Rich & Fudgy Cherry Chocolate Brownies

I don’t often bake desserts. They’re really a bad idea for me. I have no self control and when desserts are around, I often don’t know the difference between the first and last piece I had. But these brownies are too good not to indulge in and share.

During the summer, i splurge in enough cherries to feed a small village. Way too many cherries than we could possibly consume as a fruit. So one day while i had a late night craving for something full of chocolate, i opened my fridge and saw a bowl of cherries and inspiration instantly hit. Cherries and chocolate. Hallelujah! I’m on to something. So i got to recipe developing and i create something resembling rich fudge on the inside and crackly brownies on the outside. A brownie loaded with surprise pieces of fresh cherries that have been delicately cooked down inside the brownie. My gosh this is a freaking outstanding brownie recipe. Brownies were always a scary dessert for me to make from scratch because nothing i made ever came close to my childhood memories of boxed brownies. Yep, i said it. Boxed brownies are so good and i dont even care what you say. So i did my research and tons of recipe testing here’s what i found to make the best brownies.

1) Rest your eggs at room temperature. Cold eggs do not combine as well.

2) Do not over flour your batter. You want it to be fudgy and oozy. if you add too much flour it becomes a cake.

3) Use melted butter that has cooled for about 2 minutes for the best result.

4) Whisk your melted butter and sugar together first. You should get a creamed sugar that looks almost yellow in color

5) Sift your dry ingredients. It makes all the difference. Sorry, ya’ll. I know you were hoping it didn’t because it’s a nuisance to do it, but it’s super important for good brownies.

6) Line your baking sheet with aluminum foil that’s been sprayed with cooking spray for the easiest removal of the brownies.

7) A mixture of cacao powder and grated dark chocolate produce the best result.

8) If you’re not into cherries, or you dont’ have any on hand, you can just opt out of the cherries and you’ll have the best standard, simple brownies ever.

Give this recipe a try! Share your comments and some love. If you make this recipe and share it on social media, tag it with the hashtag #hungrilyhomemaderecipe

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Yield: 8 large pieces of brownie

Ingredients:

1. 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

2. 1 cup unsalted butter

3. 4 large eggs

4. 2 tsp vanilla extract

5. 1 cup flour

6. 3/4 cup cocoa powder

7. 1/4 cup grated dark chocolate

8. pinch of salt

9. 1 tbsp coconut milk

10. 1/2 cup pitted cherries, halved

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Line an 8 x 13 baking dish with aluminum foil.

3. Melt your butter in a saucepan and set it aside to cool for 2 minutes.

4. In a large mixing bowl, add your granulated sugar and your cooled, melted butter. Cream together/whisk together for 2-3 minutes until combined and the color looks like a pale yellow.

5. Add your eggs and vanilla extract into the creamed sugar and butter mixture and whisk together until the batter creates a smooth texture and all of the ingredients are incorporated.

6. Sift in your flour and cocoa powder into your mixing bowl and combine. Do not over-beat the mixture or else you will create too many air bubbles/pockets.

7. Add your grated dark chocolate and salt to the mixture and whisk until just combined.

8. Add your coconut milk & pitted, halved cherries to the batter and gently combine.

9. Spray your lined baking sheet with cooking spray and pour the batter into the pan. Spread to create an even top.

10. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, depending on your oven. Check to ensure the brownie is cooked by inserting a toothpick into the center. Once the toothpick comes out clean, the brownie is cooked and ready!

11. Remove from oven and cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving (If you can wait that long!)