These super quick and easy one-bowl Extra Fudgy Chocolate Cherry Brownies take just a few minutes to prep, and the result is the fudgiest brownie studded with chocolate chips and cherries in every luscious bite. These brownies are made with maraschino cherries and cherry juice for that classic chocolate-covered cherry flavor - rich, fudgy, and so nostalgic!
For a more basic rich and fudgy brownie recipe, try these Better than Box Mix Fudgy Brownies. For another chocolatey brownie with a romantic twist, you'll also love these Red Wine Chocolate Brownies for special occasions.
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These chewy, gooey brownies are even better than a box mix and are just as easy to make!
- Liz, Flour de Liz
🍭 Short & Sweet Recipe Overview
- ⏲️ Time: Takes just 40 minutes, including bake time, and will need additional time to cool, ideally overnight
- 🛒 Ingredients: Needs 11 ingredients
- 🍽️ Servings: Makes 20 brownies
- 🥣 Difficulty: Super Simple, One-Bowl, Kid-Friendly
- 👩🍳 Prep: Best if prepped a day or two ahead to allow sufficient time to cool
- 😋 Flavor: Rich and fudgy, with bursts of chocolate-covered maraschino cherry in every bite
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Deliciously irresistible, the perfect mix of rich, decadent chocolate and bright cherry flavors
- Almost as easy as a box mix, this recipe takes just 10 minutes of prep, needing only one bowl and no mixer
- Maximum fudginess with minimal steps
- Perfect for everything from Christmas to Valentine's Day
- Made from pantry staples and simple ingredients
For more super simple Valentine's Day sweet treats, try these Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies, these Mini Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes, or these Red Velvet Brownies using Cake Mix.
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Ingredients and Notes
Oil - Oil and butter are both sources of fat in this Chocolate Cherry Brownies recipe. Oil contributes to the extra fudgy texture of the brownies, while the butter provides a rich flavor. Melting the butter also contributes to the fudgy texture. Be sure to use a neutral oil like a vegetable or canola oil.
Cocoa Powder - Unsweetened cocoa powder is one of the two chocolates in these homemade double chocolate brownies. This is the ingredient that makes the brownie batter rich and chocolatey. Because we don't use a leavener such as baking powder or baking soda in this recipe, both dutch-process or natural cocoa powder will work.
Sugar - The sugar serves multiple roles in these decadent brownies. The sugar offsets the bitterness of the unsweetened cocoa powder, making these brownies the best sweet treat. Sugar also helps give these Chocolate Cherry Brownies those perfectly crackly tops we all love!
Maraschino Cherries - I love using maraschino cherries in this easy yet decadent recipe because they add a vibrant pop of red color as well as a burst of fruity flavor, which balances perfectly with the rich and fudgy brownie batter! Plus, the jar has the exact amount of cherry juice needed for the brownies.
If you love bursts of fruit in your desserts, you'll also love these White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies and these Peach Cupcakes with Canned Peaches.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients.
Substitutions & Variations
Cherry Juice - The juice from the jar of maraschino cherries is added to the brownie batter, but milk can be used instead if preferred. You'll still get that perfect chocolate cherry flavor from the addition of the fruit itself.
Chocolate Chips - Any kind of chocolate chips will work great in these cherry brownies. I prefer semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips, but milk chocolate or even white chocolate chips will be delicious! Chocolate chunks or chopped chocolate can be used in place of chocolate chips in these Chocolate Cherry Brownies.
Espresso Powder - Consider adding a tablespoon of instant espresso powder when you add the flour and salt. It won't add a coffee flavor, but instead will really enhance the deep chocolatey flavor of these extra fudgy Chocolate Cherry Brownies.
Boozy Brownies - For a fun and boozy variation, drain the cherry juice into an airtight container (save it for the brownie batter!) and fill the jar of cherries with bourbon, vodka, or rum. Let the cherries soak in the booze in the fridge overnight. Drain the alcohol before using the booze-infused cherries. Save the drained alcohol for a delicious cocktail with a hint of cherry!
How to Make Chocolate Cherry Brownies
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, combine cocoa powder, juice from the jar of maraschino cherries, melted butter, and vegetable or other neutral oil until smooth.
- Step 2: Add the eggs and yolks and mix until combined.
- Step 3: Add the sugar and mix until fully incorporated.
- Step 4: Add the flour and salt, and mix until just barely incorporated. It's okay if there are still a few streaks of flour.
- Step 5: Gently fold in the chocolate chips and cherries until well disbursed in the batter. At this step, ensure any remaining streaks of flour are incorporated.
- Step 6: Pour into a parchment-lined 9x13 pan and bake at 350° for approximately 30 minutes. The top should look crackly and the edges should look done, while the center still looks soft. Cool completely, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Chocolate Cherry Brownies Tips & Tricks
Tip #1: Cool the Chocolate Cherry Brownies completely before cutting; overnight is ideal. If you try to cut them while they're still warm, they will fall apart. Because these brownies are extra fudgy, after they have cooled, you can chill them in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes before slicing to help cut cleaner squares.
Tip #2: If you prefer to make extra fudgy triple chocolate brownies, dip the cherries in melted chocolate and let set before adding the chocolate-covered cherries to the brownie batter.
Tip #3: These gooey brownies can be made in two 8x8 pans in place of a 9x13 pan.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few different factors that lead to fudgier brownies. One is the fat to flour ratio. This Chocolate Cherry Brownies recipe brings in fat in a few different ways. Melting the butter makes the brownies chewier, as does using oil as a source of fat. We also add two extra egg yolks which are high in fat helping make these even fudgier.
In addition, it's very important not to over-bake your brownies. When the brownies come out of the oven, they should be just slightly underbaked, as they will continue baking as they cool.
Sort of. Using a toothpick is a great way to gauge when to take your brownies out of the oven, but you have to look more closely because we're not looking for a clean toothpick. For these extra fudgy Chocolate Cherry Brownies, you want to see a thin coating of brownie batter (not crumbs - we're going for fudgy brownies, not cakey) on the toothpick. A clean toothpick means your brownies are over-baked.
Better ways to determine doneness include a visibly crackly top and edges that look fully baked while the center is still slightly soft.
You can bake brownies in either a glass or metal pan, but depending on which you use can impact bake time. I prefer a metal pan because I prefer the straight sides to the rounded edges of a glass pan. Additionally, using a metal pan can help your brownies bake more evenly.
If using a glass pan, your brownies will bake faster so be sure to check your brownies sooner. You may even need to reduce the temperature slightly depending on your oven and your baking pan.
If you're letting the brownies cool overnight, leave them in the pan to fully cool. After that, the brownies should be stored in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
More Fudgy Chocolate Dessert Recipes to try!
👩🍳 If you tried these Chocolate Cherry Brownies or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Extra Fudgy Chocolate Cherry Brownies
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup juice from jar of maraschino cherries 16 oz jar
- 1 stick butter 8 tablespoons, melted
- ½ cup vegetable or canola oil any neutral oil will work
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup maraschino cherries 16 oz jar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the cocoa powder, cherry juice, melted butter, and oil until smooth.1 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup juice from jar of maraschino cherries, 1 stick butter, ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
- Add eggs and yolks and mix until combined.2 eggs, 2 egg yolks
- Stir in the sugar till fully incorporated.3 cups sugar
- Add in flour and salt and mix until barely incorporated.1 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips and cherries (a few cherries can be reserved for topping).1 cup chocolate chips, 1 cup maraschino cherries
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. If cherries were reserved for topping, place those on top of the batter.
- Bake about 30 minutes, until the top is crackly.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cut into squares, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated so should only be used as an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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