Easy Black Forest Brownies made with a brownie mix, a simple homemade frosting and chopped maraschino cherries. Simple brownie recipe that combines chocolate and cherry in a delicious way.
I love brownies. I make a lot of desserts, but regular brownies from a box are still one of my favorite treats. I love this recipe because it adds a little something extra to the brownies – cherries. The chocolate/cherry combination has always been one of my favorite, and I love how simple these brownies are to make. Only a few extra minutes to take a brownie mix to the next level!
Black Forest Brownies
Black Forest desserts combine chocolate and cherries. These simple Black Forest Brownies begin with a brownie mix prepared according to package directions, with some chopped cherries mixed into the batter. Once the brownies are cooled, they are topped with a frosting made from cream cheese and powdered sugar. More chopped cherries are sprinkled on top.
Ingredients in Easy Black Forest Brownies
Brownie mix – You will want to use a brownie mix that is large enough to fill a 9X13 pan. Most large brownie mixes are about 18-19 ounces. Make sure to follow the directions on the box. You can make the brownies in a smaller pan if you prefer them to be thicker, but the frosting will be quite a bit thicker at that point too. You can use any brand you’d like, but I prefer Ghirardelli mixes!
Water – Most brownie mixes require about 3 tablespoons of water. Check the box to make sure that this is the required amount for the mix that you are using.
Oil – Again, check the amount required on the box. You can use vegetable oil or canola oil. I actually use melted coconut oil in most baking recipes and that works great in this recipe.
Eggs – 2 large eggs help to bind everything together. If the box specifies for a different amount of eggs, follow the box!
Maraschino cherries – You’ll need a 16 ounce jar of maraschino cherries. Make sure to drain them well. A mesh strainer works perfectly. After straining the juice from the cherries, I place them in a single layer on paper towels for about 10-15 minutes to help absorb any extra moisture from the cherries.
Cream cheese – You will need 6 ounces of cream cheese for the frosting. Make sure it is softened to room temperature before adding the powdered sugar. You can use regular cream cheese, or a low-fat or non-fat variety will work just fine too!
Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar will sweeten up the cream cheese and provide the perfect consistency for the frosting.
How to make Easy Black Forest Brownies
Preheat oven to 350°.
Make brownie mix according to package directions (with eggs, water and oil) and then add about 2/3 of the chopped cherries to the mix. Bake in a 9X13 pan according to package directions.
Let the brownies cool and then mix up the frosting.
Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, you can add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin it out a little bit. Spread on top of cooled brownies. Sprinkle the remaining cherries over the frosting.
Easy Black Forest Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 brownie mix 18.3 ounces
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 16 oz maraschino cherries drained and chopped
- 6 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Make brownie mix according to package directions (with eggs, water and oil) and then add about 2/3 of the chopped cherries to the mix. Bake in a 9X13 pan according to package directions.
- Let the brownies cool and then mix up the frosting. Mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy and spread on top of cooled brownies. Sprinkle the remaining cherries on top.
Nutrition
More chocolate cherry desserts
- Double Chocolate Cherry Cookies
- Chocolate Cherry Oreo Balls
- Chocolate Cherry Popcorn
- Chocolate Cherry Quick Bread
- Chocolate Cherry Brownie Bites
- Chocolate Cherry Cobbler
- Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream
- Easy Cherry Chocolate Cake
- Easy Cherry Chocolate Fudge
- Cherry Chocolate Scones
- Cherry Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
HOW LONG ARE BLACK FOREST BROWNIES GOOD FOR?
If you keep them covered and stored in the fridge they can last for 6 days. If you leave them covered at room temperature the lifespan is half as long at just 3 days. Another thing to note is that these brownies freeze very well and can be frozen for up to 2 months. Just make sure to thaw them overnight in the fridge before eating.
HOW TO SOFTEN CREAM CHEESE
Cream cheese is easy to soften – you can set it out at room temperature or soften it more quickly in the microwave.
-To soften at room temperature more quickly, just set the cream cheese on a plate and cut into smaller pieces. The cream cheese should reach room temperature in about 15-20 minutes with this method.
-To soften the cream cheese in the microwave, remove the foil packaging and set the cream cheese in a small bowl or on a plate. Microwave for about 10-15 seconds. If the cream cheese is still cold and hard, continue to microwave for about 5 seconds at a time until the cream cheese is soft throughout. Just make sure not to microwave it too long or it will start to melt!
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Easy Black Forest Brownies made with a brownie mix, a simple homemade frosting and chopped maraschino cherries. Simple brownie recipe that combines chocolate and cherry in a delicious way.
Auntiepatch says
Yum!