These are no ordinary brownies! They are perfectly fudgy brownies studded with luxurious Italian Maraschino cherries and iced with whipped White Chocolate Cherry Ganache. They are as pretty as they are delicious.

How many chocolate/cherry desserts are too many? Trick question! There’s no such thing as too many chocolate/cherry desserts. I adore the flavor combination and never get tired of finding new ways to enjoy it.

The impetus for this Chocolate Cherry Brownie recipe was two fold. First, a failed attempt at making a chocolate cherry shortbread cookie steered me in the direction of making a brownie instead.

Second, I’d bought a jar of Luxardo Maraschino Cherries after reading about them on the internet. People are absolutely gaga for them. I guess they’re used mostly for cocktails, but I didn’t see any reason not to bake with them.

I will say, they are pretty expensive. A jar of regular maraschino cherries in my local market is about $3, the same size jar of the Luxardo cherries is about $18. I know, crazy.

But, you know what? They do taste really, really good. Comparing regular maraschino cherries to these Italian gems is like comparing apples to caviar.

The Luxardo cherries have a totally unique flavor and texture that really brought these brownies to another level. For me the splurge was worth it. But don’t worry, I’ve listed alternatives to the Luxardo if you’d rather not spend the money.

I found Luxardo cherries with the cocktail mixers in my local market, but you can also find them on-line.

What if you don’t want to spend the money for Luxardo Cherries?

• Use regular maraschino cherries. Drain the cherries and use the syrup in the recipe as listed.
• Use dried sour cherries. Reconstitute the cherries in the liquor of your choice. I like Kirschwasser, cherry brandy or plain brandy for soaking. Let them soak for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Drain the cherries and use the soaking liquid in place of the syrup in the recipe.
• If you don’t want to soak the dried cherries in alcohol you can soak them in cherry juice. Soak 3-4 hours or overnight. Drain and use the cherry juice in place of the syrup in the recipe.
• You could even use frozen cherries. Defrost and drain. Use the liquid you strain off in place of the syrup.

You might like these other fabulous brownie recipes: Classic Fudgy Brownies, Sourdough Brownies, Habanero Brownies, Chocolate Cherry Brownies, Malted Milk Brownies, Roasted Beet Brownies, and White Chocolate Raspberry Brownies.

You might also like these recipes for the brownies’ cousin, Butterscotch Ripple Blondies and Malted Milk Blondies

If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.