Two of the greatest things to exist are rich and decadent fudgy brownies, and chocolate covered fruit. These super simple one-bowl Extra Fudgy Double Chocolate Cherry Brownies take just a few minutes to prep and the result is the fudgiest chocolate cherry brownie studded with chocolate chips and maraschino cherries in every luscious bite.
This cherry brownie recipe is based on my Better than Box Mix Brownies recipe and is great for Valentine's day, Christmas, or really any time you have a chocolate craving! These chewy gooey chocolate cherry brownies are even better than a box mix and are just as easy to make! If you love a chocolatey brownie with a romantic twist, you'll also love these Red Wine Chocolate Brownies.
Why this Recipe Works
The combination of chocolate and cherry is so epic that it has it's own name: black forest. A black forest cake is the most well known black forest bake but these black forest brownies are even better!
Ingredients and Notes
Oil - Oil and butter are both sources of fat in this chocolate cherry brownie recipe. Oil contributes to the fudgy texture of the brownies while the butter provides a rich flavor (and also contributes to the fudgy texture). Be sure to use a neutral oil like a vegetable or canola oil.
Cocoa Powder - Cocoa powder is one of the two chocolates (the other is chocolate chips!) in these gooey homemade double chocolate cherry brownies. This is the only ingredient that makes the brownie batter itself chocolate.
Sugar - The sugar serves multiple roles in these decadent cherry brownies. Cocoa powder is very chocolatey, but not at all sweet. In fact, it's quite bitter. The sugar offsets the bitterness of the cocoa powder making these brownies the perfect 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 these chocolate cherry brownies because they add a vibrant pop of red color as well as a burst of fruity flavor.
Substitutions
Cherry Juice - The juice from the jar of maraschino cherries is added to this fruity brownie batter, but milk can be used instead if preferable. 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 this decadent chocolate cherry brownie recipe.
Maraschino Cherries - If preferred, fresh, frozen, or canned or tinned cherries can be used instead of maraschino cherries. Cherry pie filling cannot be substituted in this double chocolate brownie recipe.
How to Make this Recipe
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. Cool completely, cut into squares, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
There are a few different factors that lead to fudgier brownies. One is the fat to flour ratio. This chocolate cherry brownie 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 rich and fudgy double chocolate brownies, you want to see a thin coating of brownie batter on the toothpick. A clean toothpick means your brownies are over-baked.
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.
Tips & Tricks
Tip #1: Cool the chocolate cherry brownies completely before cutting. If you try to cut them while they're still warm, they will fall apart. Because these are extra fudgy brownies, after they have cooled, chill them in the refrigerator for 10-20 minutes before slicing to help cut cleaner squares.
Tip #2: For a fun and boozy variation, drain the cherry juice into an airtight container (save it for the brownie batter!) and fill the jar with bourbon, vodka, or rum. Let the cherries set in the fridge overnight and drain before using the cherries. Save the drained alcohol for a delicious cocktail with a hint of cherry!
Tip #3: If you prefer to make extra fudgy triple chocolate brownies, dip the cherries in melted chocolate and let set before adding them to the brownie batter.
Storage Tips
- These rich and decadent fudgy chocolate cherry brownies can be stored at room temperature for about a week.
- These can also be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a slightly more solid and chewy texture.
- Double chocolate cherry brownies can be frozen for 1-2 months. To store in the freezer, wrap in plastic wrap, then foil, then place into a zip-top freezer bag.
Related Recipes
Did you try this recipe? Leave a review below, and tag @flourdeliz on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Double Chocolate Cherry Brownies
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup juice from jar of maraschino cherries
- 1 stick butter 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 halved (a 16 oz jar works perfectly for this recipe)
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.
- Add eggs and yolks and mix until combined.
- Stir in the sugar till fully incorporated.
- Add in flour and salt and mix until barely incorporated.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips and cherries (a few cherries can be reserved for topping).
- 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!
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted on February 2, 2019, but was republished with new photos, additional information about the recipe, step-by-step instructions, FAQs, and tips and tricks in January of 2023.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!