Name: Cherry Chocolate Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup salted butter, melted and cooled slightly; 2 cups sugar; 1 tsp almond extract; 4 large eggs; 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 tsp salt; 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder; 1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, very well drained

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Rich, fudgy, and decadent, these cherry brownies are bursting with maraschino cherries, and reminiscent of chocolate covered cherries. The pretty cherries make them perfect for Christmas and Valentine’s Day!

They are perfect on cookie trays, and they also make great gifts. If you love cherry cordials, you’ve got to try these easy homemade brownies.

My husband loves the combination of chocolate and cherries, so I decided to make some chocolate cherry brownies for him for Valentine’s Day a few years ago.

I just used one of my favorite brownie recipes, and added the maraschino cherries and almond extract. Oh my are they good! Nice and moist, with juicy cherries in every bite.

They have that lovely thin crackly top, but then the inside is nice and fudgy. Just the way brownies should be!

Of course they are perfect on their own, but if you’re feeling really sinful, (like I am way too often), you can add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It can be our little secret. 😉

These brownies are made from scratch, but they don’t take much more time than whipping up a boxed brownie mix. And I bet you already have all the ingredients on hand.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHERRY BROWNIES

Melt the butter in a large glass bowl and set aside to cool slightly. Whisk in the sugar. Add the almond extract and eggs and whisk until smooth.
Stir in flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
Drain cherries really well, then add to batter. Mix well.
Spread batter into a 9×13″ pan that has been sprayed with non stick spray.
Bake at 350° for about 35-40 minutes, or till toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If you like fudgy brownies, cook them for the lowest amount of time. For more set up, cake like brownies, bake them a bit longer.

Brownies are much easier to cut after they are cooled. So if you want clean, beautiful edges, let them cool completely before you cut into them. You can place the pan in the fridge to speed things up.

But we have a hard time waiting, so I usually cut them warm. I have found that using a plastic knife actually works the best.

Do I have to use almond extract?

Almond extract compliments the flavor of cherries perfectly, but if you don’t have it, you can substitute vanilla extract.

Can I cut the recipe in half?

Yes, it is easy to cut this recipe in half. Just spread the batter in an 8″ square baking dish. You will need to adjust the baking time. Start checking them at 25 minutes.

HOW TO STORE BROWNIES

These brownies will last for up to a week at room temperature if stored in an airtight container.

If you want to store them longer, you can also freeze them. Cut them into squares and wrap them tightly. Place them in freezer ziplock bags or another airtight container. They will last for 4-5 months.

VARIATIONS:

You can substitute fresh cherries or even dried cherries for the maraschino cherries. If you use dried cherries, you will need to reduce the baking time by 5-8 minutes.
For extra decadent brownies, stir in a cup of semi sweet or dark chocolate chips. I like using the mini chocolate chips.
Drizzle the tops of the brownies with melted chocolate, or make a simple glaze with powdered sugar and maraschino cherry juice.
Love nuts? Stir in a cup of chopped pecans or walnuts. Toast them first for best flavor.

MORE RECIPES FOR CHERRY FANS:

HOMEMADE BROWNIES TO TRY:

CHOCOLATE CHERRY BROWNIE RECIPE

Yield: 2 dozen