Grasshopper Brownies are decadent two-layer brownies filled with a simple peppermint flavored fudge. Inspired by the classic chocolate mint cocktail and perfect for a special occasion.
A new and improved grasshopper brownie recipe
I used to make these grasshopper brownies the “classic” way, with a brownie bottom, mint filling, and a chocolate ganache topping. It tasted great, but the chocolate topping made the brownies much more crumbly and messy to eat.
Come to think of it, where are you supposed to keep a brownie with an exposed ganache topping? I thought about doing them a lot more often than I actually did, given the mess.
This version of gluten free locust brownies is truly “new and improved”. We start with our super fudgy gluten free brownie recipe because it bakes very evenly with no visible dome.
Split into two pans and baked for slightly less time, these fudgy brownies are perfect for layering around a simple mint fudge filling. Just be sure to refrigerate the assembled brownie, with the fudge layer, until the fudge is firm. Patience, grasshopper.
Ingredients and substitutions
These fudge-filled brownies have a lot of ingredients that you might wonder about. The recipe is pretty simple (make a brownie recipe split between two pans, bake the layers and let them cool, fill with a light fudge mixture).
But since it has two parts and each of them is quite specific, I will help you navigate as much as possible with different food concerns. The result is worth it
Dairy free grasshopper brownies
There is dairy in both the brownie recipe and the filling. I’ve successfully substituted dairy in brownies, but haven’t tried the filling – although I have a few suggestions.
For the brownies, replace the butter with an equal amount by weight of Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, the cream with non-dairy milk, and make sure your chocolate does not contain dairy. And skip the salt because Earth Balance is very salty.
For the filling, you can try replacing the sweetened condensed milk with a dairy-free variety. You can make your own sweetened condensed milk, but I’ve also seen store-bought varieties. For white chocolate, I recommend using my vegan white chocolate recipe to make your own.
Egg free grasshopper brownies
You can try using a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon warm water, mixed and allowed to set) in place of each egg in this recipe. I haven’t tried this replacement though, so you’ll have to experiment.
Gluten-free flour mixture
This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of my basic gluten-free flour blend, a simple blend of superfine white rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch/flour. You can use another non-gum mix if you like and it shouldn’t matter too much. But you want to avoid xanthan gum.
Cocoa powder
If you don’t have Dutch-processed cocoa powder, use naturally unsweetened, but add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize the acid.
Food coloring
I use Americolor gel food coloring because it is good quality and gluten free. I buy it from Amazon (I have this nice little set (affiliate link)), and you really don’t need more than a few primary colors in small bottles.
If you’re normally against food coloring, feel free to leave it out. It’s completely non-essential, and a coat of white mint will still taste, well, minty if you’ve added flavoring.
If you’re interested in a food coloring debate, this is the face you should imagine I have: ?
Mint flavor
Peppermint extracts tend to vary greatly in mint strength, so start with less extract and taste the fudge with a spoonful before adding more. I prefer to use crem menthe flavor because it has a more balanced taste of sweet mint.
LorAnn brand aromatic oils do not contain gluten. I find them on Amazon and at my local craft stores (JoAnn and Michael). A little goes a long way.
Prevent the screen from going dark
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Preheat oven to 350°F.
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Line two 8-inch by 8-inch baking sheets with nonstick aluminum foil or regular heavy-duty aluminum foil and spray with cooking oil spray. Set the pans aside.
Bake the brownie layers.
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Place the chopped chocolate and chopped butter in a small heatproof bowl and melt, stirring occasionally, in a double boiler or microwave in 30 second bursts at about 80% power, stirring between bursts until melted and homogenize.
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Set the bowl aside to cool briefly.
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In a large bowl, place the flour mixture, cocoa powder, salt and granulated sugar and mix to combine well.
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Add the brown sugar and stir to combine, breaking up any lumps.
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Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the melted chocolate and butter mixture, eggs, vanilla and cream and mix to combine. The dough will be thick but smooth.
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Divide the batter equally between the two prepared baking pans (each pan will have about 380 grams of batter).
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Using a dampened spatula, spread the batter into each pan in an even layer.
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Place the pans in the center of the preheated oven and bake, rotating the pan once during baking, for about 20 minutes.
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The brownies are ready when they are no longer shiny and firm to the touch.
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Remove from the pan and allow the brownies to cool completely in the pans.
Make the filling.
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Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave in 30-second bursts at about 80% power, stirring between bursts.
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In a small bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, melted coconut oil, mint flavoring, and optional food coloring. Stir to combine well.
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The mixture should be smooth and easy to pour, but it will start to thicken if you let it sit.
Assemble and slice the brownies.
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Pour the fudge mixture over one of the cooled brownie layers still in the pan and shake to spread evenly.
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Remove the remaining brownie layer from that pan, remove the foil and place the brownie layer on top of the fudge layer in the pan. Tap to join.
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Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill until the fudge is firm, at least one hour.
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Once the fudge layer is set, slice and serve into 9 equal portions.
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For easier slicing, place the assembled brownies in the freezer for a few minutes.
If you don’t have Dutch-processed cocoa powder, use naturally unsweetened, but add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize the acid.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated so should only be used as an approximation.
