Chocolate Chip Cherry Bars — Not sure what to make with cherries? These cherry bars use my favorite blondie base and turn out perfectly every single time! These bars are seriously so good and are a reader favorite!
Ooey Gooey Chocolate Cherry Bars
This cherry dessert recipe has been a reader favorite since July 2012. Here it is again for the newcomers.
Have you been buying your weight in summer fruit every time you go to the grocery store or pass a farmers market? Okay, well I have. Especially cherries.
I love cherries. They are just so perfect. Their sweetness, their hearty flesh, the chewiness. The only thing not perfect about them are their little pits. Pits are a PITA.
I do have a cherry pitter, but I find it just splatters cherry juice everywhere and doesn’t always poke out the pit. More misfires than proper pokes. If the cherry pit is slightly off-center, the gadget just stabs the cherry down the middle, misses the pit, and said cherry juice splatters even more, so I tend to just slice the cherries with a paring knife and am pretty fast with that.
I’m also pretty fast with polishing off a one-pound bag of fresh cherries. But between the watermelon, nectarines, blueberries, grapes, standard issue bananas and apples, and then the cherries, even I was running out room. In both my stomach and crisper drawer.
So I decided to make chocolate chip cherry bars. The beauty of this cherry dessert recipe is that it’s fast, one-bowl, and no mixer is required.
I almost used white chocolate chips but then thought, no, semi-sweet chocolate and cherries just go together. After all, dark chocolate-covered cherries are the confections that overpriced Valentine’s Day candy assortment boxes are made of.
Because of the fruit and the fruit juices released while baking, to say they’re moist and juicy is an understatement.
There’s no granulated sugar in them; just brown sugar. In cookie baking, a higher ratio of brown to white sugar keeps cookies extra soft and moist, and it does the same thing for blondies. It also imparts a caramely-buttery richness that I adore.
The chocolate chips melted everywhere. Can you say hot, juicy, beautiful mess? Cherries and summer fruit never tasted so good.
What’s in These Chocolate Cherry Bars?
For these amazing chocolate chip cherry bars, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Fresh cherries
Seriously, that’s all you need to make this easy cherry dessert!
How to Make Chocolate Chip Cherry Bars
Melt a stick of butter in a big mixing bowl in the microwave. Then stir in the brown sugar, an egg, vanilla, and flour.
Fold in the cherries (and maybe a few raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or blueberries) and chocolate chips and you’re ready to bake.
You’ll know these chocolate cherry bars are ready to come out of the oven when the edges start to pull away from the pan and the center is set. Depending on how gooey you like your blondies, you may want to bake these for a little more or less time than the recipe calls for.
Can This Recipe Be Doubled?
Most likely, yes! I’ve only made this cherry recipe as written, but you should be fine to double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch pan.
Should I Use Fresh or Frozen Cherries?
Although I have experimented and made these bars with frozen cherries and although they theoretically work, frozen cherries tend to release too much juice into the batter and the resulting bars tend to be extremely soft.
For much more of a guarantee that the bars will work for you and set up without worry, I recommend fresh cherries.
Can I Make These Bars with Dried Cherries?
If you have dried cherries on hand, I recommend making my Cranberry Chocolate Chip Blondies (just use dried cherries instead of cranberries, it’ll definitely work!). It’s pretty much the same recipe, but I know for sure that one works well with dried fruit.
Can I Add Other Fruits?
If you want to use a combination of fresh cherries and other stone fruits like plums, nectarines, peaches, apricots, pluots, or similar, they will work just fine.
You can also try berries such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries.
How to Store Chocolate Chip Cherry Bars
These chocolate cherry bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Can the Bars Be Frozen?
Yes! You can freeze these chocolate chip cherry bars for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely on your counter, then slice and store in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.
When you’re ready to enjoy them, either reheat them in the oven until the chocolate starts to get gooey, or set them on your counter to thaw.
Tips for Making Cherry Bars
You can doctor these up with white chocolate chips or coconut flakes, or add most any other type of fruit from peaches to blackberries, fresh or frozen. I’ve tried many combos of fresh, frozen, half-and-half, and things always work out with this blondie base.
Note that baking times will vary based on the types of fruit used and the moisture content of the fruit; and how gooey you like your blondies.
A toothpick inserted into the middle may not come out clean due to the chocolate chips or juicy fruit. So use your best judgement when taking these babies out of the oven!
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Chocolate Chip Cherry Bars
These cherry bars use my favorite blondie base and turn out perfectly every single time!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
- 3/4 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup cherries (fresh or frozen)*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 60 seconds.
- To the melted butter, add the brown sugar and stir to combine.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and stir to combine. Add the flour, salt, and stir until just combined, taking care not to over mix or the blondies will be tough.
- Fold in chocolate chips, fruit (I don’t halve the cherries: I like them chunky and big), and pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula or offset knife if necessary.
- Bake for 27 to 32 minutes, or until edges begin to slightly pull away from sides of pan and center is set.**
- Allow bars to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. Blondies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Notes
*Can also use a combination of plums, peaches, nectarines, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries.
**Baking time will vary based on types of fruit used and the moisture content of the fruit; and how gooey you like your blondies. A toothpick inserted into the middle may not come out clean due to the chocolate chips or juicy fruit.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
9Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 309Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 48mgSodium: 76mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 3g
More Cherry Desserts:
You can find all of my CHERRY RECIPES HERE. Some of my favorite cherry desserts are below.
Cherry Cream Pie — An old-fashioned pie with homemade scratch crust topped with NO-BAKE layers of sweetened cream cheese along with juicy cherry pie filling!! If you like cherry pie, you’re going to LOVE this amped up version!!
Soft Cherry Bread with Cherry-Almond Glaze — An EASY quick bread recipe that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day, Easter, or Mother’s Day! Because you can never have too much pink!
Mini Cherry Oreo Cheesecakes – EASY mini cheesecakes loaded with cherries and an Oreo cookie crust!
Triple Chocolate Cherry Cake — This cake is loaded with juicy cherries and topped with an easy homemade chocolate frosting. I used a few shortcuts in this recipe to save time, but this cake tastes completely homemade!
Glazed Cherry Pie Bars — The bars are like cherry pie, but easier. There’s a buttery, soft, tender crust topped with cherry pie filling before being baked and glazed.
Glazed Cherry Bonbon Cookies — Soft, buttery, pink cookies with the surprise of a juicy, sweet maraschino cherry in the middle that also helps keep the cookies moist.
Cherry & Cream Cheese Turnovers — The turnovers are so good that people will think you bought them from a local bakery, but they’re so easy, ready in 20 minutes, and you’ll never need to settle for storebought turnovers again.
Originally published on July 24, 2012 and republished on June 19, 2020 with updated text.
Hi, Does this not need baking soda or powder? hmmm.. mine seems a bit flat:)
will cut when cools a bit and eat in an hour or so.
I don’t use baking powder or soda because that I want a denser, flatter bar. If you want more lift, you can add a bit next time.
Made to recipe,did take a little longer to cook than stated but is dangerously tasty!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad they turned out dangerously tasty for you!
