Chocolate Cherry Bars
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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!
Pro Tips for the Best Cherry Chocolate Bars
- Tap the jelly roll pan on the countertop a few times before baking the bars. This will help settle the batter and release any air bubbles.
- If you do not have a jelly roll pan, you can use a baking dish instead. Just keep in mind that the bars will be thicker and may need a longer bake time and cooling time.
- Don’t have almond extract? Just use a splash of vanilla extract in its place!
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!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Chocolate Cherry Bars
Ingredients
Brownies
- 15.25 ounces Devils Food cake mix
- 21 ounces cherry pie filling
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 eggs beaten
Frosting
- 2 cups sugar
- 8 Tablespoons butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour a 15" x 10" jelly roll pan. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, almond extract and eggs together using a stand mixer or electric mixer until completely mixed. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into middle of brownies comes out clean.
- As soon as you take the bars out of the oven prepare icing. In a saucepan boil sugar, butter and milk for 1 minute then add chocolate chips. Stir until chips are melted. Spread on warm bars.
- Let bars cool completely and icing harden before cutting.
KJ HENISA says
This is the 3rd time making this & each one has been a huge hit. It’s just so simple though, I almost feel guilty. I usually cook & bake from scratch as much as possible. However, I don’t think I could improve on this delicious cake. I was never a chocolate cake fan but my family is. I have to agree with them, especially if we’ve got some vanilla ice cream on hand. I always top it with chopped walnuts because I love nuts & add them to almost everything. Thanks for the recipe. 🤩
Courtney says
YUM! So glad you love this recipe.
Cathy W says
Recipe looks great. I haven’t tried yet because I don’t have a 10×15 pan. I was thinking of using my 9×13 pan and cooking a bit longer. Do you have any suggestions about how much longer I should cook them for or does that sound like a bad idea?
Helen says
I’m going to buy everything and make them.They look delicious.
Julie Evink says
I hope you enjoy them Helen!
Peggy Carpino says
Easy and delicious! Goes great with a scoop of ice cream
Julie Evink says
Yes that’s the perfect addition Peggy! Thanks for rating and commenting on it!
Terry says
Easy to make. I made them for Valentine’s Day. Today yummy
Kas says
Recipe looks great! I think I had some user error though and was wondering if I could have some feedback. When mixing my batter seemed VERY dry and required a lot of stirring to incorporate the cake mix. I think all the stirring made it rise all the way up to the top in the 13×9 pan. Haven’t tasted yet but I’m thinking they’ll be more cakey than dense brownie. Also my chocolate chips took forever to melt and my icing ended up super runny when putting on the bars. Any suggestions for how to improve next time? Thanks!
Carol says
Its sooo good with the icing I put candy flavor raspberry flavor in it omg!! Amazing yummy 😋
Julie Evink says
Wonderful to hear! It’s one I grew up with. Love the idea to add raspberry flavor!
Lolo says
My friend shared this recipe with me and this is now the third time I’m making it for my family! It’s requested and so easy to make! The glaze is phenomenal and really puts it apart from all the other recipes out there! Thank you!
Julie Evink says
That’s great to hear. My Mom made these when I was growing up and it was always a fave! Thanks so much for commenting and rating the recipe!
LeslieMac says
wondering what brand of cherry pie filling you used. everyone that i have ever purchased is all juice and hardly any cherries. No where near the amount that is in the video or picture.
Darlene says
Has anyone made with these with vanilla instead of almond? I have a friend who doesn’t like almond anything. I plan on making these for a potluck this Wednesday. Thanks!
Julie Evink says
Changing it to vanilla should work just fine!
Darlene says
I thought so, too! Just wanted a second opinion. Thanks!
Christina says
Almond complements Cherry, like awesome!!!
Millie Sweig says
This was so GOOOOD.
MOIST TO. I don’t care for cherries usually. But this was truly amazing
Julie Evink says
Great to hear! Thank you for commenting and rating the recipe!
Angel says
In a hurry could I use store bought frosting?
Julie Evink says
You can, this is more of a glaze type frosting but that will work!
Jordan says
I made these to distribute to my family members at Christmas because we aren’t able to all get together in person and these were such a hit! Really easy to make, I’ll definitely be making these again.
Julie says
Awesome! I’m so glad you loved them!
Sasha says
Fabulous!! Took two trays to a cattle branding yesterday. They were devoured by a crew of hungry cowboys and cowgirls!
Julie says
Excellent! Glad they were a hit!
BeckyB says
A W E S O M E!!!!!!
Thank you!!!!
Julie says
You’re welcome! So glad you love it!