Don’t have time to make a whole cake to satisfy your Black Forest flavor cravings? Try these Gluten-Free Brownies With Cherries for a faster and healthier treat!
I have been absolutely adoring little sweet treats lately. Tiny chocolate chip cookies, little homemade peanut butter cups, chocolate-covered almonds—you name it, I’ve made it in the past two weeks, especially if it’s chocolaty.
It’s tougher these days, though, because I’m trying to avoid gluten. I’m not so sensitive to it that it causes acute pain or anything, but I’m starting to wonder if certain nebulous symptoms of mine might be gluten-related, so I’m seeing what happens when I don’t eat it. Lucky for me, there are plenty of gluten-free flours out there these days that really nail down the texture of glutenous baked goods, but it’s always nice to find a recipe that replaces flour entirely.
This recipe for gluten-free brownies with cherries is one of those recipes. I know what you’re thinking: how on earth do you make brownies without some kind of flour? Well, I’ll show you! Instead of flour, we’re using a mixture of melted chocolate, mashed avocado, and egg. Some of the sweetness comes from honey, with dried cherries for a take on a Black Forest-style flavor profile. In the oven, the mixture fluffs up because of the egg and then gets nice and dense like a brownie as it cools. These brownies are topped with a lovely chocolate ganache, too. If you’re serving these to a crowd, be sure you take one for yourself before they go out to the dessert table!
Are Gluten-Free Brownies With Cherries Healthy?
These brownies are fairly healthy, especially compared to your average brownie! There’s a substantial amount of semisweet chocolate in this recipe, which gives you lots of antioxidants but also a significant amount of sugar (even in semisweet chocolate) and some fat. The full-fat coconut milk in the ganache adds saturated fat as well. Some of the sugar in this recipe comes from honey, which is an unrefined natural sweetener, and you get some healthy fats and fiber with the mashed avocado. We use coconut milk for the ganache topping, so if you use dairy-free semisweet chocolate, this is a dairy-free treat.
Overall, there’s a lot to appreciate about these brownies from a nutritional standpoint. But it’s important to remember that semisweet chocolate, full-fat coconut milk, and avocado are not low-calorie foods, and this is not a low-calorie brownie. Eat it in moderation as an occasional treat!
Variations And Fun Additions To Your Gluten-Free Cherry Brownies
These gluten-free brownies have little bits of delicious cherry flavor strewn throughout, and they’re perfect as they are, in my opinion. But we all know that everybody likes their brownies a certain way. If you’re one of those folks who needs nuts in baked goods, by all means, this is a great opportunity to add chopped walnuts or pecans.
Feel free to add things to the ganache as well, such as vanilla extract, almond extract, cherry flavoring, or even a little cherry liqueur to lean into the Black Forest flavor theme here. I think these brownies would look stunning with some toppings, too, like edible glitter, a maraschino cherry, or a slice of a big strawberry.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Keep leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or store them covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you refrigerate them, let them sit out at room temperature before enjoying them. You could also consider warming them up in the microwave for 10 seconds and serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Serving Suggestions
Serve these babies warm with a big scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream. These brownies don’t even need ice cream, but booooy does it add to this dessert! You can also make your own ice cream. Try this Cookie Dough Banana Ice Cream Recipe.
I’d serve these decadent beauties after a light dinner, for sure. A big salad would do the trick, such as this Healthy Chicken Cobb Salad. Or, serve it after a dinner of Baked Pork Tenderloin with a pile of Shaved Brussels Sprouts. I’m not trying to be a bad influence here, but these brownies would easily follow up any form of “girl dinner,” too. Just sayin’.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
- 1 large avocado mashed, about ½ cup
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- Pinch of salt
- 2¼ cup dried cherries roughly chopped
For The Ganache:
- ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk or heavy cream, if preferred
- 1½ tablespoons honey or to taste
- 3½ ounces semisweet chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325℉ and generously spray a mini muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave at half-power in 20-second intervals, stirring between each interval.
- Pour the melted chocolate into a food processor and add in the mashed avocado, 1 tablespoon of honey, vanilla, egg and a pinch of salt. Process until smooth and well combined, with no chunks of avocado remaining. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and fold in the chopped cherries.
- Fill the muffin tins about ¾ of the way, and bake until they pull away from the sides, about 25-30 minutes.
- Let the brownies cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then use a knife to gently lift them out of then tin and onto a cooling rack. Let them cool for at least another 5 minutes while you make the ganache.
For the Ganache:
- Heat the coconut milk and 1½ tablespoons of honey on medium heat in a medium-sized sauce pan, just until nearly boiling. Remove from heat.
- Add in the 3½ ounces of chopped chocolate. Let the chocolate stand in the hot coconut milk mixture for 30 seconds, then whisk vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
- Pour the warm ganache into a shallow, rimmed dish, then turn each brownie upside down and dunk it into the ganache. Place back onto the cooling rack and repeat with remaining brownies. Let cool completely before serving.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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