Milk Chocolate Cherry Brownies

These milk chocolate cherry brownies are a new favourite of mine. The addition of juicy cherries might seem unexpected, but their slight tartness pairs beautifully with creamy milk chocolate. Sweet, indulgent, and utterly delicious, they work perfectly with spelt or all-purpose flour.

This recipe was originally posted on my former blog, The Culinary Jumble, in July 2017. The recipe remains the same, but has been tweaked to add the option of spelt flour. The images have been slightly retouched.

Brownies and kladdkakor

Coffee in chocolate cakes

A non-coffee twist for my cherry brownies

Cherries in brownies?

The inspiration behind these brownies

More brownie recipes

Brownies and kladdkakor

Brownies have always been a favourite of mine. Rich, fudgy, and impossible to resist, they’re the kind of treat that can turn any day into something special. But living in Sweden, I’ve also developed a deep love for kladdkaka, the country’s beloved gooey chocolate cake. It’s a cake that takes indulgence to a whole new level with its melt-in-your-mouth, fudgy texture. The two desserts are incredibly similar, and in my kitchen, they’re actually one and the same.

My base recipe works seamlessly for both, with just a few small adjustments in baking time to achieve either the perfect soft, chewy brownie or that signature kladdkaka gooeyness that is so comforting. Whether I’m baking squares or slices, or preparing a round kladdkaka cake, one thing is certain: deep, chocolatey indulgence is always the goal. It’s a treat that never disappoints, no matter which form it takes. This time, I used a large pan (around 13″ / 34cm in length).

My video for Oreo dark chocolate brownies below, shows how quickly brownies (and kladdkaka) batter comes together:

Coffee in chocolate cakes

If you’ve been following along for a while, you’ll also know that I never shut up about adding coffee to my chocolate cakes. I stand by my claim: a hint of coffee takes chocolate to a whole new level. It deepens the flavour, making everything richer, more intense, and, dare I say, more irresistible.

That said, I’m aware not everyone is on board with my coffee crusade. Some people just don’t want their chocolate desserts meddled with, and I respect that (even if I don’t quite understand it). I’ve addressed this very debate before in my Almost Tiramisu Double Espresso Cake post, where I essentially concluded that you should be adding coffee to every chocolate cake recipe.

A non-coffee twist for my cherry brownies

This time, I decided to ignore my own advice. Contradictory, I know, but isn’t that the beauty of baking? I wanted to see what would happen if I left out the coffee and took a slightly different approach. And you know what? These brownies were really, really good. So good that I might even say they’re my favourite ones yet.

Now, before you get excited and assume I’ve abandoned my soapbox, let me be clear: I still believe coffee belongs in chocolate cake. However, I suspect that the magic in these particular brownies had more to do with my choice of chocolate rather than the absence of coffee. I almost always use melted dark chocolate in my brownies and kladdkakor. It gives them a deep, rich flavour and a slightly more intense edge. But this time, I decided to switch things up and go with milk chocolate instead. The result? A softer, creamier sweetness that makes these brownies feel extra indulgent.

The lighter chocolate also gives them a beautiful golden-brown hue, offering a contrast to the darker, more intense shades of my usual brownies and kladdkaka, making them just as lovely to look at as they are to eat.

Cherries in brownies?

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, yes!

Cherries might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of brownies, and I get it, they’re a bit of an unusual addition. Brownies are often all about chocolate, nuts, or the occasional swirl of caramel. But cherries? Not so common.

However, they work beautifully. The slight tartness of the fruit cuts through the sweetness, adding bursts of flavour and an almost luxurious texture. It’s the same reason chocolate-covered cherries are a classic combination, except here, the brownie batter envelops them in fudgy goodness.

That said, I know not everyone is a cherry fan, and that’s okay. If you’d prefer something different, you can easily swap them out. Here are a few alternatives that would work just as well:

Raspberries – Slightly tart like cherries but with a softer texture. They add a lovely brightness.
Dried cranberries – A good option if you want that tangy contrast but without the extra moisture.
Chopped nuts – Walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts will add crunch and a bit of a toasty flavour.
Chocolate chunks – Because there’s no such thing as too much chocolate, right?
Caramel pieces – For an extra indulgent touch, little pockets of gooey caramel would be divine.

Or, of course, you can simply leave the cherries out and stick to a pure milk chocolate brownie. They’ll still be absolutely delicious.

The inspiration behind these cherry brownies

I originally made these brownies for the kids I teach. It was the end of term, and I wanted to bake something special for our picnic. Along with these, I also made my vanilla and berry cupcakes. I figured milk chocolate would be a safer bet for their tastes, and I have to admit, it was a great call. The brownies turned out softer and slightly sweeter than my usual ones, and the cherries made them feel just a little fancy.

Would I make them again? Absolutely. Would I give up on coffee in chocolate cakes? Not a chance. But I’m always open to a little experimentation, and I’ll begrudgingly admit: sometimes, change is a good thing.

More brownie recipes

If you’ve enjoyed this recipe, check out my other divine chocolate brownie recipes:

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Milk Chocolate Cherry Brownies

Servings 16 -20 brownies

Ingredients

200g (7 oz) milk chocolate
200g (⅞ cup) butter
100ml (¼ cup + 3 tbsp) brewed coffee (see note 1)
120g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) brown sugar
120g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) white sugar
3 eggs (medium)
1 tsp vanilla extract
80g (⅔ cup) spelt flour (see note 2)
30g (¼ cup) cocoa
100g (3½ oz) fresh cherries (halved and de-stoned)

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 170°C (325ºF).
Prepare a large square/rectangle baking tin by lining it with baking paper or greasing. A pan with a length of around 13" (34cm) would work well.
Slowly heat the chocolate and butter in a pan until just melted.
Remove from the heat, then add in the coffee or milk.
In a large bowl, whisk sugars together with the eggs.
Add the vanilla and the cooled chocolate mixture and stir until well combined.
Sift the flour and cocoa, and stir into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Pour into the prepared tin and push the cherries down into the top.
Bake for around 20-30 minutes (see note 3).
Remove from the oven and either allow it to cool completely or serve it warm with ice-cream. Enjoy!

Notes

I have converted grams to cups/ounces/tablespoons using online converters. While I have no reason to believe they are inaccurate, please be aware that I have not tested this recipe with imperial measurements.

If you don't have brewed coffee, you can use 100ml (¼ cup + 3 tbsp) hot water with a tablespoon of instant coffee. Alternatively, use 100ml (¼ cup + 3 tbsp) of milk.
You can use all-purpose (plain) flour. Just use the same amount as mentioned.
For a gooey brownie, bake for 20-22 minutes (if you want it to be ultra gooey, keep checking every minute or so from 17 minutes). The brownie's top should be JUST set if baking it gooey. For a firmer texture, bake for 25-30 (an inserted skewer will come out clean).