Black Forest Brownies with Toasted Almonds
Black Forest cakes have been a beloved favorite of mine. Turns out you can make this in brownie form. You get the rich flavors of chocolate and cherry, with the chewiness of a brownie. The sliced almonds give an exquisite roasted nuttiness and adds a slight crunch.
A delicious trick I discovered is to soak the cherries the night before in Amaretto liqueur. It adds more almond flavor and the brownies are still kid friendly. As an added bonus you get cherry almond flavored liqueur. Use this to make a wonderful martini that pairs well with these brownies. Go ahead treat yourself, you deserve it.
For the Cherry Almond Martini, just use 2 parts cherry infused liqueur to 1 part heavy cream. Vigorously shake with ice in martini mixer and strain into martini glass. Garnish with maraschino cherries.
If you’re in the mood for something different, try my Grapefruit Martini Recipe for a refreshing twist!
While enjoying my Black Forest Brownie recipe, you might also want to try my Homemade Brownie Sundae with Caramel Sauce for a delightful twist- a perfect way to elevate your brownie experience!
More Brownie Recipes to Try
- Almond Flour Brownies
- Dark Chocolate Espresso Brownies
- Cheesecake and Chocolate Brownie Bars
- Homemade Brownie Sundae
- Chewy Cranberry Maple Blondies
More dessert bar recipes you may like
- Chewy Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Bars
- Peanut Butter Honey Pretzel Butterscotch Bars
- Cranberry Almond Granola Bars
- Cherry Orange Oatmeal Bars
- Cherry Limeade Bars
- Peanut Butter Honey Butterscotch Bars
Black Forrest Brownies with Toasted Almonds
Ingredients
- 3 cups maraschino cherries no stems (about 24-ounce jar)
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 6 ounces
- ⅓ cup butter
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup white chocolate chips 6 ounces
- ⅔ cups slivered almonds toasted
- 4 ounces of cream cheese softened
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Brownie
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Coarsely chop 2 cups of cherries and place on paper towels to drain excess liquid (save the remaining whole cherries as garnish).
- Slowly melt chocolate and butter in double boiler. Take off of heat.
- Stir in eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt, flour and baking soda. Fold in chopped cherries, white chocolate chips and almonds.
- Pour batter into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until toothpick placed in brownie comes out clean. Allow to cool and cut into bars.
Topping
- Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar in a bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
- Pipe mixture in a circular swirl on top of each brownie.
- Then place 1 drained cherry on top of each brownie
Storage
- Store in an airtight container if refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- You can microwave semi-sweet chocolate chips in microwave (instead of da ouble boiler) for 30 second increments. Stir in-between until melted.
- Toast the almonds on a cookie sheet under the broiler or medium high heat in pan until slightly browned. Watch carefully and do not overheat. Nuts will continue to cook slightly once you take them off heat due to the oil in them.
