Fudgy Cherry Chocolate Brownies
These Cherry Chocolate Brownies are rich and deeply fudgy, with pockets of roasted cherries and gooey chocolate melting into every bite. They’re a sweet way to celebrate cherry season, but just as lovely on a wintry Valentine’s Day—especially if you’ve stashed some frozen cherries, waiting for just the right moment.
Servings: 6
Calories: 683kcal
Ingredients
- 300 g fresh cherries (or 210 g (1 ½ cups) thawed frozen pitted cherries, halved)
- 200 g cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 4 free-range eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 190 g unsalted butter (melted)
- 75 g Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 75 g all-purpose flour
- 200 g bittersweet dark chocolate (roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Prep the cherries – Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C) with the fan on. If using fresh cherries, remove the stems, rinse under cold water, and pat dry. Halve and pit them. If using thawed frozen cherries (already pitted), drain thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer until no liquid drips out.
- Roast the cherries – Spread the cherries on a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 10 minutes, until lightly caramelized. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whip the wet ingredients – Lower the oven temperature to 355°F (180°C), fan on. In a large mixing bowl, or in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt on high speed until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Slowly pour in the melted butter and whisk just until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients – Sift the Dutch-process cocoa powder and flour directly over the batter. Mix gently until smooth and just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate and cherries – Reserve a small handful of chopped chocolate and a few roasted cherries for the top. Fold the rest into the batter with a spatula until evenly distributed.
- Line the pan – Line a 9-inch (22 cm) square metal baking pan with parchment paper. Cut two strips slightly narrower than the width of the pan and lay them crosswise to fully line the bottom and sides, leaving an overhang on all edges for easy lifting.
- Assemble the brownies – Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the reserved chocolate and cherries evenly over the surface.
- Bake and cool – Bake for 30 minutes. You’re looking for that just-set center and deeply fudgy texture. Let the brownies cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift them out using the parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Notes
- Weigh your ingredients – For the most consistent and accurate results, use a digital kitchen scale. While volume measurements are included, grams offer better precision—ensuring your brownies turn out perfectly every time.
- Whip the sugar and eggs thoroughly – Beat the sugar and eggs for a full 5 minutes on high speed using a hand or stand mixer. This step is key to achieving that shiny, crackly top and rich, fudgy interior.
- Use a metal baking pan – Metal pans conduct heat more evenly, helping the brownies bake just right. If using glass or ceramic, increase the baking time by 10 to 15 minutes to account for slower heat conduction.
- Line the pan with parchment paper – To make removing the brownies easy and mess-free, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides for lifting them out once cooled.
- Don’t overbake – For the ultimate gooey texture, bake just until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist, fudgy crumbs. A little underbaked is exactly what you want here.
Nutrition
Calories: 683kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 917IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 7mg