Chocolate and cherries are one of my favorite sweet combinations. The first black forest cake I ever ate was the one my grandmother baked for one of my childhood birthdays. I loved it so much; it is the only birthday cake I truly remember from my childhood (even though I had one every year). I can still taste that combination of chocolate, cherries, and cream. To relive that combination craving, I took those flavors and turned them into gluten-free, vegan-friendly Black Forest Fudgy Brownies.
Great Dessert for Both Gluten & Non-Gluten Eaters!
You don’t have to eat a gluten-free or vegan diet to enjoy these. I eat these regardless of my diet. I actually created this recipe during my gluten- and dairy-eating days (which I’m back to doing). And they are still yummy😋! This recipe is very simple and comes together quickly in a food processor… one bowl mixing! Now that’s easy peasy!! Even if you are a gluten eater, you might be surprised at how tasty these guys are. Let’s check them out!
Black Forest Fudgy Brownies: Ingredients
For the ingredients, you’ll need coconut oil, black beans, oats, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, maraschino cherries and cherry juice or cherry extract, vanilla and almond extracts, along with chocolate chips.
Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Dish
This recipe is quick to make, so begin by preheating the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8-x 8- inch baking dish with parchment paper and set it aside.
TIP: Cut the parchment paper corners down to where the paper meets the dish and overlap the flaps, so the paper sits flush with the dish.
Combine all Ingredients in a Food Processor
“Mise en Place”
It’s best to have all ingredients measured out and ready to go to make the process of mixing move quickly and easily.
Melt Coconut Oil
To a small bowl, add 60 grams (¼ cup) of coconut oil. Melt it in the microwave for 30 seconds or until melted.
TIP: I don’t recommend an already melted fat like oil, because the fat needs to set up once cooled since these brownies are very fudgy.
Add All but Cherries & Chocolate Chips
To the bowl of a food processor, add all ingredients except maraschino cherries and chocolate chips. We’ll start with 425 grams (one 15 ounce can) of black beans, rinsed and drained. Then add 48 grams (½ cup) of old-fashioned or quick cooking oats (gluten free, if gluten free), 10 grams (2 tablespoons) of cocoa or cacao powder, 2 grams (½ teaspoon) of baking powder, 1 gram (¼ teaspoon) of salt, 28 grams (2 tablespoons packed) brown sugar, 79 milliliters (⅓ cup) of pure maple syrup or honey if not vegan (or combination), 2 teaspoons of maraschino cherry juice (from the maraschino cherry jar) or 1 teaspoon of cherry extract if you have it, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and ½-1 teaspoon of almond extract. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
TIPS: The amount of almond extract may seem excessive, but the chocolate is very strong, so I find this amount appropriate for enhancing the cherry flavor. However, if you are not a big almond extract fan, you can leave it out or cut it back to ½ teaspoon. The batter will be thick, much thicker than cake batter. You should see small oat and black bean pieces, but smooth other than that.
Pulse in Cherries & Chocolate Chips
Measure out 75 grams (⅓ cup) of maraschino cherries reserving the liquid in the jar. Chop the cherries and pat them dry with a paper towel. Add the cherries and 107 grams (⅔ cup) of chocolate chips to the food processor. Pulse only 5-6 times to just mix the cherries and chocolate into the batter.
Spoon Brownie Batter into Prepared Pan
Scoop the mixture out into the parchment-lined baking dish. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to smooth out the batter to the edges.
Top with MORE Chocolate Chips & Chopped Cherries
Scatter extra chocolate chips and chopped, patted dry maraschino cherries over the top. Add as many as you would like, no measuring needed here 😉. The brownies should look indulgent. The combination of dark chocolate and bright red cherries leaves a pretty decor.
Bake the Black Forest Fudgy Brownies!
Place the brownie batter in the oven. Bake the brownies for 15-18 minutes. I usually bake mine for 18 minutes. The brownies will not rise much, but they should look dry. You should also notice that the brownies barely separate from the parchment paper edges.
Cool, Cover, & Refrigerate to Firm
Once removed, allow the brownies to cool on the counter. Then, place the pan of brownies covered in the fridge for several hours to overnight so they will firm. You can sneak a bite as they cool, but they are best eaten once they are firm.
Cut & Serve or Add Elegance & Serve
Once completely cooled, slice into 9 brownies and serve. Once cooled, they are firm. Notice they are loaded with cherries and chocolate. You can spot small black bean pieces which look like chocolate. The white specks are small bits of oats. They are dense and fudgy.
Elegant Serving
To serve, place one on a serving plate, add a dollop of whipped topping along with some chocolate chips or shavings and a maraschino cherry. For additional cherry flavoring, drizzle maraschino cherry juice over the top. Now that looks like an indulgent sweet treat.
Storing Black Forest Fudgy Brownies
Slice and store these bars in an air-tight container in the fridge for a week or so (if they last that long). They need to remain in the fridge to maintain their firmness. These bars do not have any flour to absorb liquid, so they will be a fudgy consistency instead of cake-y, thus they need to stay firm. They can be sliced or left in their baking pan. For longer storage, you can place slices in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can eat them frozen or leave them on the counter to thaw for 30 minutes.
