Bake a Batch of Peppermint Fudge Brownies

There was a diner near my house growing up. It was in a strip mall next to one of those hibachi Japanese restaurants that was so popular in the 90s. And there was a pet fish store that Id often frequent, too, where Id look at all the fish, and plead with my mother to buy me the most exotic, beautiful one in the aquarium. We were usually on our way to dinner at the diner. My dad didnt care for it much, so it was usually an event reserved for when he was out of town on business.

The meal was mediocre at best, but it was exciting because we would eat breakfast for dinner and the best part of the entire meal was at the end. Theyd drop the check at the edge of the table, along with a few Andes mints and I thought it was the best thing ever.

The combination of chocolate and mint is magical; its one part mint and another part dessert. This brownie is everything a brownie should be: it has a crackly top, the inside if fudge-like and chewy (thanks to the brown sugar), it isnt overly sweet and the peppermint extract adds a bit of freshness to an otherwise decadent dessert. This belongs on your holiday dessert table. Its that good! All inspired by my favorite diner memento.

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She's a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.