Very nice . I doubled in a 13 X 9 and baked about 37 minutes. As other people suggested I used 1 tsp baking powder. Didn’t have chocolate chips so used white chocolate chips instead. Cut the vanilla to 1.5 tsp and added 1/2 tsp of almond extract . Almond and cherry compliment each other nicely. Definitely needs the salt. Would recommend and make again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you will make it again and recommend it!
Very delicious recipe. I prefer it with a bit less chocolate and sugar since it is very rich. Will make it again for sure!
I’m glad you enjoyed these and will make them again! Yes they are indeed pretty rich!
Wow, these are good. Maybe even too rich (I know, sounds crazy even coming out of my mouth). I doubled the recipe and added a tsp of baking powder, as others recommended. I also tossed the pitted cherries with cornstarch. Might have used less chocolate if I knew how rich. So easy and so good. Baked for 29 minutes in a glass 9×13.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad they turned out well for you! Yes they are rich but a great way to take advantage of summer cherries!
These are very good although I think they are a bit “wet” using fresh cherries. I think the next time I will use dried cherries that I rehydrate with some Amaretto or Cherry Liqueur. I have a recipe for a cranberry almond cake and I soak dried cranberries in Amaretto for an hour or so and it plumps them up nicely. I thought the cherry flavor and tartness was a bit lost
Yes these are quite a wet bar. You could bump up the flour to combat it a bit if yours were super moist. Also the dried cherries rehydrated with some Amaretto or Cherry Liquer sounds lovely too!
Wow, these bars were amazing ! I was afraid our guests would not be too keen on the goey texture as we are not used to it here in France, but everyone liked it very much. I cut down on the sugar, though and would put even less next time, but it’s definitely a recipe that will be made again. Thank you !
I am glad you enjoyed the bars and will make them again!
These bars are fabulous!!! My only regret is finding this recipe at the end of the season. Can’t wait for next years cherry crop so I can make m ore!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these were fabulous! I tend to get comments like yours at this time of year about this recipe, every year, so that is a good sign for me that this one is still a hit!
Made these – as written – in July and they were amazing. I had doubts because there were so many cherries in the batter!!! But it was incredible and here I am at the end of summer wishing for more fresh cherries to bake them again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you loved these and wish you could bake them again now! I know, it looks like a lot of cherries in the batter but they shrink in size it it all bakes together and it all works out as you know now.
Hi Averie!
Thanks so much for this recipe! I can’t wait to try it!
I have a couple of questions:
1) Could I substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar and expect similar result? Apart from coconut sugar I also have on hand regular granulated sugar so which one is the best sub?
2) Also, I only have frozen pitted cherries but I was going to thaw them and not include any juice that is released (and maybe let them stay a bit longer in the oven) so they’re not so soft like you said. What do you think?
Thank you so much! I know there’s no guarantee but just wanted your opinion. It’s fun to see how it turns out! :)
Nadia
I have only made the recipe as written and can’t predict what will happen if you change it.
Yesss I made these today and I love them. I made this recipe as is with 1/2 c mini dark chocolate chips instead and halved the cherries. I’m home alone for a couple hours and I’m anticipating I’ll make a significant dent in them. And I’ll think I’ll be making another batch this weekend.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this recipe is a hit and that you’ll be making another batch this weekend likely! 😊
There are no amounts for the ingredients
Keep scrolling down.
This recipe was easy and delicious! Will definitely make it again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad it was easy, delish, and you’ll make again!
You mentioned using whole cherries ( which of course have pits) and also mentioned just paring/slicing them to remove the pit. I’m confused……..
Get the pit out any way you like. Some cherry pitters are great, others aren’t. Some expel the pit and leave the cherry fairly well intact. Some crush and mutilate the cherry. Halving with a paring knife is another option to remove.
Oh my gosh, mine turned out like soup. It was horrible! I followed the recipe exactly as written. What happened??!! I’m so disappointed after seeing all the pictures and reading the comments. They look so good. And I spent so much time putting those dang cherries! 😩
Very juicy cherries or very ripe possibly and they watered down the batter. And/or you accidentally undermeasured the flour? Sorry it didn’t work out for you!
Made these today and used the extra cherries to make a frozen smoothie treat for the kids. It’s a nice treat and the bars will be great for dessert. Love the texture of the batter: and easy to mix up with coconut oil instead of butter. Just thawed the frozen fruit first and omitted the juices. Awesome!
Glad you loved the ease of mixing the batter and that these will be a hit!
I made this recipe, only I doubled it to fit a 9×13, and they turned out perfect! I used milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet, and dried cherries instead of fresh, but I think the sourness offsets a good amount of the sweetness. Cooking time and temp didn’t really change, as the thickness was the same. Absolutely recommend, and will most definitely make again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was great for you and that dried cherries worked just fine!
I made this recipe and added 1/4 cup more of floura nd 1/2 a teaspoon of baking powder. Then baked for 37 min at 350 and it came out great and not that gooey! I made it with fresh cherries that were nice and ripe!!! Everyone loved them. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad everyone loved these!
WOWSERS! This was so crazy good. I am so happy that I came across this recipe while looking for ways to bake with fresh cherries (that wasn’t a pie). I’m not a fan of blondies but I’m not going to lie, this was a little life changing. I baked it for 40 minutes and it’s still gooey in the middle with a nice crunchy edge. And now I must look at all the other recipes and make more bars!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you came across my recipe too! (that’s not a pie…because I don’t make those often, too much work lol!)
I am glad that this recipe may have converted you into trying more bars/blondies!
The recipe is really good. They went too quickly, do you think I could double batch and freeze them ?
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad they turned out really good! Yes you can make a double batch and freeze them.
I was excited to make these. I have a boat-load of cherries and was looking for a recipe just like this. Followed the recipe to the letter, looked just like yours going in the pan, coming out of the oven.. even waited the mandatory hour plus before cutting into them.
Disappointed in the texture. It was like eating raw batter almost.
Yet they looked nearly perfect. I came back here to see if anyone else had this issue. Then saw a comment you made about baking time varying depending on ‘how gooey’ you like them.
I did not like the gooey. I did love the flavors. Any tips on a getting more blonde brownie like texture out of this recipe?
(While they were cooling, I made biscotti.. which came out perfectly.)
Baking longer (tent the pan if you do) and maybe up the flour by an extra 1/3 cup which will thicken it up so they’re not as gooey.
These are just a really soft bar inherently because of the natural juices from the cherries but those tweaks should help you get a firmer texture.
Thank you. I appreciate you taking time to reply and will definitely make again with those tweaks (I still have lots of cherries). The family did eat the entire bake! It was especially good topped with some vanilla ice cream AND whipped cream. OMG!
But to eat it on its own, I want less gooey.
I added a teaspoon of baking powder which I think helped make the bars not quite so gooey or raw batter tasting. I thought they were delicious! Other than that, followed it exactly and I will definitely make it again.
Do you think you could use tart cherries? My daughters just picked a bunch and I’m unsure what to do with them.
You could if you can deal with the fact that the bars will be very tart. You can’t just increase the sugar without effecting other things though.
I would Google sour cherry jam. It’s very good and it’s easy to make, you don’t need to can it, you can just make a refrigerator jam. My mom used to make this was sour cherries and it’s tasty.
These blondies are so succulent. I made them using salted butter and white suger though these came out really awesome. My daughter loved them. I want to ask if I can make them without eggs.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it worked great with salted butter and white sugar. I have not tried doing them eggless so can’t say if they will still turn out okay or not.
