Quick, easy, ultimate, one bowl gooey brownies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. These soft, moist, fudgy chocolate cherry brownies are full of butter, cocoa powder and topped with chocolate ganache frosting and cherry pie filling.
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This is about as decedent and divine as desserts come. I'm usually a purist when it comes to brownies. I don't want any flavors to detract from their fudgy goodness. However, add cherries and you will find me singing while doing a happy dance. If cherries aren't for you, then try these classic Fudgy Brownies With Crackly Tops.
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Key ingredients for chocolate cherry brownies
- Butter- This should definitely be unsalted but if you like sweet and salty desserts, you can try salted butter.
- Cocoa powder- Make sure it's unsweetened.
- Sugar- Only granulated sugar is required in this recipe. Don't replace it with brown sugar as that would lead to different results.
- Eggs- Ensure they are at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract- Use the best quality you can find.
- Flour- Use all-purpose flour and don't replace it with any other flour blends.
- Frosting- You can use homemade or store-bought chocolate icing.
- Pie filling- I like to use my homemade version but if you are short on time, you go to the store-bought route too.
How to make easy homemade gooey brownies recipe from scratch?
It's a simple process that starts off by mixing together butter, cocoa powder, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour. Spread batter in pan. Bake. Cool. Spread frosting on top followed by cherry pie filling. Slice and enjoy.
1. Add ingredients in large bowl- This includes butter, cocoa powder, sugar.
2. Mix- Until combined.
3. Add other ingredients- This includes eggs and vanilla extract.
4. Mix- Until batter is smooth.
5. Add flour- Mix until just combined.
6. Spread batter- In lined and greased pan and bake.
7. Spread ganache frosting- On top of cooled brownies.
Spread cherry pie filling- On top of the icing.
Variations
- Cut into themed shapes- Such as hearts for Valentine's Day, etc. Use cookie cutters.
- Add nuts- Such as roughly walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans. Toast them for added flavor.
- Top with a different pie filling- Such as Raspberry Pie Filling or Peach Pie Filling or Apple Pie Filling or Strawberry Pie Filling or Blueberry Pie Filling.
- Add extracts- Such as coconut, almond, amaretto, or bourbon.
- Mix in some Nutella- For a subtle hazelnut flavor.
- Add espresso powder- For an even more intense chocolate flavor.
- Add whipped cream on top- Store bought or this homemade Whipped Cream would be delicious.
- Use other frostings- Try this Marshmallow Frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, or Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.
Tips and techniques
- Sugar and cocoa powder must be dissolved very well with the melted butter- This produces a smooth gooey texture.
- Don't over-heat butter- Because it will end up cooking the eggs. You do not want scrambled eggs in your brownies.
- Use high quality cocoa powder- Because it will produce the best chocolate flavor.
- How to know when brownies are done baking? The toothpick method works best. Stick a toothpick into the center of the brownies if it comes out with a few crumbs on it then it is done. A clean toothpick means the brownies are over-baked. A jiggling center means they are under-baked.
- I recommend under-baking rather than over-baking- Because this helps to produce the perfect gooey texture.
- Chilling the brownies is optional- However, it makes the brownies firm which leads to perfectly cut slices and that's obviously very professional looking. That's what I did here with these Caramel Brownies {With Brownie Mix} as well.
- Cut into 9 large pieces or 16 smaller pieces- This is totally up to your preference or number of people being fed.
- Line pan with foil and oil it- Because this makes clean up easy and also helps the brownies from sticking to the pan. it works much better than parchment paper.
- Don't over-mix- Because this will lead to a rubbery texture.
Recipe FAQs
Accomplish this by slightly under-baking the brownies. Definitely do not over-bake them. Use butter instead of oil, and do not over-mix. Over-mixing creates a cake-like texture because it adds too much air into the batter.
If the center of the brownies is jiggling, then they are under-cooked. They are done when the center is no longer jiggling, but a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few sticky crumbs. The toothpick method works best to determine this.
Storage
- Refrigerate- In a sealed container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze- In a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
- Make ahead- These can be be made 1 day in advance and stored in a sealed container in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
More homemade brownies
- Fudgy Vegan Eggless Brownies
- Fudgy Black Bean Brownies
- Pumpkin Brownies {With Brownie Mix}
- Cheesecake Brownies {Cream Cheese Brownies}
- Carrot Brownies
Recipe
Gooey Brownies (Chocolate Cherry Brownies)
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Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter Unsalted, Melted
- ½ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 Eggs Large
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ cup All-purpose flour Sifted
- 1-2 cups Chocolate ganache frosting
- 1-2 cups Cherry pie filling Optional
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, add butter, cocoa powder, sugar and mix until fully dissolved.
- Add eggs, vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Add flour and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix!
- Pour batter in an 8 inch square pan, that's been lined with foil and sprayed with oil.
- Spread batter evenly with a spatula.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minuted or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out with a few sticky crumbs. If it comes out clean, it's over-baked and the texture would not be as ooey goey.
- Remove from oven and let the brownies cool to room temperature.
- While the brownies are cooling, prepare frosting.
- Once brownies are completely cool, spread frosting on top.
- Optional but recommended: Cover and chill in fridge for a few hours, which makes it slightly firm and allows you to cut sharp clean slices.
- Cut slices with a sharp knife. Be sure to wipe knife clean with a damp paper towel after each cut. Cut 9 large slices or 16 smaller slices.
- Prior to serving, top off each slice with cherry pie filling, if you like. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients to allow smooth and even blending.
- Make sure to line and grease pan before pouring batter to prevent sticking.
- Don't over-bake brownies because that would make them dry. I recommend under-baking for the best fudgy texture.
- Don't spread frosting or pie filling on top of brownies until it cools completely to room temperature.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder and don't replace it with hot cocoa mix. They are not inter-changeable ingredients.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Abigail Wenderson
This brownie looks amazing. I look forward to making this soon. Thanks a lot for sharing the recipe.