. Add 2 tablespoons honey and the 4 eggs and mix until well combined. Add 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 tablespoon baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix until combined. Stir in 1 cup chopped walnuts.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon the brownie batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan and spread into an even layer.
- Bake the chocolate walnut brownies. In an oven preheated to 350ºF, bake the byu brownies for 25-27 minutes. The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out with moist crumbs on it. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- Make the mint icing. You can’t have BYU mint brownies without the mint icing! Add 5 tablespoons softened butter, 4 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, and 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar to a medium sized bowl. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add 2-3 drops of green food coloring and 1/2 teaspoon mint extract. Mix until combined. Slowly add milk until the consistency is barely thinner than cake frosting.
- Spread mint icing on top and freeze. Spread the mint icing on top of the completely cooled brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for 30 minutes. The icing should no longer be soft.
- Make the chocolate brownie frosting. To a medium bowl add 5 tablespoons softened butter, 4 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, 2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, and 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Slowly add more milk if needed for a consistency a little thinner than cake frosting.
- Top with chocolate frosting. Remove the brownies from the freezer and top the BYU mint brownies with a layer of chocolate frosting. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
For the frosting, add more milk a teaspoon at a time (if needed) to get a consistency that’s slightly thinner than cake frosting.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can use an electric mixer or a whisk, but the batter gets quite thick so it can be hard to mix.
Be sure to not add too much mint flavoring, you want to get the mint flavor without crossing over into toothpaste mint territory.
It’s important to freeze the brownies after you’d put the mint frosting on. If you don’t, then spreading the layer of chocolate icing on top will be really hard! Since both frostings are really soft, they would end up mixing together instead of having the chocolate frosting sit on top of the mint frosting.
The corn syrup in the frosting helps give a soft and smooth frosting texture. It can also enhance the flavor and prevent the sugar from crystalizing.
To get clean cuts of your mint chocolate brownies, make sure the brownies are cool. You can also spray your knife with cooking spray and wipe the blade with a paper towel after each cut.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
To make this recipe ahead of time, make the frostings and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Then remove and let come to room temperature. Beat to return to a smooth consistency.
Store the brownies covered, in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Or in the fridge for 1 week. I love these brownies at room temperature because the frosting is soft.
To freeze, wrap the pan twice in plastic wrap and then once in aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove and let thaw. You may want to flash freeze the brownies before wrapping them so the frosting is firm and doesn’t stick to the wrapping.
Recipe FAQs
Actually, these brownies can be stored at room temperature, just cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. If you prefer the frosting to be on the firm side then yes, you should store the brownies in the fridge.
Yes, brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Wait until the brownies are completely cool. Cutting warm brownies is a recipe for disaster. You can speed up the cooling process by chilling the brownies for 2 hours before cutting them in order to get cleaner cuts. You can also spray your knife with cooking spray and then wipe it clean with a paper towel after every cut.
If you’ve cut the entire pan of brownies, then they won’t last as long. Cut brownies last about 1 to 2 days. An uncut pan of brownies will last about 4 days and frozen brownies will last up to 3 months.
It really is just 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup in each of the frosting recipes and it is needed to get the iconic frosting from these famous BYU brownies! I wouldn’t skip it, but technically it will work without it.
Let’s just say, we’re making brownies, so don’t expect the calorie count to be similar to a salad. A square BYU mint brownie has about 530 calories in it. Embrace it. Love it.
You can buy BYU mint brownies at various locations on the Brigham Young University campus. You can find them at the BYU Store (formerly known as the BYU bookstore), the BYU Creamery on Ninth or you can order BYU mint brownies online through BYU food or BYU catering.
More Brownie Recipes
BYU Mint Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 cup butter - melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped walnuts - or pecans (optional)
Mint Icing
- 5 tablespoons butter - softened to room temperature
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 1/3 cups powered sugar - sifted (to remove lumps – helps the frosting be extra smooth).
- 1/2 teaspoon mint extract
- 2-3 drops green food coloring
Chocolate Frosting
- 5 tablespoon butter - softened to room temperature
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 2 1/3 cups powered sugar - sifted (to remove lumps – helps the frosting be extra smooth).
- 1/3 cup cocoa - sifted – you can sift it with the powdered sugar
Equipment
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan (I used cooking spray).
- Note: to make the brownie batter you can use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You can use a whisk, but the batter gets quite thick so it can be hard to mix.
- In a large bowl mix the butter and cocoa until combined. Add the honey and eggs and mix until fully combined. Next add the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix again. Stir in the chopped nuts, if using. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25-27 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the brownies comes out with moist crumbs on it. Cool completely.
Mint Icing
- Beat the butter, milk, corn syrup, and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add the mint and food coloring. Mix until combined. Add milk gradually until the consistency is slightly thinner than cake frosting.
- Spread the mint icing over the cooled brownies. Freeze the brownies for 30 minutes or until the icing is no longer soft (see notes).
Chocolate Frosting
- Beat the butter, milk, corn syrup, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add more milk a teaspoon at a time (if needed) to get a consistency that’s slightly thinner than cake frosting.
- Remove the mint icing covered brownies from the freezer and top with the chocolate frosting.
Welcome to this delicious corner of the internet! Here I share the recipes my family loves.
One Comment on “BYU Mint Brownies”
These brownies are delicious! The directions are clear and easy to follow so you end up with beautiful, rich mint brownies. We made them for the BYU football game yesterday and it turns out they’re good luck too! Go cougs!