Easy Black Forest Brownies (Using Brownie Mix!)
If you love how cherries and chocolate come together in black forest cake, you’re going to love these fudgy brownies! This black forest brownies recipe uses easy ingredients found in grocery stores but the result tastes like homemade brownies made from scratch.
Servings 9
Ingredients
- 1 box (18.3 ounces) fudge brownie mix
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling or topping (divided)
- 2 ounces semi-sweet baking cacao 56% or similar (divided)
- Whipped topping as desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350?.
- Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with parchment paper. Let the paper overhang two of the edges to create handles for lifting later on. Grease or butter the two remaining exposed sides of the pan.Note: You can also just grease your whole pan, but it’s easier to lift and cut the brownies with the parchment paper.
- Separate about ¼ cup or four tablespoons of liquid from the canned cherries. This will replace the water that the boxed mix calls for. It also gives the brownies a cherry flavor and keeps them nice and moist.
- With a large mixing spoon or spatula, mix together the brownie mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and the ¼ cup of liquid taken from the canned cherry topping from step three in a large bowl. Mix until combined, but do not over mix. The package directions recommend about 50 strokes.
- Divide the baking cacao into a ¾ section and a ¼ section with a knife. Cut the ¾ section into small chunks and gently fold the chocolate chunks into the brownie batter mixture. Chop the remaining ¼ section of baking chocolate into fine, small pieces. You can also shave the chocolate with a sharp knife or vegetable peeler. Set the chocolate shavings aside for topping later.
- Place the pan on the center oven rack and bake until you can test with a toothpick (Insert a toothpick toward the center of the pan. It is done when it can be removed without batter residue.). The baking time for an 8x8 square pan is about 34-37 minutes. The baking time for a 9x9 pan is about 27-30 minutes. You’ll need to add about 4 minutes if using a glass baking dish.
- Remove the brownies from the oven and let them set before lifting them onto a wire rack to cool. Let the brownies cool to room temperature, or for about 20-30 minutes, before cutting them. You can also cool them in the fridge for about 30 minutes for neat squares.
- Top with the chopped or shaved baking chocolate, whipped cream topping and cherry topping before serving.