Cranberry-Almond Brownies

Sparkly stripes make these brownies extra festive for the holidays.

Ingredients

• 1 cup slivered almonds, chopped
• 1¾ cups butter
• 1⅓ cups + ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2¾ cups granulated sugar
• 8 eggs, at room temp.
• ¼ tsp. almond extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 1 (16 oz.) can white frosting
• Red and green decorating sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 13″x9″ baking pan with enough foil to overhang sides by 2″; coat with cooking spray. Spread almonds on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 3–4 minutes; cool.
2. In pot, melt butter and 1⅓ cups chocolate chips over low heat, stirring often, until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in granulated sugar. Stir in eggs one at a time, then extract. Stir in flour, cocoa, salt until blended; stir in cranberries and almonds. Cool 10 min.; stir in remaining ½ cup chips. Pour batter into pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs clinging, about 1 hr. Cool completely in pan. Using foil, lift brownies from pan; remove foil.
3. Spread with frosting. For stripes, cut wax paper into ½”–wide strips; coat with cooking spray. Place coated side down diagonally over brownies; sprinkle decorating sugar between strips. Remove paper.