Chocolate Cherry Brownies

Deeply dark and decadent, these Chocolate Cherry Brownies are packed with tart dried cherries, crunchy pecan nuts and for extra indulgence, a generous slug of cherry brandy!

If you’re a fan of the cherry-chocolate combination, then these Black-Forest style brownies are definitely for you!

Just like my Guinness brownies, these brownies fall into the “grown up” category. 

If someone asked me to describe my idea of a heavenly food combination, it would have to be chocolate and cherries.  I would rather have a good old -fashioned Black Forest Gateau than any other dessert. 

I love chocolate and cherries together so much I even have a recipe for chocolate cherry mincemeat!  I also have a Black Forest version of a crunchy cookie – in my chocolate cherry Biscotti.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from John Whaite’s first book, John Whaite Bakes. I first tried his cherry brandy and Brazil nut brownies years ago and fell in love with them.

The brownies aren’t too sweet and you get tart, dried cherries and crunchy pecan nuts in every delicious bite.  You can taste the cherry brandy too – not overwhelmingly so, but you can detect a little boozy kick.  

I’ve made a lot of brownies over the years – good ones and bad ones!  For me personally, the best kind of brownie has a nice, sugary, thin crust on the top and a squidgy, slightly gooey middle. 

I want a brownie that will hold its shape nicely when you cut into it, not one that is so gooey it falls to pieces when you cut into it (although still delicious!)

This kind of brownie can be quite difficult to achieve, but I’ve found that adding an unusual ingredient can really help you achieve brownie perfection.

It’s Mayonnaise.

Don’t leave me!!! I know mayo sounds like a weird combination, but when you think about it, mayonnaise is essentially eggs and oil, right? Doesn’t sound so strange now, does it?  

Using mayonnaise in baking is an old trick that dates right back to World War II, when eggs and butter were in scarce supply.

The oil and eggs in the mayo add moisture to the brownie mix which will ensure they are perfectly wobbly in the centre without being so gooey you worry that they might be undercooked.  Read more about using mayonnaise in baking right here.

step by step instructions

scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions

1. melt thechocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Don’t allow the water to touch the base of the bowl.

2. Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar together until thick, pale and doubled in volume.  Stir in the melted and slightly cooled chocolate, vanilla extract and the mayonnaise.  

3. Fold in the dry ingredients, chopped pecans, dried cherries and cherry brandy.

4. Spoon the brownie batter into a lined 23 x 23cm square tin.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the brownie looks crisp and the edges have set. 

how long will these brownies keep for?

The brownies will keep well in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  They can also be frozen for up to six months.

can i omit the alcohol?

Yes, if you want to make these brownies alcohol free you can of course just leave it out. You could also experiment with different liqueurs – amaretto or rum would also work well.

more brownie recipes to try

• Slutty (cookie dough Oreo) brownies 

• Salted Caramel Brownies

• Cadbury Caramel Egg Brownies

• Cadbury Creme Egg Brownies

• Terry’s Chocolate Orange Brownies

• White Chocolate and Raspberry Brownies

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Yield: Makes 12 brownies

Chocolate Cherry Brownies

Print

Deeply dark, rich and decadent, these Chocolate Cherry Brownies are packed with tart dried cherries, crunchy pecan nuts and also contain a generous slug of cherry brandy.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 160g Plain Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Fine Salt
• 3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 200g Good Quality Dark Chocolate
• 125g Unsalted Butter
• 1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 2 Large Eggs, Beaten
• 1 Large egg yolk
• 3 Tbsp Full Fat Mayonnaise
• 220g Caster or Granulated Sugar
• 125g Pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 80g Dried Cherries
• 60ml Cherry Brandy

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 180C/160Fan/350F and grease and line a 20cm square baking tin.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. When the mixture is smooth and all the chocolate has melted, remove from the heat and allow to cool down for a few minutes.
3. Whisk the sugar and eggs (and egg yolk) together for at least 5 minutes until the mixture is pale and thick. When the chocolate mixture has cooled a little, pour into the egg mixture, whisking all the time. Add the vanilla extract and mayonnaise. Fold in until well combined.
4. Fold in the flour/cocoa powder mixture, then fold in the chopped pecan nuts, dried cherries and cherry brandy.
5. Tip the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges of the brownie look set and the top is beginning to crisp up. The brownie should have a slight wobble in the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin for at least two hours before cutting into squares. I often place the brownies in the fridge for a few hours before cutting them - I find it gives you much neater edges.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

14

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 379Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 123mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 3gSugar: 27gProtein: 5g

Calorie information is intended as a guide only.

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