If you love chewy and fudgy brownies, these traditional American brownies are a must-try. Made with cherries, dark chocolate, and cocoa, they’re an indulgent yet fruity chocolate treat. This quick and easy recipe creates a gooey and rich chocolate brownie – perfect for dessert or afternoon tea.
If you ever asked me to bring a dessert, chances are you already know my cherry brownies. Crisp on the outside and fudgy and gooey inside, they’re delicious warm, or cold.
The tart cherry flavor works well with the rich dark chocolate, making these American brownies perfect for dessert, picnics, and afternoon tea.
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out my Triple Chocolate Muffins, Chocolate Brioche Buns, German Chocolate Cake, and Hot Chocolate with Cacao as well.
Ingredients
- Dark chocolate – I use a 72% dark block of chocolate for this recipe but dark chocolate drops or chips work as well.
- Cocoa – Dutch-processed cocoa powder gives this brownie a rich color and chocolate flavor. You can substitute it with regular cocoa or raw cacao powder.
- Cherries – Jared or tinned cherries work well for this recipe but make sure you fully drain any juices before folding them in. I recommend fully defrosting and draining frozen cherries if you would like to use those. Fresh, de-stoned cherries are a great option too.
- Eggs – You will need 4 medium-sized eggs at room temperature for this recipe.
- Vanilla – You can substitute vanilla extract with a smidgen of vanilla bean seeds, vanilla paste, or essence.
- Flour – I recommend using all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Sugar – You can use caster or granulated sugar.
Tips for fudgy brownies
- When melting the chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler on the stove, stir it frequently to avoid burning it.
- Make sure you fully combine all wet ingredients before adding the flour and cocoa. Sift the dry ingredients to avoid any lumps.
- Gently fold in the cherries to retain their shape and juices.
- What makes a fudgy brownie? To ensure your brownies turn out fudgy and moist, not cakey, this recipe does not include any rising agent. Also, don’t over-bake the cherry brownie. Start by cooking it for 25 minutes and check if the mixture has been set with a clean knife. You want to slightly undercook the brownie and some fudgy mixture sticking to the knife as it continues to bake in the tin for a few minutes once you removed it from the oven.
Variations
Kirsch: Consider adding Kirsch or Kirschwasser, a clear cherry liquor, which is commonly used in a black forest cake. Use a fork or a skewer to poke several holes all over the surface of the brownie and slowly pour or brush the soaking liquid over the entire cake.
Red fruit: You can swap out the cherries with other red fruit such as raspberries, plums, cranbierries, or boysenberries. You can even use beetroot to add some hidden vegetables.
Extra chocolate: Add your favorite chocolate such a Milka, Maltesers, Mini Eggs, or Ferrero Rocher to the brownie batter for an extra chocolate boost.
Biscoff: Omit the cherries and add a Lotus biscoff spread to the brownie batter as a swirl for a cookie-inspired flavor. Sprinkle the top with crushed Lotus biscuits.
Serving
I suggest serving these traditional American brownies with a dollop of cream, extra indulgent mascarpone cream, a scoop of ice cream, or dusting of icing sugar. Or simply as is, once it they have cooled off!
Brownie birthday cake
To turn your favorite chocolate treat into a brownie birthday cake, simply double the recipe and bake it in a round tin. Add a layer of cream or mascarpone cream in between the brownie layers and decorate the top of the brownie cake with a candle and extra sprinkles or fresh fruit.
Alternatively, you can arrange the slices on top of another on a plate and add a candle and extra sprinkles to the brownie stack.
You can also explore shaping the brownie pieces to form various designs, such as crafting a number “1” for a first birthday celebration.
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FAQ
You can store this brownie in an airtight container at room temperature or the fridge for up to 4 days. Once fully cooled, you can also freeze it in handy pieces for up to 3 months. Simply defrost on the bench or reheat and enjoy.
Recipe
American Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter unsalted
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cherries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 30x24cm baking tin with parchment paper. Drain the cherries.
- Melt 1 cup butter and add 2 cups sugar. Stir well.1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add 4 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix until well combined.4 eggs
- Melt 200 g dark chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler and fold it through the mixture.200 g dark chocolate
- Stir in 1 cup all-purpose flour (sifted) and 1/2 cup cocoa and mix everything until fully combined.1/2 cup cocoa, 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Gently fold in the drained 1 cup cherries and add the mixture to the lined baking tin.1 cup cherries
- Bake for 30 minutes until the brownie is just set. Make sure not to over-bake it for a fudgy texture.
- Let the American brownie cool and cut into squares or bars. Enjoy!