Black Forest Fudgy Brownies Final Thoughts
These are very chocolatey, fudgy, and cherry. If you like those flavors, you should enjoy these. The cream on top adds to that Black Forest Cake feel. Since these bars do not have any flour to absorb liquid, they will be a fudgy consistency not cake-y in anyway. They make a great quick snack to satiate a cherry, chocolate craving. I enjoy these even if I’m not eating a gluten-free or vegan diet.
Baker’s Perspective
I love how simple and easy this recipe is to make. Using a food processor to combine all the ingredients makes it a quick dessert to whip up for a nice elegant, indulgent sweet treat, particularly if you add the cream and toppings. However, I find it aesthetically appealing simply with the chocolate chip and chopped cherry topping. The only downside in making these brownies is that they need to set up for several hours. I can’t deny that I have, on more than one occasion, scooped out a spoonful of hot brownie, indulged in the flavors and gooeyness, and thoroughly enjoyed it 😋.
Taster’s Perspective
These brownies may contain some unconventional “brownie” ingredients like black beans, oats, and maple syrup, but the flavors are not. Beans in general are hearty and substantial in texture making them great substitutes for flour in dense foods, including desserts. In fact, garbanzo beans (chickpeas) are often used as a flour substitute in making blondie brownies where chocolate is not the focus. These brownies, however, are chocolatey (thanks to the cocoa powder and chocolate chips). The maraschino cherries have a strong presence thanks to the combination of the fruit and cherry juice along with the almond extract. With the cream on top and fudgy brownie texture, I’m reminded of a cherry cordial. A black forest cake or a cherry cordial, regardless, if you like cherries and chocolate, these should do the trick to satisfying a chocolate cherry craving.
Check out my YouTube video on making these fudgy brownies. “Easy Black Forest Fudgy Brownies: Surprise! These are Gluten Free & Vegan!”
Easy Black Forest Fudgy Brownies: Surprisingly Gluten Free & Vegan!
Ingredients
- 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil melted
- 425 g (1-15-oz can) black beans rinsed and drained
- 48 g (½ cup) old-fashioned or quick cooking oats gluten free
- 10 g (2 tbsp) cocoa powder
- 2 g (½ tsp) baking powder
- 1 g (¼ tsp) salt
- 28 g (2 tbsp packed) brown sugar
- 79 ml (⅓ cup) pure maple syrup or honey if not vegan (or combination)
- 2 tsp maraschino cherry juice from maraschino jar or 1 tsp cherry extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½-1 tsp almond extract use less if not a fan of almond extract
- 10 oz jar (283 g) whole maraschino cherries in juice divided
- 107 g (⅔ cup) chocolate chips plus more for topping (use dairy free if vegan)
Toppings:
- whipped cream or whipped topping coconut whipped topping, if vegan
- chocolate shavings or chopped chocolate chips dairy free if vegan
- maraschino cherries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8-x 8- inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set it aside.TIPS: You can eliminate the parchment paper by only greasing the pan. If you want pretty brownie slices, use parchment paper as the paper makes it easy to remove and cut the brownies. Cut the parchment paper corners down to where it meets the dish and overlap the flaps, so the paper sits flush with the dish.
- In a small bowl, melt the coconut oil in the microwave for 30 seconds or until melted.TIP: I don't recommend an already melted fat like oil, because the fat needs to set up once cooled since these brownies are very fudgy.
- In a food processor, add all ingredients (black beans through almond extract) except maraschino cherries and chocolate chips. Blend until smooth for about 1 minute.TIP: The batter will be thick, much thicker than cake batter. You should see small oat and black bean pieces, but smooth other than that.
- Add the chopped maraschino cherries and chocolate chips. Pulse 5-6 times to mix the chocolate and cherries into the batter. Spoon the mixture in the parchment-lined baking dish.
- Scatter additional chocolate chips or chocolate shavings and chopped (patted dry) maraschino cherries over the top of the batter.
- Bake the brownies for 15-18 minutes. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before trying to cut into them. If they still look a bit underbaked, they are not, place them in the fridge for several hours to overnight so they will firm. Makes 9-12 brownies.
Video
Notes
Check out these other gluten-free recipes.
Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten Free)
Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten Free)
White Chocolate Cranberry Orange Holiday Cookies (Gluten Free)
Gluten Free Yeast Rolls (2 Recipes)
3 Simple & Flavorful Pie Crusts (Gluten Free Option)
Colombian Pandebono 30-Minute Cheese Rolls (Gluten Free)
Scottish Shortbread Cookies (Gluten Free)
New Zealand Kiwi Quick Bread (Gluten Free)
Hazelnut Spread: Nutella Alternative (Gluten Free)
Nut Butter: 3 Nuts & 3 Recipes (Gluten Free)
Australian & New Zealand Pavlova (Gluten Free)
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten Free)
Italian Savoiardi Lady Fingers (Gluten Free)
Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this post, please share it. Check out my YouTube Channel as well to see videos of kitchen tips, blog bakes, and dishes.