Name: Chocolate Cherry Brownies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter (room temperature); 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1 1/2 tsp vanilla; 3 eggs; 1/2 cup dark cocoa powder; 3/4 cup flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/8 cup powdered sugar; 1/2 cup Maraschino cherries (chopped); 1/2 cup chocolate chips

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These chocolate cherry brownies are a decadent dark chocolate delight. The cherries add a bit of tartness, perfect for a chocolate dessert.

One of my favorite flavor combinations is chocolate and cherry. The touch of tartness and additional sweetness that cherries add to chocolate is delicious. These chocolate cherry brownies are rich, chewy, and have that delicious cherry flavor.

Ingredients for Dark Chocolate Cherry Brownies

Flour
Granulated sugar
Powdered sugar
Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder
Butter
Eggs
Baking powder
Vanilla
Maraschino Cherries
Chocolate chips

How to Make Chocolate Cherry Brownies

If you love the combination of cherry and dark chocolate, then you will LOVE these brownies!

First, chop half a cup of Maraschino cherries into quarters. Set aside for later. Along with 1/2 a cup of chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks.

Then, combine room-temperature butter, granulated sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Using room-temperature butter is very important for this recipe! Mix by hand or use a mixer to completely blend the sugar and butter until it reaches a smooth consistency.

Then stir in the eggs. Again, stir until well combined. Use a mixer if you prefer.

Add the dark cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Stir until well combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Then slowly add the flour and baking powder mixture to the wet ingredients.

Finally, add chopped Maraschino cherries and chocolate chips to the batter. Stir until they are equally dispersed throughout the batter.

Why Add Powdered Sugar to Brownie Batter?

Powdered sugar interferes with the gluten formation in the flour. This leads to a fudgier brownie texture. Fudge-like brownie recipes may use a 50/50 ratio of sugar to powdered sugar. I like cake-like brownies that are a little fudgy, so I just use 1/8 cup of powdered sugar.

Tips for Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients like eggs, baking powder, and flour typically give brownies a more cake-like consistency. If you’re like me and prefer brownies that are more cake-like but have a gooey, fudgy texture as well, follow these tips:

Use less flour
Use powdered sugar
Bake for less time

Pour the brownie batter into an 8×8 lined baking pan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 35 – 40 minutes. The longer brownies bake, the more they rise. So if you prefer more cake-like brownies bake for 40 minutes. For fudgier brownies, stick to 35 minutes.

The Best Way to Line a Brownie Pan

Brownies can sometimes be a pain to remove from the pan. But with this method, that’s no longer a problem! First, lightly spray an 8×8 baking pan with cooking oil. I like to use coconut oil, but whatever you prefer is fine. Then, cut two pieces of parchment paper into 8″x14″ strips. Lay one piece of parchment paper inside the baking pan horizontally. Then lay the other vertically. The parchment paper should form a cross shape and cover all four sides of the pan.

When the brownies are finished baking, allow them to cool for 10-15 minutes. Then grab the edges of the bottom layer of parchment paper. Then simply lift out the brownies. Allow them to cool thoroughly before slicing them into squares.

Tips for Storing Cherry Chocolate Brownies

Store these brownies are room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. They should last 5 days to a week like this. That means these brownies are great for baking ahead of time!

Make Your Life Easier

If you’re thinking you want to make these brownies, but don’t have the time or feel overwhelmed, don’t! Just grab a box of your favorite brownie mix and then add Maraschino cherries and chocolate chips!

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