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  1. Food and Cooking
  2. Recipes
  3. Graduation Cap Brownie Bites

Graduation Cap Brownie Bites

Here’s to new beginnings—and the cutest dessert at the graduation party!

By Ree DrummondPublished: May 8, 2026
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the pioneer woman's graduation cap brownie bites recipe
Ryan Dausch
Yields:
12 serving(s)
Prep Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs

Graduation is such a special time to celebrate—whether it’s college, high school, or even kindergarten—and I can’t think of a sweeter treat to make than these graduation cap brownie bites! They’re not only ridiculously cute, but also rich, decadent, and so delicious. And despite how adorable they are, they’re actually pretty easy to make.

The base is a tiny chocolate-glazed brownie that you flip upside down, then top with a square of chocolate decorated with a little strip of sour candy belt for the cap’s tassel and a candy-coated chocolate (use a little glaze to help them stick). Bonus points if you can find candy decorations that match the school's colors!

Here are more graduation party food ideas and mini desserts if you need ‘em!

Can you use boxed brownie mix for graduation cap brownie bites?

Yes, you can—but you’ll likely end up with more brownie bites, which isn’t exactly a bad thing when you love brownie recipes! This recipe makes 12 bites, but a standard box of brownie mix will usually yield about 24 brownie bites baked in a mini muffin pan. You can enjoy the extras plain, or double the glaze and decorations and turn them into more graduation cap brownie bites.

Can you make graduation cap brownie bites ahead of time?

Yes! You can assemble them up to one day ahead and store them in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature. If you want to get an even bigger head start, bake the brownies up to two days ahead, then glaze and decorate them the day you plan to serve them. If your kitchen is especially warm, you may need to refrigerate them, but keep in mind that the candy decorations can get a little sticky or sweaty in the fridge, so room-temperature storage is best if possible.

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Ingredients

For the brownies:

  • 1 stick (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
  • 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
  • 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract

For the decorations:

  • 1 roll sour candy belt
  • 12 (1.5-inch) squares semisweet chocolate
  • 12 mini candy-coated chocolates

Directions

    1. Step 1For the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350˚F and generously butter and flour a mini-muffin pan. Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.
    2. Step 2Stir the sugar into the melted chocolate mixture, then stir in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder, mixing until just combined. Scoop generous teaspoonfuls of batter into each mini-muffin cup but don’t overfill them.
    3. Step 3Bake the brownies until set, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes, then invert the brownies onto a cooling rack. Flip them over and press gently to flatten the domed tops so the brownies will sit flat on the serving tray. Let cool completely.
    4. Step 4For the glaze: Mix the heavy cream with the corn syrup in a microwave-safe container and microwave until hot. Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Add the vanilla to the warm cream mixture, then pour over the chopped chocolate. Stir until the chocolate totally melts and the mixture is smooth.
    5. Step 5For the decorations: Using kitchen shears, cut the sour candy belt into twelve 1 1/2-inch strips. Make a V-cut on one end of each strip. Turn the chocolate squares upside-down. Using a toothpick, dab a small amount of the glaze onto the center of each chocolate square and top with a mini candy-coated chocolate. Use more of the glaze to attach a sour belt tassel to each.
    6. Step 6Dunk the brownie bites in the remaining glaze, spooning it over to fully coat. Lift out with a fork, tapping the fork on the side of the bowl several times so the excess drips off. Carefully set wide-side down on a sheet of wax paper. Cap each brownie with a decorated chocolate square while still wet. Let set, about 20 minutes.

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