Oh my goodness! These are so good! I added pecans for a little crunch.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad they turned out awesome for you!
Hi! I’ve just picked a load of cherries so I’m keen to try this recipe 😆. I’m in the UK and we label things differently – all purpose flour appears to be the same as our plain flour, does the recipe not require any kind of rising agent?
all purpose flour appears to be the same as our plain flour = yes I have heard that from others although have never baked with your flour so have no personal experience with it
As for a rising agent, baking soda or baking powder would be what we would usually combine with all-purpose flour however in this recipe, there is none. They are intended to be a denser bar.
So Im a gluten free gal. I subbed 1 C flour for 1 C pams baking and pancake mix. I had little faith that only 1 C would do the job. My goodness these bars are good. I just ate a whole row of them! Oh i also dont like a lot if sugar. I cut it to 1/4 c coconut sugar and some monk fruit drops… AMAZING. Thanks for this great recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you love them and made them gluten free!
Hello do you have any measurements in grams? I’m in the UK not sure our cup measurements are the same?
I only write them in ounces and cups, sorry, I don’t also write things in metric.
http://allrecipes.co.uk/how-to/44/cooking-conversions.aspx
All the conversions you need should be on here 🙂
I’m so excited to give these a try! I’m going to sub in white chocolate chips, but am wondering based on some comments, might it be better to try to press some of the liquid out of the cherries before adding them in?
It could be but I have never had that issue or needed to. Sounds messy (cherries stain everything like crazy) and not really that easily accomplished but you could try it if you have exceptionally ripe juicy cherries.
I cant find the measurements – am I looking in the right place? I really want to make these
Keep scrolling.
Hi, I am thinking of making them but I don’t have brown suger and unsalted butter due to lockdown. So can I make these bar with normal butter and white suger instead . Please reply as not everyone responds to their questions.
Yes re the butter.
Regarding the sugar, haven’t tried white sugar so cannot say what will happen.
I have to tell you… this is my new favorite dessert OF ALLL TIME. And I am the mom that’s always baking things from scratch every day. I’m about to make it again today! ( I double it in a 13×9 glass pan)
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you love it and that it’s your all time favorite dessert ever!!! That is a super high compliment, thank you! Great that you double it since it’s a favorite :)
I made these for my Husband on Father’s Day. I used fresh cherries and dark chocolate chips and they were amazing! I’m making a second batch now. Thank you your recipes are the best.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these were a hit and that you’re making them again!
Thanks for the compliments on my recipes!
Thanks for this recipe, I followed the recipe with fresh cherries and it turned out great!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out great!
I made the recipe exactly as written but the batter sure didn’t look like your pictures, it was runnier and didn’t look like a blondie batter at all. I ended up baking it for an additional 10 minutes (5 and 5) before I felt it could reasonably hold together. Let it cool for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before cutting and it was still kind of gummy. Not necessarily under cooked, it just seemed too soft.
Are you sure the recipe shouldn’t have 1 1/2 to 2 cups of flour?
Tastes great though.
Yes I am sure of the measurements however if you batter is for some reason really loose (it really shouldn’t be going into the oven) but if it is, you can add a bit more flour. However cherries, being a fruit, they will release natural juices. It’s impossible to predict how much. If you have really ripe cherries on your hands, they will release more juice than not as ripe ones, so you could preemptively add an addition 1/4-ish cup flour. More than that and it will really effect the texture, and also turn these into a THICKER bar, making it even more difficult for them to bake through.
Hi, Can I substitute with almond flour? Will try it today or tomorrow. Thank you
Not sure, I have only made it as written.
These were LUSH! The best recipe! If i wanted to take out the cherries and just add random chopped chocolate would that work?
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad they were great! Yes you can just add plain chocolate, chopped candy bars like Snickers or Milky Way, white choc, butterscotch chips, M&Ms, etc. all fine.
We make these every spring when our cherry trees fruit! They are absolutely delicious and so easy to make! Thank you Averie!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you make them every year! I am so impressed that you have your own cherry trees!
Oh my gosh!! These are so yummy! Quick and easy, followed recipe to the T with just using dark chocolate chips instead of the semi-sweet (cause hubby likes dark chocolate). When hubby and I took our first bite, we looked at each other (with our mouths full) and said “oh, these are so good”! Make them!! You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you both had the mouths full stare at each other look, I know exactly what you mean! Glad they are a winner for you!
Can this recipe be doubled !!! I’m in love with all of your recipes !!!
Yes it can be doubled and thanks!
This was the best dessert I’ve ever baked! I had to write and tell you as soon as I tasted it! I baked it as written with fresh cherries (my cherry pitter worked great!) and chocolate chips. It’s worthy of being served in the best of restaurants to rave reviews! Thanks for a truly great (and easy) recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s the best dessert you’ve ever baked!
These chocolate chip cherry blondies are amazing! Our whole family thinks they’re one of the most delicious things we’ve eaten. I’m a sucker for chocolate cherry anything, but my husband was not and he was won over! I made them with dark brown sugar and dark chocolate chips because this is what I had on-hand, and with fresh cherries. A new family favorite and SO quick and easy!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad these are a huge hit with your family! Good job for using what you had on hand with the ingredients, too.
The first word out of my 15 year old’s mouth after the first bites was……”WOW !”My husband went crazy for them. Caught him eating it right out of the pan with a knife happy as a kid ! I will absolutely make them OVER AND OVER again. I think next time I will try a raspberry / chocolate chip version. THANKS SO MUCH AVERIE for this incredible recipe. I for sure now am going to save your website and try other recipes from it.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was huge hit and you’ll make these over and over again!
I only have a can of Oregon cherries, due to the quarantine. Can I use those instead? Thank you!
I don’t know what those are specifically. If it’s pie filling, no.
I recommend fresh cherries for this recipe.
Five star rating because they are so delicious. However, even though I believe I followed your recipe to the letter, the batter was so thick, it had the consistency of pie dough and I wouldn’t have been able to spread it out in the pan. I decided to add enough orange juice to make the batter spreadable. Absolutely delicious, P.S. nobody else in the comments section seems to have had this problem, so I’m assuming I’m the one who incorrectly measured something, even though I was super careful. I had melted the butter but it had time to cool a little bit and I’m wondering if that might be the problem. In any event, thanks for posting. I will try more of your scrumptious recipes soon. Stay safe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad the taste was great!
Regarding the thickness of the dough, this is a very thick and dense dough because I am accounting for the fact that cherries will give off their juices like crazy during baking and water it down by a ton so initially, yes it’s very thick and dense. However I do think that you waited too long for the butter and that it was re-solidifying and that was the issue. You don’t need to wait more than 2 minutes. Glad the OJ fixed it right up though!
I just made these cherry blondie bars after going cherry picking. My boyfriend and I have eaten almost the whole pan in less than 48 hours. SO GOOD! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
How lovely to be able to make this with fresh cherries that you just picked! I bet it is soooo good – wish I was having some right now!
These taste delicious but after waiting overnight, they still seem way too soft and are falling apart too much to cut. I baked for about 40 minutes since I used frozen cherries but followed everything else in the recipe precisely. Should the cherries still be gooey and soft or more hard and baked in? Would throwing this back in the oven help? Thanks!
