Black Forest Cherry Brownies
Fudgy chocolate brownies loaded with fresh cherries and finished with whipped cream and grated chocolate for a true Black Forest experience.
Servings: 16 brownies
Ingredients
Brownie
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder regular or Dutch-process
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate bar chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cherries pitted fresh or frozen, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate optional, grated, for topping
- Maraschino cherries with stems or fresh cherries optional, for topping
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with a parchment paper sling and spray with cooking spray.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, cocoa powder, and chopped chocolate together, stirring constantly, 4 to 5 minutes until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat sugars and eggs together on medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes until pale and thickened. Gently stir in vanilla, then the cooled butter-chocolate mixture. Fold in flour and salt until just combined.
- Gently fold in chopped cherries and chocolate chips until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs clinging. Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, about 1 hour.
- Remove brownies from pan using the parchment sling, running a butter knife along the edges first if needed. Use a sharp serrated knife to saw brownies into a 4x4 grid for 16 squares.
- Just before serving, beat heavy cream on medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form. Dollop whipped cream on each brownie and garnish with grated chocolate and a cherry, if desired.
Notes
Yield: This recipe makes 16 brownies from one 8x8-inch pan, cut in a 4x4 grid. Use a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to get clean edges without dragging through the brownie.
Technique: Do not overbake. These brownies are done when the toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs — completely clean with zero crumbs means they've gone too far. Start checking at the 35-minute mark.
Storage: Store untopped brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate brownies already topped with whipped cream and eat within 2 days. To freeze, wrap individual untopped brownies tightly in plastic wrap, store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months, and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Technique: Do not overbake. These brownies are done when the toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs — completely clean with zero crumbs means they've gone too far. Start checking at the 35-minute mark.
Storage: Store untopped brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate brownies already topped with whipped cream and eat within 2 days. To freeze, wrap individual untopped brownies tightly in plastic wrap, store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months, and thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 241mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 506IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg