Cherry-picking season is long gone, and yet I was surprised to see nice fresh cherries in Safeway today, and I couldn’t help pick up a bag. I mean, how can you pass on some Cherries?! they are a family-favorite, and though pitting them is a pain, the flavor of cherries in baked goodies is a treat we did not want to miss. So off I went, with a plan to bake one of my favorite cherry treats – Cherry Blondies with browned butter, and a layer of chocolate shavings on the top, because chocolate makes everything taste better!
Brown Butter is nothing but plain old butter, cooked until it turns light brown in color, and starts radiating a lovely nutty flavor that it acquires during the cooking process. To make browned butter, simply melt some white unsalted butter in a small saucepan on the stove. Continue cooking it on medium-high heat until the butter boils and begins to brown, attaining a deep honey-brown color. You can skimp the foam that forms on the top, but watch your butter, don’t turn on the stove and go talk on a phone, because your butter can turn from brown to black in no time! 
The cherries paired beautifully with the sweet, nutty, buttery flavor of the browned butter. And the chocolate shavings on the top gave it a serrated partially melted topping that was delicious to eat. Just cut them up into cute bite-sized pieces so the cherries remain intact, and you get petit-fours that you can share and enjoy, without feeling overly-guilty.
PrintBrown-Butter Chocolate Cherry Blondies
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 16 small squares 1x
Description
These Brown-Butter Chocolate Cherry Bars combine the nutty flavor of browned butter with fresh cherries and a chocolate topping for a delightful treat.
Ingredients
- For the Crust:
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- For the Filling:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
- 1 pound sweet cherries (12 ounces of pitted cherries)
- 1 bar of semi-sweet chocolate – shaved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut two 12-inch lengths of parchment paper and trim each to fit the 8-inch width of an 8×8-inch square baking pan. Press it into the bottom and sides of your pan in a crisscross pattern.
- To make the crust, combine 7 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
- For the filling, melt 1/2 cup of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Continue cooking until the butter turns a deep honey-brown color and emits a nutty aroma. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and 2 large eggs until well combined. Stir in the browned butter, then add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix until smooth.
- Fold in the pitted and halved cherries, then pour the filling over the pre-baked crust, spreading it evenly.
- Sprinkle chocolate shavings over the top of the filling.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top is golden brown. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment paper. Cut into 16 small squares and serve.
Notes
If you taste them immediately, you will get an eggy taste and smell; but don’t worry, this will go away as the bars cool down. In fact, they taste much better the next day! Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Use fresh cherries for the best flavor, but frozen can be substituted if necessary.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 13
- Sodium: 75
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 45