At this point no you can’t put it back in the oven.
The issue is that frozen cherries are juicier and mushier than fresh, and that is what caused the issue and caused the bars to be overly moist and not holding together I am thinking. They probably gave off an excessive amount of juice. I would say try fresh ones next time if you can get ahold of them.
Oh wow, what a simple but delicious recipe! So easy to make and soooo flavorful, loved it! I just reduces sugar to a 1/2 cup because we don’t like things too sweet but I will definitely do this again. Thank you!
Can I choose cherry pie filling??
They look so good and can’t wait to try this recipe.
Thanks
No only fresh cherries for this recipe.
Absolutely the best thing ever! I have made this 3 times in the last 5 weeks.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you adore them and have made them 3 times in 5 weeks!
I made these today and they turned out great! I did however cut the sugar in half because I felt like a full cup was a bit much. Also only put 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and the result is the right level of sweet :) I can’t wait to see how the texture and flavor evolve overnight!
I’m glad you were able to reduce the sugar and chocolate chips and still get a great result.
The recipe was easy to follow and simple! I’ve never made anything like this before (or eaten anything like it). Both my husband and I were surprised at the biscuit-like texture and taste. I appreciated that it wasn’t too sweet, but I guess we’re just not fans of bars – now we know! But I’m glad I made these ones – can’t go wrong where cherries and chocolate is concerned, at least in my book.
Thanks for trying the recipe.
If I doubled the recipe, should I use a 13 x 9 pan or a15 x 10? They sound delicious but I want to make a larger batch!!! Thank you!
Either would work I think. But if you use a 15×10 they will be much thinner. I would opt for the 9×13 but it depends on what you think you’d prefer.
Whoa, this is good. I would make it only when you have a group to share it with, though. It’s dangerously delicious and quick and easy to make! Hard to wait for it to cool completely before tasting. :-)
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you loved them!
Do you use sweet or tart cherries?
Sweet cherries that are in season in the summer. The ones that you can see in the photos.
Can you use marichano cherries in this recipe?
Probably not is my guess.
Hi, I’m thinking of using a cookie scoop and making these into cookies instead. What do you think?
Thanks!
Probably not the best idea…they will spread like crazy if you make the recipe as written.
hello
I have made this 3 times and it has always been way too soft like soft fudge or pudding
after first time, I double checked recipe, used a different oven, and baked for 32 minutes. didn’t help.
for third try, I increased flour to 1 1/4 cups and baking time to 40 minutes. a little better but still no straight edge when I cut. best eaten with a spoon
I waited to cut for 1 1/2 -3 hours.
taste is good. any suggestion to improve texture?
Mrs. L.
I really can’t say since you’ve tried a variety of tweaks. Maybe use less cherries or increase the flour to 1 1/2 cups. Or just accept that this is more like a cobbler/berry crisp style dessert for you rather than bars. Not sure what is going on in your situation that it’s not working well for bars but glad you are enjoying the taste.
These are absolutely spectacular and insanely easy! I made them for a birthday last week and they were A HUGE hit. Since I still had cherries, I decided to make a second batch tonight for myself and didn’t even need the recipe. So simple! I added some almond extract this time too because why not, really.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad these turned out spectacular for you and they were insanely easy and a huge hit at the birthday! And mmmm….almond extract would be amazing in these I am sure!
I’m baking them right now & can’t wait to try them! unfortunately I didn’t have light brown sugar and had to use regular. how is the longest I can bake it without messing the recipe? I’m using a cake pan and it’s 8”.
Well by now it’s out of the oven. It’s hard for me to judge from afar given your substitutions. I hope they turned out great!
In the oven now. Kept coming back to look at the recipe. No baking soda or powder? Hope I don’t have a chocolate cherry pancake!
You’re not missing anything.
They are on the densers side, but they are so good. Read all the reviews :)
I made these tonight with fresh cherries and they are delicious! My husband declared them to be dangerously good and had to force himself to stop eating them.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad they got the dangerously good declaration!
I love everything from Avery
I made lemon loaf this morning.
Thanks for the compliments! :)
Thanks for such a quick and delicious recipe. They were a hit and I will definitely make them again!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad they were a hit and that you’ll make them again!
Had some cherries to use up and came across this recipe. First time making Blondies and I must admit I messed up some of the ingredients converting from cups to grams but these tasted great in spite of this! Cherry adds a fresh taste and they’re not too sickly. Will definitely make again. Thank you
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you will definitely make these again!
I made this recipe the first time a few months ago and my teenage son was just over the moon about it! He said he wanted this instead of a birthday cake! I made it as written, except subbed in almond extract for 1/2 the vanilla and used salted butter. We love this recipe and will continue making it! Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks for the five star review and glad these were such a hit that your son wanted it instead of bday cake!
Made these with with dried Michigan cherries just reconcentrated them in orange juice. They were easy and tastes amazing!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad they turned out amazing!
I made this recipe with canned black cherries that I drained and cut in half. It is great and easy. I didn’t have butter so I used margarine and they still were great. Super easy.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad these turned out great for you how are you made them!
SO great and wonderful I swear I had to stop eating them TO many! Stomach ache ! Came across this recipe and yes finally!!! Everyone love’s them!!!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad they are wonderful for you and everyone loves them!
I made this recipe over the holidays, and it was loved by all. Keeping the cherries whole was great. I used 1 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp almond extract. (I come from a family of German’s and anything almond is always loved) I suspect pecans or walnuts would be great in this also. I will definitely being making these again. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!!!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you will be making these again and that the almond extract was loved too!
Made these for a youth Bible study and they were a huge hit. I used white chips and added pecans. I also browned the butter by accident, but it gave them an amazing toffee flavor. I will probably reduce the sugar next time but only because this has become our family preference. Thanks for a great recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that they were a huge hit!
Have you tried this using maraschino cherries?
No I haven’t.
These were delicious! I did cut the chocolate chips down to 1 1/2 c. (just because of 2 c. looked like a little too much) and I thought it was the perfect amount. I didn’t have any problems with the baking time…took 40 minutes.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad everything went great for you!
Oops! & OMG! I accidentally put in 2cps of cherries thinking I was using a 1-cup vessel instead of the 2-cupper, which I realised right after putting them into the oven to bake. Because brown sugar tends to give me horrible indigestion, I halved that ingredient. All other aspects* of the recipe were followed as written. These are so delicious. *Due to health risks associated with aluminum, I did not line the pan; merely buttered it. Must be a nonstick as the bars came out cleanly.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad these came out great despite a few oops moments :)
Very easy and tasty recipe! Only had 1/3 cup of chocolate chips and substituted whole wheat all purpose flour. Still a hit with my husband who’s not a cherry fan.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad the whole wheat flour worked well!
Should I thaw frozen berries first?
I wouldn’t – I would just add them to the batter frozen noting that it will take a little longer to bake.
Perfect consistency, and such as easy recipe. Thanks for helping me use up some extra cherries.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you love these bars!
I just made the chocolate chip cherry Blondies and they turned out fabulous! I want to make them for work but I need to have a lot of them. Have you ever made them in a 13 x 9 pan? Would I just double the recipe? I just want to make sure before I do it that they will cook well in the center if I’m if I make a double recipe. Can’t wait to try your other recipes! Thanks again! :-)
I’ve never made them in a 9×13 but if you were going to do that, yes I would just do a straight doubling of everything. Cooking through shouldn’t be an issue because the overall thickness of the bar should remain roughly the same in the larger pan despite more batter. Glad you loved them!
