Vegan Forest Brownies are rich and fudgy. Filled with cherries and chocolate, these bars are deliciously decadent plant-based treats.
Making plant-based desserts is always so much fun. I love creating recipes that are made with whole food ingredients but taste incredibly delicious and rich. You don't have to use unhealthy ingredients to create a beautiful flavor. We are meant to eat foods that honor our bodies - you can satisfy cravings while still eating foods that nourish and fuel your body.
These Vegan Black Forest Brownies do just that. They are chocolaty and rich and decadent, while still filled with vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients that your body needs.
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What are Black Forest Brownies?
You may have heard of a black forest cake - it's layers of chocolate, cherries, and whipped cream. These brownies are black forest cake but in brownie form.
They're brownies with cherries inside. And if you want you can top them with some delicious coconut whipped cream. So tasty!
Why I love these brownies
- Dietary needs - this recipe is plant-based, oil-free, gluten-free, and sugar-free
- Perfect easy dessert - these vegan black forest brownies are pretty simple. Whip them up anytime for a tasty crowd pleaser
- Decadent flavors - chocolate and cherries are a delicious combo that feels decadent and fancy. No one will guess that this recipe is full of good-for-you ingredients
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Date Sugar: Date sugar is a great plant-based sweetener. It's made with just one whole food ingredient: dried dates. It's pretty absorbent so it's perfect to balance out the moisture of the cherries.
- Cashew Butter: Cashew butter adds fat, which helps give these brownies their flavor. If you don't have cashew butter you can use another neutral-tasting nut butter like almond butter.
- Finely Chopped Cherries: Chop up your cherries for little chunks of goodness in every bite of brownie. Cherries add a lot of moisture so we make up for that with absorbent ingredients like date sugar and cocoa powder.
- Baked & Mashed Sweet Potato: Sweet potato is a super great brownie ingredient. You can't taste it at all but it adds some structure and a bit of extra moisture to the bars.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: For chocolate flavor.
- Flour: A combination of oat flour and almond flour makes these bars thick and fudgy without being too dense.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: For rise.
- Vegan Chocolate Chips: For bits of chocolate throughout the brownies.
- More Cherries: Extra cherries to serve.
How to make Vegan Black Forest Brownies
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line the bottom and sides of a brownie pan with parchment paper.
Step 2. In a medium bowl stir the sweet potato, date sugar, cashew butter, and cherries.
Step 3. Mix in the cocoa powder, oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
Step 4. Stir in the chocolate chips and optional cherry halves. Press into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before cutting.
Step 5. When the brownies are cooled, top with additional cherries. Enjoy!
FAQ & Expert Tips
I used an 8x8 pan for thick brownies. But a 9x9 pan or even a regular cake pan works too.
This recipe uses oat flour. Oats are naturally gluten-free and are therefore a great option for those avoiding gluten.
If you are allergic to gluten, make sure to buy certified gluten-free oat flour to avoid any trace amounts of gluten that can be added to oats during processing.
These brownies are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean or with just a bit of batter.
A clean toothpick means the blondies will be more cake-like, while a bit of batter means they will be on the fudgy side.
Since these brownies are healthy and WFPB they won't last as long as regular sugar + oil blondies.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. Or in the fridge for 5-7 days.
You can also freeze these brownies! After baking, let them cool completely. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer safe bag. They will last up to 6 months.
When you're ready to eat one, defrost it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Recipe Prayer
Thank you God for desserts that nourish our bodies with ingredients that taste good. We are so thankful that we have this food to eat.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Black Forest Brownies
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup Date Sugar
- ⅔ Cup Cashew Butter
- ½ Cup Finely Chopped Cherries
- ⅓ Cup Baked & Mashed Sweet Potato
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- ¼ Cup Oat Flour
- ¼ Cup Almond Flour
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ Cup Vegan Chocolate Chips
- Cherries to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line the bottom and sides of a brownie pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl stir the sweet potato, date sugar, cashew butter, and cherries.
- Mix in the cocoa powder, oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and optional cherry halves. Press into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before cutting.
- When the brownies are cooled, top with additional cherries. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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