Chocolate Cherry Bars are a delightful combination of rich chocolate and tart cherries. These bars have a fudgy texture with bursts of juicy cherries and are perfect for dessert or as a sweet treat with coffee. The blend of chocolate and fruit creates a decadent dessert that’s sure to satisfy your cravings.
Ingredients:
For the Bars:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the Chocolate Glaze (optional):
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Mix Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Prepare Wet Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined.
5. Add Cherry Filling:
- Fold in the cherry pie filling gently, ensuring the cherries are evenly distributed without overmixing.
6. Spread Batter and Add Chocolate Chips:
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth it out evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.
7. Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (be careful not to overbake).
8. Prepare Chocolate Glaze (Optional):
- While the bars are cooling, melt ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Once melted and smooth, stir in the milk and vanilla extract.
9. Glaze the Bars:
- Drizzle or spread the chocolate glaze over the cooled bars. Let the glaze set before cutting the bars into squares.