Try this: https://smile.amazon.com/Prepworks-Progressive-Cherry-Cherry-Pitter/dp/B0041DV0WY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1501365269&sr=8-2&keywords=cherry+it+pitter A nifty cherry pitter that does 4 at a time, either large ones or small ones, at Amazon. It closes completely so that you don’t splatter juice. I’m heading to the kitchen to try your recipe!
Looks like quite the cherry pitter! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
I’m glad this was a small batch: we couldn’t stay out of them! The 2 of us ate them all in 2 days… these are the bomb!
Glad it was a hit for you two!
These were so good, and I got so many compliments on them when I brought them to a mom’s group. The cherries were really a delightful surprise for many! I used fresh cherries, but I found I had to double my cooking time. It was quite raw in the middle after 30 min. So either I will increase the amount of flour, or just continue to cook them for 60 min.
With the amount of juice in cherries, it’s not surprising that sometimes things take longer to bake for one person than another, given all cherries and their juiciness varies. Glad you just baked until done and really enjoyed these!
Do you cool them in the pan?
yes
Thanks Averie. I like the idea of large pieces of cherry instead of small. I’ll halve them to pit and use the halves. The pictures make my mouth water. Thank again.
This sounds yummy but I am confused. In one spot you say you don’t like cherry pitters so you slice the cherry. In another spot you say you don’t half them because you like the pieces big and chunky. Could you please clarify this. Thank you.
I halved the cherries by hand (I think….I made this recipe years ago) rather than using a pitter. Remove pits any way you see fit and slice/chop as fine or coarse as you like. Enjoy!
Absolutely delicious! I love the burst of fresh cherries as you eat them.
I added some Persian fairy floss (just because) and next time I would add extra flour to make them a bit more solid at room temperature. I found they needed more than an hour to cool enough to cut.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I love King Arthur flour because it has a slightly higher gluten content than other brands and therefore baked goods have a bit more structure and aren’t as likely to crumble.
There is no leavening agent in this recipe, and it didn’t occur to me to ask before I made it. I’m at the first 30 minutes in, and the dough is as ‘doughy’ as it was when I put it in. What am I doing wrong? I double checked my ingredients to make sure I put in the ingredients called for.
Some cherries are very juicy and that could explain why the batter is still on the wet side. Your oven could not be functioning properly. You could have mis-measured ingredients. Hard to say what the cause is but correct no leavening.
Can you substitute dried cherries that is all i have?
I’d make these then https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/11/cranberry-chocolate-chip-blondies.html
O h ok thanks have u ever used almond extract too?
No I haven’t.
I love this recipe but was wondering if you have ever tried to use a substitute for the all-purpose flour, such as almond or coconut flours?
No I haven’t tried. LMK if you do!
These were great. I used blueberries, cherries and white chocolate chips for 4th of July. Thanks!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Sounds festive and perfect for The Fourth!
Can I use canned cherries?
I haven’t tried it that way so can’t say for sure about the results.
If you make them with canned cherries, please let me know how they turn out. I have a couple bottles of cherries in my pantry and I was wondering if they’d work. They are cherries in syrup, so maybe I would need to slightly cut the sugar?
Would it work with dried tart cherries?
Yes and I have a recipe for that! https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/11/cranberry-chocolate-chip-blondies.html
I was originally looking for your cherry bread recipe, I baked it a couple of months ago and it was a complete hit in my family. But I saw this pop up on related recipes and decided to give them a try. They were really good, I used cherries, blackberries and white chocolate chips because those were the things I had in the kitchen.
Note: I substituted the brown sugar with 3/4 jaggery (in Venezuela is almost impossible to get brown sugar) and they turned out just fine. Great recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Love this recipe and I have made them a couple of times now since my neighbor gave me a bag of frozen pitted cherries from Michigan! Yay me! We like a little crunch so I topped them with an oatmeal strudel of oatmeal, flour, brown sugar and butter. They are so delicious and I’m getting ready to make a batch now for my fellow tailgating friends this Sunday! Go Colts!!!
Thanks for trying the recipe a few times and I’m glad it comes out great for you! The oatmeal strudel on top sounds just perfect!
5 stars
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Averie — we picked cherries for the first time this year on vacation and I had to get a pitter. This one from Amazon is pretty good: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisipro-747151-Cherry-Olive-Pitter/dp/B003AJKPL2/ref=sr_1_18?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1438911346&sr=1-18&keywords=cherry+pitter — doesn’t splatter much and every cherry was successfully pitted with one try. I just pulled some from the freezer for this recipe and it is in the oven now…smells great!
I made these yesterday for a gathering tonight, and they were a huge hit! I have been baking a lot of Pinterest cake recipes lately, and it was nice to try an easy recipe for a change. The cleanup was a breeze! I used fresh cherries and completely agree – pitting is a PITA. The edges were brown, crispy, and pulled away from the pan, but the bottom (particularly in the center) was close to gooey. I didn’t want the edges to burn, so I went ahead and took them out. When I make them again, I think I may try to strain and blot the cherries with paper towels a bit before folding them in, as I think mine were so juicy that they disrupted the batter consistency. I also may go ahead and pit my remaining cherries, then freeze them before the next use. That could help a bit, and would make the recipe go together very quickly. I’ve also seen recipes that call for the fruit to be tossed in flour before being folded into the batter to avoid bleeding. Any thoughts on this? BTW, Ghirardelli dark chocolate chips complement the cherries perfectly. My friends and I are not picky about doneness as long as the flavor is there, and flavor was present in droves!!! Definitely a keeper.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out well for you! I wouldn’t freeze the fruit and then pull out for the future if your intention is to have it LESS juicy (think about how watery blueberries or strawberries or any berries are when you thaw out a bag of frozen fruit). If you feel next time like you have really juicy fruit, I would just add 1/4 cup more flour. In a shallow pan recipe like this, I don’t think tossing with flour makes much difference like it would say in a loaf pan of cherry bread or a bundt cake where it’s much deeper and sinking is more of an issue.
Just made these and, even though I ended up having to use dark brown sugar (I forgot to buy light brown sugar!), they were still awesome!
Will be sure to give your other recipes a try! :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Made these a couple of weeks ago using fresh blueberries & dark chocolate chips and they were super delicious!! Thanks for the recipe! It’s seems pretty versatile as far as changing it up with different berries and chocolates. Making another blueberry batch right now because I’m craving these again after seeing your recipe on my Pinterest board while looking for something else. :) Looking forward to giving a few of your other recipes a try!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you – with blueberries and dark chocolate chips. Sounds delish! And you’re right, it’s a very versatile recipe (I’ve used this base 30+ times for blog recipes), just changing the add-in’s from M&Ms to peanut butter chips to swirling in strawberry jam. If you try other recipes, LMK!
Thank you so much! I just came across your site on pinterest and love how you respond so quickly!!! Now I am making your creamy mixed berry white chocolate bars :)
Thanks and enjoy the bars!
