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With morsels of fresh cherries and big chunks of chocolate, these cherry blondies marry two of the best flavors together. The edges are chewy, the tops are crackly, and every bite makes you want to take another. Best of all, the batter comes together in just minutes using one bowl, so the only mess will be fresh cherry juice on your fingers!
I look forward to cherry season all winter long, and am always dreaming up new ways to use them. We like to freeze them for smoothies and baking, make jams and preserves, and use a bunch fresh for baking cherry scones and more.
But if you’re a texture lover like I am, you’ll definitely want to use some to make blondies.
As they bake, the cherry flavor concentrates and intensifies. The big pockets of chocolate add texture and so much flavor. They remind me of chocolate chip cookies…just loaded with cherries!
Ingredients
Blondies are my go-to for a last-minute dessert anytime because they are so incredibly easy to make. One bowl, a good whisk or spoon, and a baking pan…that’s all you need. No need to break out the mixers and you can easily double the batch and bake in a 9×13 pan. It works every time!
- White sugar
- Melted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Large egg
- Kosher salt
- Baking powder
- All purpose flour
- Fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- Chocolate chunks (or a bar of chopped dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9×9 square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Combine sugar, butter, extract, and egg in a medium mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly.
- Then, add the salt, baking powder, and flour until fully combined.
- Fold in the mix-ins, then spread the blondie batter evenly in the baking pan.** See my note below about getting cherries in every bite!
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool completely at room temperature, then lift up the sides of the parchment, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into bars.
🍒 Tips for getting cherries in every bite
If you fold the cherries directly into the blondie base, they’ll start to weep and may clump up.
I found I get the best results by spreading a layer of halved cherries on the bottom of the pan (on the parchment), then adding the blondie batter and spreading evenly. Some of the cherries will move, but that’s fine!
Then, add the rest of the cherry halves on top and press some in.
This approach will get you a consistent distribution of cherries with fruit in every layer.
Storing Suggestions
Since these blondies are made with fresh fruit, you’ll want to let them cool to room temperature then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Let them soften (or pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds) before serving. They freeze well, too!
Tips & Variations
- Use dried cherries. This would be a great recipe to make with dried cherries or even a mix of dried and fresh for two layers of cherry flavor.
- Add nuts. You can add chopped pecans or almonds either instead of or in addition to the chocolate.
- Change the chocolate. I like the richness of dark chocolate chunks, but feel free to use regular semisweet or even white chocolate chips.
- Try gluten-free flour. I’ve had good luck using a 1:1 flour alternative in my blondie recipes. I usually use Bob’s Red Mill’s flour and it works well!
More Blondie Recipes
Blondies and brownies are some of my all-time favorite desserts. They’re easy to make and can be customized almost infinitely!
One of my all-time favorite recipes is for these raspberry white chocolate blondies. The contrast between the tart berries and sweet white chocolate is top notch.
I also crave these maple pecan blondies literally all year. The buttery maple flavor and crunchy maple sugar topping is unbelievable.
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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Fresh Cherry Blondies with Chocolate Chunks
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (one stick)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp kosher salt, use half as much if using fine or table salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and halved
- ½ cup chocolate chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 9×9 square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Combine sugar, butter, extract, and egg in a medium mixing bowl and whisk thoroughly.
- Then, add the salt, baking powder, and flour until fully combined.
- Fold in the mix-ins, then spread the blondie batter evenly in the baking pan.** **To get a consistent distribution of cherries, I like to add them directly to the pan instead of adding them to the batter. Arrange half of the cherry halves on top of the parchment, spread the batter evenly over top, then add the remaining half of the halves. Press some down into the batter a bit and leave the rest at the top. This will ensure you have cherries in every level (and every bite).
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Cool completely at room temperature, then lift up the sides of the parchment, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
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