Chocolate Cherry Bars

Melt in your mouth Chocolate Cherry Bars with a rich chocolate icing on top. If you love a chocolate and cherry combination you are going to love these chocolate bars loaded with cherries. They are super easy to make because they start with a boxed cake mix. Perfect for potlucks, bake sales, parties and more.

Gooey cherry chocolate bars are a fruity sweet chocolate dessert that no one can resist. The combination of chocolate and cherries is just so decadant. These easy bars are made from a boxed cake mix and cherry pie filling, but you would never know it by the end result! Their just as melty and rich as if you made the chocolate cake from scratch.

Chocolate cherry cookies are a family favorite, but when we’re craving something more fluffy and cakey, I turn to this easy recipe. Plus, these cake like bars are topped with a homemade frosting made from chocolate chips — that makes them just irresistibly good! If you need an easy dessert for a party, dinner, or just because then make these easy chocolate cherry bars.

Why You’ll Love Chocolate Cherry Bars

• This recipe is so simple, even novice bakers can easily follow it. Nothing is made from scratch and there’s only a few steps until you complete the dessert.
• Make this chocolate cherry bars recipe from beginning to end in just 45 minutes. A great sweet treat for last minute needs!
• The fruity and chocolatey combination of this dessert is great for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and so many other special occasions.

Ingredients for Cherry Chocolate Bars

• Devil’s food cake mix – Boxed cake mix is the best part of this recipe! It makes them so easy to throw together.
• Cherry pie filling – The secret ingredient to the most sticky sweet bars — cherry pie filling!
• Almond extract – Using almond extract provides a slightly nutty flavor that pair so well with the chocolate and cherry flavors.
• Eggs – Allow eggs to come to room temperature, and then beat them slightly before mixing with the other ingredients. This helps them mix more thoroughly and combine well with the cake mix.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar is what you will use to sweeten the homemade chocolate frosting.
• Butter – You can use either salted or salted butter, both will work great.
• Milk – For the creamiest frosting, use whole milk! But any other type of milk will work too.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – I prefer to use semisweet chocolate chips for this frosting, but you can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate if you prefer.

How to Make Chocolate Cherry Bars

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, then grease and flour a 15″ x 10″ jelly roll pan and set it aside.

Combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, almond extract, and slightly beaten eggs in a large bowl. Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, beat together until combined.

Pour the batter into the previously prepared baking pan.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until a toothpick can be inserted into the middle of the brownies and come out clean.

As soon as you take the bars out of the oven, prepare the chocolate icing. Combine sugar, butter and milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute and then add chocolate chips.

Stir the mixture until all of the chocolate chips are melted, then spread over warm bars.

Let the bars cool completely and the icing harden before cutting.

Slice and serve!

How to Store Chocolate Cherry Bars

These don’t typically last too long in our house, but if you happen to have leftovers you can store them for a few days! Make sure the bars are completely cooled to room temperature, then cover the tightly with the pan cover or wrap them in plastic wrap or foil.

Store at room temperature for 2-3 days.

What can I add to chocolate cherry bars?

Customize these syrupy sweet bars with anything you’d like! A topping of sliced almonds pair well with the faint almond extract flavor, and you could also use chopped pecans or walnuts.

If you like sprinkles, add some to the top of the icing before it hardens! You can also use some extra chocolate chips, and even add white chocolate chips to the top of these easy chocolate cherry bars. For more cherry flavor, drizzle warm cherry pie filling onto each bar before serving. You can also serve with a maraschino cherry or two!

Can I use store-bought chocolate frosting?

While store-bought frosting won’t harden like the chocolate chip frosting, you can use it to top these bars. It will save a little bit of time and will still taste delicious!

If you loved these fruity dessert bars, then try my raspberry crumble bars or any of the delicious desserts listed below!

More Amazing Dessert Recipes!

Looking for more dessert recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth? Here are a few you have to try!

• Cherry pie bars have a soft, flaky crust flavored with almond and stuffed with cherry pie filling! Easier than pie but just as yummy!
• My lemon-blueberry dump cake is an easy 3-ingredient dessert that is so easy to make!
• This caramel cookie bar recipe is EPIC! There’s a reason people call them “knock you naked bars”!
• This patriotic chocolate bark is perfectly sweet and wonderfully festive!
• Cinnamon Frosted Zucchini Bars – Amazingly soft bars topped with a cinnamon frosting glaze!
• Lemon Pie Bars – Rich, delicious almond flavored crust with a creamy, dreamy, lemon layer between the crust! 
• White Chocolate S’mores Bars – The Ultimate Treat! These Gooey Cake Bars are a Delicious Twist on a S’mores Bar! 
• Be sure to try quick and easy No Bake Special K Bars are a favorite chocolate and peanut butter treat!