These Hazelnut Cherry Brownies have it all: they’re super fudgy, ultra decadent and are filled with crunchy hazelnuts and sour cherries.

A stack of 4 chocolate brownies with more brownies surrounding the stack

Brownies are one of my favourite treats, when they’re done right. And by ‘right’ I mean they’re chewy, fudgy, with an intense chocolate flavour. Some people prefer cakey brownies, but they’re definitely not my cup of tea! I wanted to do something different with my base brownie recipe, so I tried mixing in dried sour cherries and roasted hazelnuts. Cherries and chocolate go so well together, and I absolutely love the crunch of roasted nuts in brownies.

Cross section of Hazelnut Cherry Brownies sitting on brown parchment paper

Ingredients for Hazelnut Cherry Brownies:

Dark unsweetened cocoa powder
Espresso powder – enhances the chocolate flavour
Semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
Dried cherries (not maraschino cherries!)
Roasted hazelnuts. Toasting the nuts in the oven gives them more flavour & crunch
Butter. For flavour, only use real butter not margarine
Vegetable oil. To make the brownies nice & moist
White granulated sugar. Not only to sweeten, but it liquefies as it bakes, creating a soft center
Light brown sugar
4 eggs. For a tight crumb and fudgy texture
Vanilla extract. For added flavour
All-purpose flour

How to tell when brownies are done baking:

Make sure to set a timer for 25 minutes as soon as the brownies go in the oven. Check on them at 25 minutes and insert a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with wet batter attached, put them back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Continue checking on them in increments of 5 minutes as it’s very easy to over-bake them. You want the toothpick to still have some crumbs on it when you take it out of the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, they’re overdone.

Bird's eye view of brownies sitting on white marble cutting board on a grey background

Tips for brownie success:

*Select good quality chocolate chips. I used Ghirardelli semi-sweet mini chocolate chips in this recipe.

*Use roasted hazelnuts. You can either roast them yourself in the oven on a baking sheet (making sure they don’t burn) or you can buy them already roasted.

*Use unsweetened cocoa powder. I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder for this recipe. Dutch process cocoa powder would also work well.

*Even if you don’t like coffee, make sure to add the espresso powder. It really brings out the flavour of the chocolate.

*Make sure to watch the brownies carefully and don’t over-bake them.

Bird's eye view of brownies spread out on white marble. Center brownie has a bite taken out of it

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Hazelnut Cherry Brownies

Decadent dark chocolate brownies, filled with crunchy hazelnuts and sour dried cherries. These brownies are so fudgy and indulgent!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: brownies

Ingredients

1 cup butter melted and cooled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1¼ cups white granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dark cocoa powder unsweetened
2 teaspoons espresso powder
¾ cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips
¾ cup chopped dried cherries
¾ cup chopped roasted hazelnuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8×12 inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine melted butter, oil and both sugars together. Whisk well to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, whisk to combine until lighter in colour (about a minute).
Sift in flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, being very careful not to over-mix. A few streaks of flour here is ok.
Gently stir in the mini chocolate chips, the cherries, and the hazelnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the brownies are just set and the middle no longer jiggles. Brownies will continue baking and set in the hot pan when out of the oven, place pan on a wire rack to cool. After 20 minutes, remove the brownies from the pan using the ends of the parchment paper to lift them out. Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Notes

Brownies can be stored at room temperature in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. They can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Make sure to not over-mix when adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Over-mixing will create air pockets and will lead to cakey brownies.
For fudgy brownies, be careful not to over-bake. Begin checking on the brownies after 20 minutes. They will continue to bake and set once removed from the oven.

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