Dr Pepper Chocolate Cherry Brownies
This post has been sponsored by Dr Pepper. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Bake up Dr Pepper Brownies any given gameday for a scrumptious sweet treat! Easy to make, these from-scratch Chocolate Cherry Brownies are the perfect dessert for sharing and have the best flavor. Makes 15 large brownies.
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College football season is here!
Our team is off to a strong start, and it’s just been a fun season so far. While we still haven’t had a chance to go to a game (hello, we have two small kids and don’t live near our alma mater), it’s been a blast cheering ‘em on via the TV.
It’s also been a blast sharing our team with friends, who attended other schools.
One of my favorite things about football season is how people come together to watch a sport, whether or not they attended a certain school.
It’s exciting to get together and cheer for someone else’s team — so long as they’re not playing YOUR team — and it’s exciting to host people for dinner, a game and dessert. (C’mon — y’all knew I was going to throw in the dessert. How could I not?)
That’s where these Dr Pepper Chocolate Cherry Brownies come in.
Why I love this recipe:
This Dr Pepper brownie recipe is a special one because it’s a fun twist on a classic… and it’s made completely from scratch. (No box mix here!)
These brownies are simple to make, but they bring the flavor.
And if you’re a fan of Dr Pepper, you’re in for a treat because we draw inspiration from the famous soda… and use it to add sweetness to the brownie batter, too. We also add some maraschino cherries and their juice to add some cherry sweetness to the mix.
The end result is a delightfully gooey brownie that any chocolate lover will adore.
They’re also the perfect gameday dessert because they are handheld, and you can slice them into bigger or smaller pieces, depending on your crowd. (We always go for smaller slices since my kids will attempt to eat several.)
More gameday recipes that are great for sharing: Caramelized Onion Guacamole / Instant Pot + Slow Cooker Apple Cider Pulled Pork with Apple Cabbage Slaw / Black Bean Dip / Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
Looking for a dish that’s great for sharing, but don’t know where to begin? My Entertaining collection is a great place to start.
What you need to make this recipe:
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- 9” x 9” baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Large mixing bowl
- Liquid measuring cup and regular measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen scale
- Whisk and rubber spatula for stirring
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here are the ingredients you need to make them:
- Chocolate chips — I used semi-sweet chocolate chips for this recipe. They bring a sweet, balanced chocolate flavor to the recipe. Bittersweet chocolate chips would also work. I would hold off on using dark chocolate, white chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips because that will change the amount of sweetness.
- Unflavored oil — like vegetable oil, canola oil or avocado oil. Do not use a stronger oil, like coconut oil or olive oil, because it will change the flavoring of your brownies.
- Light brown sugar — or dark brown, if you prefer. This adds a nice molasses sweetness to the batter.
- Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this is a sweetener for our brownies. I do not recommend replacing this with a sugar substitute.
- Eggs — large eggs are what you’re looking for. Make sure they are at room temperature so they mix into the brownies a little easier.
- Pure vanilla extract — use the best you can afford! Vanilla helps bring all the ingredients together and makes them sing.
- Dr Pepper — this bubbly soda pop adds cherry sweetness to our brownie batter.
- Maraschino cherry juice and cherries — the juice goes into the batter while the halved cherries are placed on top of the batter before baking to create a delicious garnish.
- All-purpose flour — also known as AP flour. We keep unbleached flour at my house, but the regular kind also works. I have not tried to substitute this with a gluten-free flour and do not recommend that at this time.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder — this is not the same thing as Dutch process cocoa powder, so please read the label.
- Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is what I keep in my kitchen. A similarly sized sea salt will work just as well.
How to make Dr Pepper Chocolate Cherry Brownies
Preheat the oven. Also, you’ll need to grease a square pan with nonstick cooking spray so your brownies can be removed from the pan. You can line the pan with parchment paper, if you prefer.
These are really important steps — nobody can bake brownies if the oven isn’t on, and if you can’t get the brownies out of the pan… well…
Pour the chocolate chips into a large bowl and heat ‘em up in the microwave to melt.
