Name: 🍒 Cherry Chocolate Brownies Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 4 eggs (room temperature ); 150 g caster sugar (extra-fine sugar); 100 g dark chocolate; 50 g neutral oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 70 g plain flour (all-purpose flour); 50 g cocoa powder; 100 g salted butter; 100 g dark chocolate (roughly chopped - OR chocolate chips); 150 g chopped cherries

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These gooey, fudgy cherry chocolate brownies are packed with melty chocolate chips and bursts of tart-sweet cherries — simultaneously luxurious and comforting.

Brownies have always held a special place in my heart.

Chocolate brownies with ganache icing are the first dessert I remember learning how to bake because of the simple recipe.

One basic method and you can create so many gorgeous variations: for years, my go-to was chocolate and sea salt raspberry brownies, but Dubai chocolate brownies are all the rage recently — and there’s no doubt these cherry chocolate beauties have won my heart!

Why? Tart, rich-red, juicy cherries married with rich, fudgy chocolate is a dreamy, timeless combination. The berries do make these brownies ridiculously photogenic (they should definitely go on your Instagram feed!), and the little pockets of sourness also prevent the chocolate from being too dark and rich.

However, what makes these cherry chocolate brownies stand out from the crowd is the texture contrast: they’ve got the irresistibly gooey centres, coveted chewy corners (I’ve hosted many a dinner party where the guests fought over the corner pieces!), and bursts of ripe cherries throughout.

Chocolate chips add extra pockets of molten, deep, intense chocolate flavour. I’ve done extensive testing that proves brownies always taste better with more chocolate, and, let’s face it, more chocolate is always a good idea!

😍 Why These Are The Perfect Cherry Chocolate Brownies

Perfect texture combination: Gooey centres, crackly tops, moreish chewy corners. This brownie has it all!
Bakery-style flavours: Tart cherries cut through the rich chocolate beautifully. It’s sweet, but not too much. Buttery, dark, fruity, and everything good!
Make-ahead friendly: The recipe actually tastes better a day after baking, if you can wait that long! The brownies are also meal-prep and freezer-friendly.
Customisable: The recipe works with fresh, dried, or frozen cherries. Use what you have, it’ll be fab.

Labelled ingredients for cherry chocolate brownies.

🍫 What Ingredients You’ll Need For Cherry Chocolate Brownies

This recipe doesn’t ask for anything you wouldn’t find in a well-stocked kitchen — the key is selecting quality ingredients (splashing out on decent chocolate is worth it, I promise).

Dark chocolate: Good quality chocolate at 60-70% cocoa is key for the perfect balance of bitterness. Half will be melted into the batter; the other half will be chopped and stirred through (you can substitute this half for chocolate chips if you wish).
Butter: I use salted West Country butter. Funnily enough, a little bit of salinity enhances the sweetness! Butter also adds essential richness and ensures we get that crackly top and fudgy centres.
Caster sugar: Creates the classic brownie texture and that slightly crispy top.
Eggs: Room temperature works best. They provide structure and that characteristic dense, fudgy crumb.
Plain flour (all-purpose): Just enough to give structure without making these cakey.
Cocoa powder: Intensifies the chocolate flavour and adds to that deep, rich colour. Dutch-processed works beautifully if you have it.
Cherries: Fresh, dried, or frozen all work brilliantly. If using fresh, pit them first. Dried cherries need a quick soak to prevent them from stealing moisture from the brownies.
Vanilla extract: A splash adds depth and intensifies the flavour of the chocolate.
Oil: Neutral is best. Don’t even think about skipping this ingredient; oil is my secret to the most indulgent brownies with the best gooey texture.

Substitutions and Swaps

Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate pieces create irresistible pockets of melted dark chocolate in every bite. However, you could substitute chocolate chips for white chocolate (great if you have a sweeter tooth), butterscotch chips, or even chopped nuts (for a completely different texture!).

Caster sugar (superfine) can be swapped for granulated sugar, but it may result in a slightly less crackly brownie top. The superfine caster sugar dissolves into the eggs, creating a meringue-like effect that’s hard to achieve with granulated.

To make your own caster sugar, you can pulse granulated sugar in a food processor to break it down to a finer texture.

Brown or demerara sugar creates chewier brownies. Delicious flavour, but expect a slight textural downgrade.

I don’t recommend using artificial zero-sugar alternatives.

If you don’t have cherries to hand, you could also use raspberries, dried cranberries, or chopped strawberries. While they won’t be cherry chocolate brownies, they will be scrumptious!

5 Creative Ways to Level Up Your Cherry Chocolate Brownies

Now, I don’t think you’ll ever get tired of these cherry chocolate brownies … but if you like to have a bit of fun in the kitchen, here are my favourite ways to add a bit of flair to this already spectacular recipe:

Cherry cheesecake brownies: OMV, are these tasty!🤤 Swirl a cheesecake-inspired mixture (cream cheese, sugar, egg, and a touch of vanilla) through the batter before baking, and it’ll set into a glorious marbled tangy layer.
Add a chocolate ganache topping: Once cooled, spread a layer of luscious chocolate ganache over the brownies. This isn’t even triple chocolate … it’s quadruple chocolate. Follow my recipe (chocolate ganache brownies)
Make mini brownie bites: Ideal for parties or potlucks. Just bake the brownies in mini-muffin tins for perfectly portioned treats. You’ll need to reduce the baking time, likely by about 10 minutes. Also, double-check each individual serving has a cherry in the batter!
Swirl through salted caramel: Dollop shop-bought (or homemade) caramel sauce over the batter before baking, then swirl with a knife for a pretty effect. Sprinkle over a pinch of flaky sea salt … the combination of chocolate, cherries, and salted caramel is bound to make people weak at the knees.
Add espresso powder/coffee: It’s a well-proven and time-honoured way to enrich the chocolatey flavour of brownies. Don’t like coffee? Don’t worry, neither do I! You won’t taste it; it’ll just add a boost to what’s already there.