They’re in the oven now!!!! Sooooo excited!! But… I used dark brown pure cane sugar because i didn’t have light brown, is that okay? They look dark (when i peak in the oven)!
Dark brown sugar is more caramely tasting when cooked (it has more molasses than light, 3x as much) and appears quite dark when baked in things. Just watch them closely so you don’t over/under-bake them. I’m sure they’ll taste great.
Thank you answering so quickly! I don’t bake very well, so I just used tin foil, didn’t want to deviate from the recipe. I wasn’t sure if the foil was integral to the cooking, or whatever. Thanks again, they are in the oven now, and we can’t wait for them to come out.
I’m sure they turned out great and hope you’re enjoying!
Hi,
thanks for posting this recipe! I looks so good that I am making them right now. One question: I really don’t like to cook on foil; could I line the pan with parchment paper instead?
Thank you!
I can never get tight seal in the corners with parchment and it sort of puffs up and I just don’t like it as well but if it works for you, go for it. You don’t ‘have to’ line the pan but for cleanup, I prefer the lift-out and dump-it-out method so I line. Enjoy!
Made it. Loved it. Used slightly less sugar and chopped bittersweet chocolate with lots of cherries.
Thanks for trying it and glad it came out great with a little less sugar!
This is one of my favorite things to make! Thanks for sharing your recipe :) Very simple, sweet, rich, and a hit with everyone!
superb
PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE This is pure delight for your taste buds.
CHERRY-MINT CHOCOLATE a burst of cherry zest
Both are great flavour
Hi there, can I ask what size cup you use? Sorry if that’s a dim question! Pretty amateur baker!
Thanks
K
A one-cup measuring cup for the brown sugar, flour, cherries. You need a set of measuring cups.
Hi Averie!
These look amazing! My fiance’s fave combo! Do you think I can use Trader Joe’s Morello Cherries (drained)? The Cherry season in MI is coming to an end (nooooo!) and I don’t want to use canned cherries (yuck!)
Crazy but that’s a TJ’s product I’ve never tried, wow, now I have to try them just because! But I do know the product you’re talking about and I think you’ll be fine! Just watch baking time, and adjust as necessary. LMK how it goes!
I made these today and they were a hit with my three kiddos. I didn’t realize I had run out of chocolate chips, so I reduced the sugar slightly and subbed white chocolate chips. My cherries were pretty juicy so I baked until edges browned slightly which took about 45 min. Really good! Thanks for the recipe. I didn’t know what I was going to do with all these cherries!
Thanks for trying this recipe and good call on the white chips/reduce the sugar slightly and baking for 45 mins with juicy cherries – perfect! Glad it was a hit with your kids, too!
If I dont have cooking spray, do i butter the foil????
Probably or else they will probably stick.
Will do, Thanks!!!
I want to make this tonight. Did you used pitted cherries? !?! I’m just starting to bake…. not very good at figuring out the chemistry in baking lol. I just wanted to know what kind of cherries you used.
Yes you absolutely must use pitted cherries unless you want to pay for your friends’/families’ dental work as they chomp down into a cherry pit…ouch! :) I used fresh cherries, the ones in the photos.
If you don’t have a cherry pitter, should you still find a way to take the pits out before making the bars?
You’re kidding, right! :) YES you have to take them out. Use a knife and slit them out.
Just got done picking some fresh cherries off the tree. Our cherries are quite tart. Would these work okay in t
These* ? Or would it be better to just purchase from the store?
Fresh cherries from your tree?? OMG WHAT A DELICACY! I’ll buy them off you! I personally would scarf them down but you can bake them into the bars if you have extra – they’ll be amazing!
For the tartness (if they are SO tart that you can’t deal with eating them then that’s another story) but you could add a glaze on top if you need to after baking.
Looks yummy! Can I use the sour cherries from a jar instead of fresh cherries? Fresh cherries are ridiculously expensive where I live right now. :(
I think they would be okay. I haven’t used them in this recipe (although I have used frozen and those were fine) so I think you’re safe. LMK how it goes!
I maybe already commented on these – but seriously every time I see this on Pinterest my mouth starts watering! Sooooo good! I need these in my life – soon!
Thank you for saying that – it means a ton! Funny that I had let this post die. And Chung-Ah told me about 3 months ago to make a collage for it b/c it was a buried treasure. So I did, and voila :)
Hey Averie! These are AMAZING :) they have become a huge hit! Everyone loves them, including me :) really really wonderful, thank you so much for the recipe!
So glad you and your whole family love these!
Hey Averie! Thank you so much for the recipe! it seems pretty simple! Do you think I can replace the cherries with frozen cranberries? I don’t have cherries where i live :(. I popped one frozen cranberry into my mouth and it was really really sour. How can i fix this?
Cranberries are intrinsically very sour and really not interchangeable with cherries. If you want to try something else, I’d recommend another fruit like strawberries or blueberries but cranberries are not a good swap.
Made these today. Only change was 3/4 stick of butter instead of one stick. They are really really good. Used TJ 72% instead of chips.
Glad to hear you enjoyed them! Thanks for LMK!
Awesome food photography!!!
I made these last night. My batter looked like yours but they took forever to bake. The only difference was I used a glass pan. I baked them for 45 minutes and the middle was still gooey. I missed the part about waiting an hour before cutting them. Today they seemed undercooked so I stuck them in for another 20 minutes. They taste wonderful but I’m still wondering what I messed up. I love how easy they are to make but I’m considering trying them with softened butter (creaming it) instead of melted. Regardless, I love the recipe!
Glass pans are NOTORIOUS for taking much longer to cook and things never get as done in the same amt of time. That’s why we bake pies like a cherry pie in a glass pan – to keep the center wet, loose, and gooey. Great in a pie, not in bars. Unless that’s what you’re going for. So just use a metal pan next time and b/c the moisture content of fruit can vary dramatically, bake until done. No magic number. But the pan will just add time. And creaming the butter – waste of time in my opinion. Just melt it, change your pan, and bake until done. Watch your bars, not the clock :) Glad they tasted great! Keep me posted on future trials!
If I plan on using fresh cherries that I just picked today and used a cherry pitter what can/should I do to prevent the excess juice from taking over the whole bar?
It’s hard to say what to do. I honestly would probably just pit them, let them drain off on a paper towel or something for 30-60 mins. Then make the batter, fold them in, and if for some reason you suspect that they are going to be supremely juicy, you could add 1/4 to 1/3 cup additional flour. And/or just bake them longer. I think you’ll be fine though. Please LMK how they go!
They’re in the oven right now baking! They look great!
How is the inside supposed to be? Not hard like brownies right?
They tooth pick comes out clean, but seem a little soft.
Very soft! Clean toothpick but very soft texture. Softer than brownies – enjoy! :)
I was wondering if you’ve tried making these with dehydrated cherries. Costco has the big bags of them that I thought might work in this…what do you think?
I’m sure it would be fine – you may need to reduce baking time by a few mins so there is no natural moisture being released from the (fresh, i.e. wet) cherries if using dried so just keep an eye on it a few mins before the recipe indicates to cook it for. LMK if you try it!
I am making these tomorrow and have a crowd to feed. Can I double the recipe for a 9 by 13 inch pan without a problem? I’m guessing I can, but just wanted to make sure before I have a baking disaster on my hands.
