Black Forest Brownies (Gluten-Free)

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These easy black forest brownies are a combination of cherries and chocolate chunks in dense, fudgy brownies. They're a fun (and healthier) spin on traditional black forest cake, which is a chocolate cake with sweet cherries and whipped cream.

Speaking of healthier chocolate recipes, chocolate chip mug cake and protein puppy chow are other go-to recipes of mine!

I'm a fan of using a brownie mix but there's something about these homemade brownies. They're moist and have a rich chocolate flavor, making them the best way to satisfy that craving for chocolate lovers. Topped with homemade whipped cream and shaved chocolate, these fudgy chocolate brownies are delicious!

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Black Cocoa Brownies
Equipment
Ingredient Highlights
How to Make Healthier Black Forest Brownies
Variations
Pro Tips
Storage
Recipe FAQ
More Healthier Chocolate Recipes
Black Forest Brownies (Gluten-Free)

Black Cocoa Brownies

I'm obsessed with using black cocoa in baked goods (some great examples are these double chocolate cupcakes and healthy chocolate zucchini bread). It's less bitter than traditional cocoa powder because of how it's processed. This results in a super rich chocolate-y flavor, making these black cocoa brownies absolutely delicious!

Equipment

Blender - since this is a black bean brownie recipe, I highly recommend using a blender or food processor to really blend up the batter to make sure it's nice and smooth.
Large mixing bowl - once the batter is blended, pour it into a large 5-quart mixing bowl to stir in the dried cherries and chocolate chips.
Kitchen scale - since baking is a true science, using a kitchen scale allows measurements to be as precise as possible. While not 100% necessary, I like to use one when baking!
Rubber spatula - this is important to stir in the cherries and chocolate chips and scrape the batter out of the blender!

Ingredient Highlights

Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Black beans - these are the base of these brownies and you'd never know they were in there! Just be sure to completely rinse the beans before using and blend the batter for 2-3 minutes once ingredients have been added to ensure the brownies have been blended up. Black beans add fiber to this recipe, which is part of why they're a little healthier than traditional brownies!
Large eggs - make sure the eggs are at room temperature to ensure even and easy mixing! Eggs help to bind all of the ingredients together.
Oats - instead of flour, I like to use old fashioned oats. Since they're getting blended up with the beans, it's like adding oat flour! Oats will add more fiber and B vitamins to these brownies!
Black cocoa powder & regular unsweetened cocoa powder - the combination of these powders gives these brownies a rich, fudgy taste and texture! I love using black cocoa powder because it's less bitter than traditional cocoa powders.
Oil - any neutral oil will work here. You can use butter, but it's more of a saturated fat. I like to use olive or avocado oil, which contribute some unsaturated fats!
Chocolate chips - any flavor of chocolate chip will work (dark, milk, white). I love using mini chocolate chips!
Dried cherries - the dried cherries are what make this recipe "black forest brownies"! Fresh cherries contain too much water, which prevents the batter from cooking through in the center. I try to look for no-sugar-added or low sugar dried fruit whenever possible, just to cut back on the added sugar.
Pure vanilla extract - even though this a chocolate recipe, vanilla extract ties everything together nicely.

How to Make Healthier Black Forest Brownies

Step 1: Combine wet and dry ingredients in a large blender.

black forest brownies ingredients in a blender

Step 2: Blend on high until all ingredients are combined and batter is smooth.

Step 3: Pour brownie batter into a large bowl and stir in chocolate chips and dried cherries.

Step 4: Spray an 8x8" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and then pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Step 5: Bake for 30-35 minutes at 325 degrees F.

Note: a toothpick may come out slightly wet! Brownies will continue to cook as they cool.

black forest brownies topped with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings

Step 6: Once cooled, spread homemade whipped cream over the top of the brownies and then sprinkle milk chocolate shavings. I love serving these hot brownies with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream! And extra cherries, of course.

Variations

Add a splash of cherry liquor (1-2 teaspoons) for a stronger cherry flavor
Use white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips instead of milk chocolate chips in the batter (or use a combination of chocolate!)
Add 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder to really bring out the chocolate flavor

Pro Tips

I originally tried this brownie recipe using fresh cherries, but the batter wouldn't fully bake in the middle because of the moisture from the fruit. I would imagine maraschino cherries and cherry pie filling would yield the same result (plus add quite a bit of added sugar), so I recommend using dried cherries for that reason!

Storage

Store these chocolate cherry brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap (either individually or the whole pan) and freeze for up to 2 months (without the whipped cream topping)!

Recipe FAQ

What makes brownies more fudgy?

In my opinion, black beans! I know it sounds weird but as long as you blend the batter up really well before baking, you'd never even know there were black beans in the brownies! Plus these black forest brownies are healthier than traditional recipes.

How should you store black bean brownies?

I recommend storing them in the refrigerator. You can store them at room temperature but they may spoil faster (these brownies are so moist, they spoil fairly quickly at room temp!). If you put a whipped cream layer on top, I definitely recommend storing in the fridge because of the dairy!

Are black bean brownies gluten free?

It depends on what all is in the recipe but this recipe is! There is no flour, with the exception of old fashioned oats, which I recommend buying a certified gluten-free brand if you don't eat gluten.