Roasted Cherry Brownies (Printable)

Fudgy chocolate squares loaded with caramelized roasted cherries for a rich summer dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Roasted Cherries

01 - 1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved
02 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar
03 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Brownie Batter

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
05 - 6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
10 - 1/4 tsp salt
11 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
12 - 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Toss pitted and halved cherries with 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Spread on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 12–15 minutes, until juicy and slightly caramelized. Let cool.
03 - Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
04 - In a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
05 - Whisk in granulated and brown sugars, followed by eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla and salt.
06 - Sift in flour and cocoa powder, and gently fold until just combined.
07 - Fold in most of the roasted cherries, reserving a few for topping.
08 - Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter reserved cherries over the surface. Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
09 - Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The roasted cherries become these little jammy pockets that cut through all that rich chocolate in the most perfect way
  • They hit that sweet spot between fancy dinner party dessert and the kind of thing you want to eat standing over the sink at midnight
02 -
  • The toothpick test is tricky here because you might hit a melted cherry and think the brownies are underbaked so check a few spots
  • These really need to cool completely before you cut them or they will be a gorgeous but frustrating mess
03 -
  • Line your baking pan with parchment paper that has overhanging edges like a sling for easy removal
  • Use a scale to weigh your chocolate because chocolate bars vary wildly in actual weight