Chewy and sweet, there's nothing "plain vanilla" about these easy bar cookies. They're so cute for the holiday season!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- All the chewy goodness of your favorite chocolate brownie recipe but with rich vanilla flavor.
- These festive treats are so cute for any holiday party.
- Toasting the pecans before using gives these extra buttery flavor.
This vanilla brownie recipe is for all of you vanilla lovers out there! So much vanilla flavor in a chewy "brownie"!
They freeze well unfrosted, too!
🧾 Ingredients
Technically this is a white chocolate brownie since the base is white chocolate but since the flavor is pure, intense vanilla we're calling them vanilla brownies!
📖 Variations
There are plenty of ways to change these up.
- Make these with any favorite brownie recipe or boxed brownie mix.
- Use walnuts or macadamia nuts instead of pecans.
- Add mini chocolate chips.
- Cut in star shapes or any holiday shape you prefer - or even just squares! They'e especially pretty cut into hearts for Valentine's Day
- Add chopped, candied cherries or candied orange peel.
- Add ¼ teaspoon almond extract and use chopped almonds instead of pecans for an almond vanilla brownie recipe.
- Make a candy cane trunk by breaking off the curved part of the candy cane and pushing the straight part into the bottom of the tree.
🔪 Instructions
Easy cookie bars are delicious anytime but especially pretty decorated for Christmas! The full instructions for this Christmas brownies recipe are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Melt butter and white chocolate chips together as directed in recipe below.
- Stir until smooth.
- Add the pecans and flour mixture to the white chocolate mixture.
- Pour into prepared pans and bake. They're done when a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean with maybe a few moist crumbs sticking to it.
Perfect anytime but they're especially pretty cut, covered with vanilla frosting, and decorated to look like Christmas trees.
- Make the frosting in a
mixing bowl and spread on the cooled brownies. - Cut horizontally in 3 parts.
- Cut triangles to resemble Christmas trees.
- Decorate.
🥄 Equipment
You'll need the following items to make these easy Christmas brownies successfully.
- 13x9-inch pan
- sharp knife
🥫 Storage
Vanilla brownies can be covered with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and stored at room temperature for 4 days or so. After that they lose their chewy texture.
If you are placing them in a container put parchment paper or waxed paper between the layers.
They also freeze well unfrosted. Place in a freezer container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
If you put them in a container in layers please put parchment paper between the layers.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: White vanilla baking chips burn easily. Be sure to melt them over low heat and stir often. You can also melt them at 50% power in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds.
- White chocolate chips or vanilla baking chips as they are sometimes called, are not the same as the candy coating (candy melts). Be sure to use white chocolate.
- Make sure the dry ingredients are well mixed before adding them.
- For chewy brownies remove the pan from the oven when the brownies register 165° to 185° with an instant read thermometer.
- For cakey brownies the temperature should be between 190° and 210°.
- If the white chocolate clumps up and turns hard while you are melting it you'll have to start over with new chocolate. Be careful that the pan or bowl is completely dry and everything is done on a low temperature.
- Toasting the pecans will give them more buttery flavor.
- If you're making a cookie platter use the idea behind these Halloween Rice Krispie Treats but decorate them for the holidays.
👩🍳 FAQs
Not really. They have a flavor that is distinct and different from blondies.
Sure! These are delicious without the nuts and the texture is even more chewy and decadent.
📚 Related recipes
Who doesn't love a delicious bar cookie?
This white Texas sheet cake is sort of a cross between a cake and bar cookie.
🍽️ Serve with...
I love these pretty vanilla brownies on a cookie tray during the holidays. Arrange them along with -
📞 The last word
This is such an easy recipe but the results are nothing short of spectacular.
It's a great way to let kids help with preparations for the Christmas party or cookie exchange. They can do the decorating while you move on to something else on your endless to-do list.
Cut them as cute Christmas tree brownies during the holidays, hearts for Valentine's Day... there are so many ways to serve these!
If you're looking for chocolate then these are the best brownies ever.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Vanilla Christmas Tree Brownies
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup pecans, chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
Glaze
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ to 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream, may need a touch more
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and flour 13x9-inch pan or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside
- Heat butter and white chocolate chips in a large pot over low heat, just until melted. You can also melt it in a large bowl in the microwave. Either way stir it often - mixture may appear curdled when it's done.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Stir in remaining brownie ingredients until well blended.
- Pour batter in pan and use an offset spatula or knife to spread evenly.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven - until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or the brownies register between 165° and 210° on an instant read thermometer. The lower temperature will result in very chewy brownies and the higher temperature in a more cakey brownie.
- Cool completely.
Frosting
- Mix all glaze ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth and spreadable.
- Spread glaze over brownies with a knife or a small offset spatula.
Christmas Trees
- Cut the vanilla brownies horizontally in 3 parts.
- Cut slanted lines to create triangle "Christmas trees". See image in post above.
- Decorate with sprinkles as desired.
Notes
- White chocolate chips or vanilla baking chips as they are sometimes called, are not the same as the candy coating (candy melts). Be sure to use white chocolate.
- For chewy brownies remove the pan from the oven when the brownies register 165° to 185° with an instant read thermometer.
- For cakey brownies the temperature should be between 190° and 210°.
- If the white chocolate clumps up and turns hard while you are melting it you'll have to start over with new chocolate. Be careful that the pan or bowl is completely dry and everything is done on a low temperature.
- Toasting the pecans will give them more buttery flavor.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
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First published Novemeber 29, 2021. Last updated December 10, 2023 for readability and editorial improvements.
Nicol Huff says
Sounds delicious.
Yvonne Huskisson says
Do you put all brownie ingredients into the melted chocolate chips? It kinda sounded like you do . I deciddd not to. Just iced brownies after they were done.
Marye says
Yes you do - just follow the instructions.
Lorraine says
I tried your recipe for Vanilla Brownies and followed your recipe
They were glued to my jelly roll pan, and I was so disappointed.
Could you tell me what might have gone wrong?
Marye says
Did you grease and flour the pan as instructed? It sounds like you forgot or didn't get enough on there?