Yes, totally fine to do! Watch the baking time, you may need to extend by a minute or a few mins, but will also depend on how juicy your fruit is to begin with, too. Enjoy and LMK how it goes!
The blondies didn’t quite turn out for me. The flavor from the cherries was amazing, but they were quite greasy with butter seeping out of them everywhere. I’m not sure where I went wrong, maybe since I doubled them? They didn’t seem underbaked at all, just super buttery. Oh, well, try, try again, right?
Well, I can’t vouch for anything that wasn’t made like I made them and since you doubled them, that could have been the issue…maybe the butter ratio in a bigger pan doesn’t require doubling, maybe use 1.5 sticks not 2 whole sticks? Hard to say…I never make them in a bigger pan so I don’t know – but in an 8×8 pan like I make them (and I have a few more recipes coming up that are similar – and I can make this recipe in my sleep) but they are never, ever greasy. Buttery and rich, but not greasy.
Made these last night with choc chips, raspberries & blueberries… Very tasty… But I think it needed a pinch of salt .. Unless I missed that in the ingredients.. Making another batch today,, thanks
I think you did miss it, 1/4 teaspoon (optional) – salt in baked goods is highly individual; I usually list it, but write optional. As with anything, taste your batter and salt (or sugar!) to taste :)
these look yummy!
I haven’t had any cherries yet this summer. This is a problem that needs a solution NOW!
Yes, better get on that while you still can get them!
Giiiirrrrl, these are right up my alley. Bookmarking now; might well make these for my next Yoga retreat. Baking them for a crowd will keep ME from polishing them off solo ;-)
well LMK if they ever are made and the verdict!
What amazing blondies! I hesitate to even think of them as blondies because they’re so full of amazing colors and flavors – so beautiful. I’m featuring this post in today’s Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and I can’t wait to see what you create next…
And thanks for the linkup – I always appreciate it. You find some real gems!
I made these the yesterday with frozen blueberries (that I got on super sale: 24oz for $3.88!!) and they were awesome!
Thank you so much for this recipe! :-D
Nice score$$ on the berries! Now, you totally have me craving this with them! I made it with peaches + white choc chips. SO GOOD
OH! MY! WORD!!!! So I saw this recipe yesterday and thought – hmmm I have everything for them, so I HAD to make them. HOLY COW THESE ARE PHENOMENAL!!! I about burnt the entire inside of my mouth because I could not wait a whole hour to cut them properly… ah.mazing! And now that I can cut them and not scald my mouth – these things are dangerous!!
THANK YOU for this recipe!!! I am definitely saving this one!!!
So glad they were a big hit – despite the scalded mouth :) The possibilities are endless with what to put in them but the dough-base is a keeper, I agree!
I made these on Tuesday night (yes, the day that you posted them). I had all the ingredients so I figured WHY NOT?! HOLY DELICIOUS. I used a frozen mixed berry mix from Trader Joes. I also slightly under baked them (by accident) but they still tasted great! Boyfriend reprimanded me for baking and said I was going to make him fat. ;)
Glad you gave them a try and yes, I’ve used frozen mixes from TJs (love those things) in these and they always come out great! My hubs says the same thing about all I bake and make :)
I was wondering if you could make these with frozen berries. Thanks for posting your results!
Did you thaw the berries before you mixed them in?
Yes you can use frozen (bake longer), and no don’t thaw (they’ll bleed less).
I love anything with fresh cherries! These blondies are calling my name! ;)
Hmmm, I just happen to have a bag of cherries in my fridge right now!!
Those blondies…look…so…delicious!
Those are gorgeous!! I hate pitting cherries. Last time I used a straw and it worked pretty well, with definite spatter. Looked like I murdered someone on my counter. :)
Averie, these were SO GOOD. The combo is perfect, and I liked the blondie base instead of using a brownie base – it really made the cherries and chocolate shine bright. You’re a culinary genius! Thank you!!!!
Wow, that was fast! Glad you made them and enjoyed – and yes, the blondies help to really bring out the cherries rather than brownies were it all tastes…like chocolate. Not bad, of course, but this way you can really concentrate on the cherries :)
Made another batch and froze it for when my parents visit next month (just in case cherries aren’t at their very best by end of August), and another batch for work – this time I used 1/2 cup dark choco chips and 1/2 cup of those “mini” hershey’s kisses you can buy int he baking section. It’s 9:10AM up here in Ontario, and half the pan is gone already :)
I think you guys are going to turn into a blondie :) I love that you’ve been making so many varieties! They’re great for using up odds and ends candy or extra Halloween, Easter, etc candy. LMK what else you make!
Those look pretty darn fabulous!
These look unbelievable. I cannot seem to stop buy fruit right now. Who can blame us??
Pinned & shared on Facebook!
Oh man, if those were any more luscious, I’d have to buy a new keyboard because I’m already drooling all over it! I absolutely can’t get enough cherries at this time of year. I still haven’t gotten my fill of them plain and raw, but I’m sure the baking faze of my obsession will come soon enough… This recipe will be very handy then!
It takes a special time of year for me to not have just eaten them straight up – and to actually have enough to bake something with :)
Wow… I am drooling! I love me some cherries and chocolate. THIS is going to have to be a must try. THanks for sharing and making my stomach rumble.
I had a great discussion with a supermarket worker over whether the frozen cherries have pips or not. He could not confirm that they didn’t, so I did not buy them.
I love cherries and they have just appeared on the shelves here as well. I always find it strange when fruit seasons coincide on opposite sides of the world.
Look at those gorgeous colours!
This looks like another amazing recipe to try. Really I love your blog…..thank you so much.
Your photos are gorgeous and the blondies look AMAZING!!! I must make these and soon!!
I think summer, then fall are my favorite food seasons. You just can’t beat the summer fruit bounty! I’ve been enjoying the rainier cherries–no red stains and I think they taste a little like a peach or something. I love chocolate and cherries so some blondies sound perfect (and so are your pictures!!!)
Yum, Yum, Yum! Thanks for the inspiration in the kitchen. I have peaches, strawberries, and 10lbs of cherries. Gotta love summers in the NW! Off to bake some blondies.
Please LMK how it goes if you make them! You can add in any or all of those fruits; would be an amazing combo!
Just pulled strawberry and peach mix out of the oven smells and looks delish! Last night I made cherry and chocolate chip and those were good too. I use GF flour from bobs red mill and can’t even tell the difference!
Thanks Averie!!
Glad you’ve already made TWO batches – NICE! I love the flavors you’re using – I have so many peaches and nectarines I’ve been baking with, too. Glad the Bob’s GF worked like a champ, too!
Thanks for saving me from buying a cherry pitter! The blondies look amazing.
Yes, for me personally, waste of time/money and actually, it’s a *make work* b/c it splatters cherry juice everywhere and I have to wipe down my sink basin and countertop like it’s a surgical suite otherwise there is red splatter traces…forever!
Yeah, I make enough of a mess without any help! :D And magic erasers aren’t quite that magical.
Blondies!!!! You know I love those :) Definitely a lot of great produce and other foods in season right now.
Well hello there! I know you love your blondies :)
I have been buying tons of amazing looking fruit! Right now…I have a whole bunch of kiwi’s I am working on! This recipe looks devine! Can’t wait to try it!
your pics= absolutely georgous
thanks so much, Mariel!