Do this in 30-second increments, and stir after every round to check on your chocolate. If you heat them up for 1-2 minutes straight, you run the risk of burning the chocolate.
Pro tip!
When the chocolate is almost melted, remove the bowl from the microwave, and let it sit on the countertop before stirring that final time. You don’t want to over-heat your chocolate because it can burn.
Once the chocolate is melted, pour in the vegetable oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar to it. Use a rubber spatula or whisk to stir it well, until smooth.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl. Break the yolks with a fork, and then pour the eggs into the chocolate mixture.
Pour in the Dr Pepper, vanilla extract and maraschino cherry juice, too, before stirring vigorously to combine.
Measure the dry ingredients — the flour, cocoa powder and salt — into the wet ingredients. Gently stir them into the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. (It’s OK to have a few lumps in the batter, too, so don’t fret about that.)
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Garnish the batter with the halved maraschino cherries. Gently press the in. You can do this artfully or you can line them up nice and pretty — you do you!
Transfer the brownie pan in the preheated oven, and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the edges of the brownies have firmed up and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let the brownies cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes before slicing and enjoying!
How to store:
Store in an airtight container or on a platter, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips
Football watch parties, especially those featuring your favorite team, are the best kind of gathering because they’re laidback and everyone has something in common.
Whenever we host friends, here are a few things I like to do:
- Serve your favorite gameday drinks. It just brings in the gameday feel without requiring anyone to tromp over to the fridge to get a drink.
- Make this cherry brownie recipe in advance. Since they doesn’t have to be served straight out of the oven, I like to make them a few hours in advance and slice them just before guests arrive. Serve on a platter (or your favorite game day plate) when the time is right.
- Choose an easy dinner or appetizer recipe to share. Nobody wants to be stressing out in the kitchen while your team is on the TV, so give yourself a break and make something simple… or something that cooks up in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
These Chocolate Cherry Brownies tend toward gooeyness because I spent a lot of time making them that way. (You can also remove them from the oven when they’re still super soft to make them extra gooey, so long as they’re not raw in the middle.)
I’m more of a cakey brownie person (I know, I know), but I wanted to make something different for y’all.
These homemade brownies are infused with the Dr Pepper, so it adds sweetness and a hint of cherry.
I added maraschino cherry juice, as well as maraschino cherries, to dial in those cherry flavors for this recipe, too!
Quick tips for making Dr Pepper Brownies
- Makes them dairy free by swapping out those semisweet chips with a dairy free brand and variety.
- Store them in a food storage container at room temperature for up to a week. (The real question is: Will they last that long? Probably not.)
- If you don’t have vegetable oil (or can’t eat it), use melted unsalted butter or another flavorless oil instead.
More brownie recipes to try:
- Homemade Brownie Skillet with Oreos
- Chocolate Chip Brownies with Bourbon and Pecans
- Guinness Brownies
Here’s how you can make them in your kitchen…
Dr Pepper Chocolate Cherry Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup Dr Pepper
- 2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 15 maraschino cherries halved
Equipment
- Square baking pan (8" x 8")
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a 9"x9" square baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray (or forgo the parchment paper, and butter and flour the dish.) Set aside.
Make the Brownie Batter
- Pour in all the chocolate chips to a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat the mixture in the microwave in 30-second increments to melt the chocolate, stirring after each session. Once all the chocolate is melted, the mixture is good to go.
- Pour in the vegetable oil and measure the brown and granulated sugars into the melted chocolate. Stir until combined.
- Crack the eggs into a small bowl, and break the yolks with a fork. Pour the eggs the chocolate and sugar mixture, along with the Dr Pepper, vanilla extract and maraschino cherry juice, into the chocolate mixture.
- Sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder and salt into the wet ingredients. Stir until combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking dish.
Decorate, Bake and Serve Brownies
- Place the halved maraschino cherries on top of the brownie batter in the pan. (Make a design with them or simply sprinkle them—I personally like lines because then every slice gets a bite or two of cherry!)
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are firm and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool for 20-30 minutes before slicing, and enjoy with a can of your favorite Dr Pepper.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
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