These rich and decadent chocolate cherry brownies have a crackly top and are fudgy and gooey in the middle with crispy, chewy corners. They are filled with chunks of sweet and juicy cherries, these chocolate brownies tick ALL of the boxes and more!
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Why you will love these chocolate cherry brownies
The combination of cherries and chocolate needs no introduction. The only word that comes to mind when describing these Chocolate cherry brownies is Incredible! Rich and decadent crinkly top fudgy brownies with fresh juicy cherries in every bite.
They only need a few ingredients and are quick and easy to make. Ideal bake for any occasion. Made for sharing, but once you try them, you will want to keep them all for yourself!
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter
- Sugar – caster or granulated sugar is fine.
- Flour – all purpose / plain flour.
- Eggs – use large or medium eggs.
- Salt – Omit this if your’e using salted butter
- Cocoa powder – I prefer to use unsweetened, Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Dutch processed (or alkalized) cocoa is much less bitter than natural cocoa powder, because it has been treated with an alkaline to reduce the acidity of cocoa. It is also usually darker in appearance, and will produce darker batter.
- Chocolate – use good quality chocolate, best you can afford. I always use chopped chocolate in my baking, because it is higher quality than chocolate chips (which are often made with vegetable oil), and it produces better results. I’m a fan of dark chocolate in baking (70% cocoa solids), but I often use both, dark and milk chocolate when making brownies.
- Cherries – you can use fresh, tinned or frozen cherries in this recipe. My personal preference is to use fresh summer cherries, as they have the most flavor. If using frozen cherries, there is no need to thaw them first. One thing that I would say about using frozen cherries is that you may want to add few extra minutes to the baking time, as they add more moisture to the bake.
Step by step Instructions
Here is how to make and bake these chocolate cherry brownies. This recipe uses a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer. Start by greasing and lining an 8*8 inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang on the sides
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
Step 2: Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler, large heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave in 30 second intervals. To the melted chocolate whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar. Next, whisk in the vanilla extract.
Step 3: Then, whisk in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, stir in the flour, salt and pitted cherries.
Step 4: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or offset spatula.
Step 5: Bake the brownies for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
When to slice the Chocolate Cherry Brownies
Take the brownies out of the oven once baked, then let them rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes, transfer the bars to the fridge and chill uncovered for at least 6 hours or overnight.Chilling thoroughly will allow the brownies to set COMPLETELY and cut easily into neater slices.
Expert Baking Tips
- Use a kitchen scale: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the ingredients. They are very affordable and ensure you have the most accurate measurements when baking!
- Lining the baking pan: Buttering the sides of the pan and lining with parchment will keep it from sticking to the pan and making it easier to remove once baked.
- Don’t cut them too soon: These brownies must be completely cool before cutting otherwise they will fall apart!
- Drain the cherries: If you’re using tinned cherries make sure to drain them well otherwise the excess liquid will affect the texture of the brownies
- Dark vs. light baking pans: Baking pans conduct heat differently depending on what color the pan is. If your pan is glass or white, you should increase the heat to 350 F/177 C.
FAQ’s
I have not recipe tested these with frozen cherries. You should be able to let them thaw and then use as normal. I don’t recommend cherry pie filling either.
You can, but the color and flavor will not be the same as pictured. I highly recommend dutch process for a richer chocolate flavor.
You probably baked them for too long. Brownies should came out of the oven slightly under-baked. When you insert a toothpick or cake tester into the bake, it should come out with few crumbs still attached to it. Even if you over-baked them, they will still be delicious!
Make sure you beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is light, pale and fluffy (almost doubled in volume). You want to beat as much air into the eggs as possible, just like you do when making meringue.
Storing And Freezing
Store these chocolate cherry brownies at room temperature for up to 4 days, or keep them in the fridge, for up to 6 days.
They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap each slice into a double layer of clingfilm and cover with kitchen foil. Thaw them in the fridge overnight and bring to room temperature before serving.
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below, I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
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📖 Recipe
Cherry Chocolate Brownies
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- 8*8 Square Baking Pan
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- 6 ounces 140 grams semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup unsalted butter cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder regular unsweetened or Dutch-processed
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup fitted fresh cherries
Instructions
- Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water or in a microwave in 30 second intervals. To the melted chocolate whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar. Next, whisk in the vanilla extract.
- Then, whisk in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, stir in the flour, salt and pitted cherries.
- Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
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