The colors!!!!! Oh my goodness, these look so delicious! I’ll take some cherry chocolate blondies any day. :)
I love summer fruits. I was a great cherry picker when we went picking with my family years ago. the combination of chocolate and cherries sounds fantastic!
I love summer and all of the produce too! I wish it was summer all the time. Since you live in San Diego, is that close to endless summer? Cherries are some of my favorite fruits. I made a vegan plum cherry crumble: http://piesandplots.net/plum-cherry-crumble/. But I created this peach blackberry layer cake that screams summer and all the flavors I love about it. It’s not only my favorite summer dessert, but one of my favorite desserts of all time: http://piesandplots.net/peach-layer-cake/ I’d love if you’d take a look and let me know what you think.
No it gets cold here in the winter! I know some people laugh, but “hot” for us is 80F at the ocean. It never gets really “hot”; this isn’t florida! And we most definitely get “winter” weather, not snow, but it will get in the 40s. Not as “hot” here as people think, but no extremes, either.
My hubby would live these!! Yum!!
I’ve been back and forth on buying a cherry pitter all summer! I think I’ll just keep manhandling them this year ;) I love how pretty these blondies are!! I want a whole tray!
The pitter is the pits. Lol I would save your 14.99 or whatever it is; for me, I just don’t have good luck. More splatters than successes. Lol
Chocolate with cherries is the best, I’d love one of these right now!
Yes to farmer’s markets! Yes to fresh summer fruit! And yes to these delicious blondies!! I have a weakness for blondies and can’t wait to give these a whirl – love all the flavors going on!!!
I was actually thinking in the beginning that these would be great with white chocolate. Either way though, chocolate is chocolate. Even when it is white chocolate, which isn’t chocolate, it is still (kindof not really) chocolate. In spirit at least. ;)
I’ve never baked with fresh cherries because of the pits thing. Too much work and annoying for me to do on my own. I’ve used dried cherries though, which are fantastic!
YUUUUUUMMMMMMM. I’ve been wanting to make blondies for a while now, I think I just found the ones! I may add white chocolate chips too, as you suggested. You really do come up with the best combinations!
keep me posted if you try them & what you use!
I love baking with cherries! These look incredible! Like the only way to make chocolate-covered-cherries even better.
You should look into getting a Cherry Chomper – no splashes! It’s one of the only “unitaskers” I keep in my kitchen, but since I bought one, I’ll never go back to knife pitting again.
I think these are one of the most amazing-looking things you’ve made in a long time – and that is SAYING SOMETHING. Ohmanohmanohman, I <3 blondies.
never even heard of the cherry chomper! will look into it per your rec!
And thanks for the compliments…they tasted amazing (all gone now….sniff)
oh my gosh, those look dangerously delicious! choc and cherry is such a fabulous combination! gorgeous photos, as always:)
thanks for the compliments!
Oh how I love chocolate and cherry together!!! This is one fine looking blondie…love it!!! And yes, everything is better with chocolate:-)
it’s my fave blondie-base dough recipe; you can’t go wrong with it!
SO pretty!!! All I ever do with cherries is eat them straight up, ha…I never have them long enough to bake with them!! :-)
this is the only time of year I could imagine baking with them – normally they are too precious of a commodity and get eaten as is!
My mouth is watering! I love me some chocolate + cherries–you’re right, it is a Valentine’s Day favorite, so why not bake ’em up into my fave dessert ever–blondies :) I’m a blondie girl for sure!
running out of room – man, do I know that! I currently have cherries in my freezer, fridge and dehydrator, yes, right now! :D and there are still some on the tree! *sigh* good problem to have.
pitting IS a pita, but my pitter works pretty well and I’m getting fast at it (after many many hours, I’d hope so!).
chocolate and cherries just go together, you are right – these sound good!
your ice cream looked great and I am still no faster with my pitter – you just have skills :)
OH MY GAWDDDD. My mouth is watering.
We have been buying cherries like crazy around here, too. My boys will sit there and knock out an entire bag together for an afternoon snack. I wish I had the patience to pit the cherries and make something with them because those blondies look outstanding! Beautiful pics, as always, girl! :-)
thanks for the compliments – and use frozen cherries, no pitting required :)
Wow, this looks fabulous! Love the of cherries and the bright colors! I’ve been loading up on watermelon lately, but am now craving cherries. :-)
I am *almost* burning out on watermelon after 2 duds of melons, but I am still loving them and just need a non-mushy one!
This might just be the most amazing and delicious looking recipe I’ve ever seen. Everything about it is perfect! I’m drooling.
well that’s high praise & thank you!
Ok seriously? Those look freaking amazing. I could reach through the screen and just grab one! And now I need to pick up cherries. I’m thinking that’d be a great change to my oatmeal. I haven’t done that in ages
oh they would definitely take oatmeal to a more exciting level :)
I’ve been plowing through cherries and mini apricots too, and taking a spoon to a big half of a watermelon when I’m feeling lazy. I love this time of year more than anything.
my last 2 watermelons were mushy duds – I need to find another crisp one!
TOTALLY been buying ridiculous amounts of fruit! I think I’ve only managed one bag of cherries though (need to change that). Deliciousness
Chocolate and cherry are the ultimate flavor combo ~ these blondes look amazing Averie!
Your cherry shake – I am still thinking about it! We both love our cherries!
These look soooo tasty!! I can’t wait to try them!
I have a plethora of summer fruit in the fridge right now too! Mango, peaches, plums, grapes, and cherries. These blondies look incredible, Averie. The pictures – so bright and I can just see how juicy those cherries are in each bite. Chocolate + cherries are one fierce combo. And what an easy blondie recipe! I’m definitely going to have to try this. I’m thinking white chocolate + peaches with a heavy dose of cinnamon added to the base. Or I might as well just try your exact version! Love bar cookies, they are too easy!
yes bars are so easy, so much easier than cookies, cupcake, truffles, balls, etc or anything else that needs individual attention or rolling out or individual frosting, i.e. cupcakes. These are so easy; nothing complicated. Like the C.I. recipe for cookies, this IS my go-to blondie recipe, forever. Period :)
WOW! This is totally my kind of treat! Love cherries and chocolate together! I hope you got my email. I sent it a couple of days ago. You won Katie’s book. :)
and thank you again!
Those cherries… they look so… inviting. They have a come hither sort of look, lol.
come hither…love it!
These look so juicy and gooood! I mean..real GOOD. With chocolate chips…ahh ♥
the cherry juice just sort of oozed all over – they are so juicy and good :)
I’m yet to see any nice cherries in these parts but I can’t wait to find some so I can make these blondies! I love that you didn’t skimp on the cherries too!
you can use frozen – or blueberries, peaches, blackberries; whatever you have that’s in abundance, fresh of frozen – trust me, any other time of the year cherries are ungodly expensive and I’d never bake with them; I’d just eat them!
I can’t tell you how much I love this post. Cherries are literally my favorite, well, everything. Haha. I can relate to polishing off a one pound bag by yourself and having purple stained fingers as evidence. I have 3 lbs in my fridge right now. I also have a cherry pitter and face the same problem. I normally put a dish towel over it to avoid staining my clothes.
I am so glad to know it’s not just me with the pitter! I see other bloggers using it and they “race” about it; not me. I have more issues than success with the thing!