These ridiculously easy Black Forest Brownies start with a boxed mix and a can of cherry pie filling—perfect for when you’re craving something sweet but have zero energy to bake from scratch. Fudgy, gooey, and loaded with melty chocolate, they’re everything you want in a quick-fix brownie!
The dessert my kids can make (almost) by themselves
There comes a point—usually about halfway through summer break—when my kids start hounding me for dessert every single night. And listen, I love them, I love baking, but I do not love making dessert 24/7. Enter: “Black Forest” brownies (we’re going to use the term Black Forest loosely here, it’s chocolate and cherries, and it makes my kids think this is a fancy thing they whip up. Happy kiddos = happy mom.)
This is the recipe I hand over to my kids when they beg for something sweet and I don’t have the time, energy, or mental stability to make anything elaborate. It’s basically a “dump, stir, and bake” situation—with boxed brownie mix, eggs, oil, and canned cherry pie filling. Stir it all together, spread it in the pan, and bake. That’s it.
Right when they come out of the oven, I scatter a handful of chocolate chips over the top, let them melt, and swipe them into a makeshift ganache topping. It’s very low-effort, but the results? Shockingly delicious, especially paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
A few quick tips
Cooling is non-negotiable. These brownies are meant to be gooey and fudgy, so they need a little time to settle. You need to let them cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30–60 minutes, or they’ll just fall apart on you.
We always use the leftover pie filling as a topping, along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Highly recommend.
Pan size: I usually use a 7×11-inch glass Pyrex pan, but a 9×9-inch pan works great, too. Just keep an eye on baking time depending on your pan and doneness preference.
Printable recipe
Black Forest Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 (18-oz) box brownie mix
- 1 cup cherry pie filling (I use the rest of the can for serving the brownies)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup oil
- ½ – 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 7×11 OR 9×9 inch baking dish (I usually use a 7×11 Pyrex glass pan).
- In a mixing bowl, stir together dry brownie mix, cherry pie filling, eggs and oil until a lump-free batter forms.1 (18-oz) box brownie mix, 1 cup cherry pie filling, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup oil
- Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake at 350F for 30-40 minutes, depending on your preferred brownie-doneness.
- Set brownie pan on a wire rack, immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips (I usually do a generous ½ cup.) Once melted, spread with a spatula. Allow brownies to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour.½ – 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Serve brownies with vanilla ice cream and remaining pie filling, if you like.
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