🧑‍🍳 How to Make Cherry Chocolate Brownies (Step-by-Step Photos)

One: Crack room temperature eggs into a bowl and add in caster sugar.

Two: Whisk the mixture until it’s pale, fluffy, and risen in volume. This should take around 4-5 minutes — the method gives the brownies a sought-after crackly top.

Three: Melt chocolate and oil in a makeshift bain marie (a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water) or a microwave.

Four: Pour the melted chocolate and oil into the whisked eggs and sugar. Add your vanilla extract now too!

Five: Stir the mixture until the chocolate is evenly incorporated.

Cocoa powder and plain flour in the bowl.

Six: Sift in your dry ingredients: plain flour [AP flour] and cocoa powder.

Seven: Gently fold in the dry ingredients. You don’t want to lose too much air.

Eight: Melt butter in a small pan.

Nine: Add the butter to the batter.

Ten: Fold the butter through.

Cherry and chocolate added to the batter.

Eleven: Add pitted and halved cherries, plus chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate).

Twelve: Fold the add-ins through until evenly distributed through the batter.

Thirteen: Pour the batter into a lined brownie pan (I used a 12 by 7 inch pan).

Cooked cherry chocolate brownies in a pan.

Fourteen: Bake until just set (a toothpick should come out with wet crumbs), around 20 minutes.

Remember, the complete recipe (with ingredient quantities and instructions) can be found at the bottom of this page. You can also print the recipe, save the recipe, adjust the servings, and much more from there!

🏆 The Secret to Perfect Crackly Tops and Fudgy Centres

I like a cakey brownie now and then … but nothing beats a brownie with a coveted shiny, crackly top and gorgeously gooey centres.

It’s the holy grail of brownie making. And it’s absolutely achievable, I promise. All you need is some understanding of science. Baking is mostly science, after all. Except it’s a lot tastier than chemicals in test tubes 😆

The magic begins from the first step: when you beat eggs and sugar until pale, thick, and aerated, you create a meringue-like layer that wants to rise to the top and form a crackly surface when baked. It’s crucial not to rush this step — either use a stand mixer or at least 3-4 minutes with an electric whisk. It’s worth it.

Furthermore, the order in which you add all the ingredients is vital. Follow my instructions exactly; they’re ordered that way for a reason.

Finally, temperature control is your secret weapon for fudgy centres. Too hot, and your edges cook too quickly, while the middle will be raw. Too cool, and you’ll end up with a cake-like texture. That’s like missing the last train home!

Instead, look for a slight wobble in the centre when you pull the tray from your oven, or a few moist crumbs on your tester skewer. That’s your cue that they’re perfectly baked. Don’t forget — brownies continue cooking in the residual heat from the tin.

⭐ My Top Tips for Success

These little details make the difference between good brownies and absolutely incredible ones:

Don’t overbake. The centre should still have a slight wobble when you remove them from the oven. Brownies continue cooking even after you pull them out, so what seems slightly underdone will set up to a perfect texture.
Use room temperature eggs. They always incorporate into the batter better, making a better texture. I always use room temperature eggs for baking.
Line your tin properly. Baking (parchment/greaseproof) paper overhang makes removal fool-proof and easy.
Sharp knife, clean cuts. Wipe the blade between cuts for neat squares. Doesn’t matter if it’s just you, but it’s an essential tip if you’re entertaining!
Quality chocolate matters. It’s the star ingredient, so don’t skimp. If you have a favourite, use it!

❄️ Storing Cherry Chocolate Brownies

Store cherry chocolate brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days (although they’ve never lasted that long in my house!). Generally brownies actually taste better the next day, if you can believe it!

For longer storage, freeze for up to three months. Wrap the squares individually and then freeze in a suitable bag or container.

Cherry chocolate brownies defrost beautifully and there’s no need to reheat, although a quick blast in the microwave gets those chocolate chips throughout lovely and melty, and the whole brownie is pleasantly warm (fantastic with ice cream).

🍨 Serving Suggestions For Cherry Chocolate Brownies

Before serving, it’s best to wait 10-15 minutes for the brownies to cool slightly before cutting. Be patient … I promise it’s not long to wait!

Once cut, place the cherry chocolate brownies on pretty tea plates and serve with a variety of toppings: chocolate sauce, ganache, cherry coulis, macerated fruits (more cherries are an obvious choice!), compote, or a dusting of icing (confectioner’s) sugar.

A brownie hasn’t lived up to its full potential unless you’re serving it with whipped cream (quick and easy), mascarpone (elegant; my default for dinner parties), or vanilla ice cream.

The latter pairs unbelievably well with warm brownies — hot, gooey chocolate, then cool ice cream melting on top? The contrast is sensational.

Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve been known to sneak down to the kitchen for a midnight treat (brownies with a glass of milk is superior to cookies and milk, any day!).

Have you tried these cherry chocolate brownies yet? I’d love to hear about your favourite variations — drop a comment ✍️ or a star rating 🌟 below, and let’s chat about all things brownie!