Last Updated on February 11, 2026
These cherry cordial brownies are for serious chocolate and cherry lovers. Rich, fudgy brownies get topped with sweet cherry frosting, a chocolate drizzle, and chopped cherry cordials for a dessert that looks as impressive as it tastes. The combination of chocolate brownie, creamy cherry frosting, and those little bursts of cherry cordial throughout is absolutely addictive. They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day, holidays, or anytime you want to make something that feels extra special.
Quick Highlights
- Triple chocolate-cherry layers - brownie, frosting, drizzle
- Perfect for Valentine’s Day or special occasions
- Rich and decadent - one square is plenty
Picking Your Ingredients & Supplies
What are cherry cordials? They’re those chocolate-covered cherries with the sweet gooey center. You can find them at most grocery stores, especially around holidays. If you can’t find them, use maraschino cherries drained and patted dry.
Can I use a different pan size? A 9×9 pan gives you nice thick brownies. If you use a 9×13 pan, they’ll be thinner and will bake faster-check them around 20 minutes.
What’s the maraschino cherry syrup? It’s the liquid from the jar of maraschino cherries. If you don’t have it, grenadine works great and gives you that same cherry flavor and pink color.
Why add shortening to the chocolate? It thins out the melted chocolate so it drizzles smoothly instead of being too thick. You can also use coconut oil if you prefer.
The Secret to Bakery-Perfect Results
Don’t overbake: These brownies should be fudgy, not cakey. When the center is just firm to the touch and the edges pull away slightly, they’re done. A toothpick will come out with a few moist crumbs.
Place cordials strategically: Press those whole cherry cordials gently into the batter before baking. Space them out evenly so every brownie square gets one. Don’t push them all the way to the bottom or they’ll sink.
Cool completely: This is crucial. If you frost warm brownies, the frosting will melt into a mess. Let them cool to room temperature-patience pays off here.
Get that frosting smooth: Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly. Dip it in hot water and wipe dry for an extra smooth finish.
Perfect drizzle technique: Drizzle the chocolate in a back-and-forth motion across the brownies. You can also load it into a zip-top bag, snip the corner, and pipe it on for more control.
Let it set: Give the chocolate drizzle time to harden before cutting. This keeps everything looking neat and professional.
Fun Ways to Switch It Up
- White chocolate drizzle: Use white chocolate chips instead of dark
- Mint chocolate: Add a drop of peppermint extract to the frosting
- Raspberry version: Use raspberry preserves instead of cherry syrup
- Extra decadent: Add chocolate chips to the brownie batter
- Nuts for texture: Fold chopped walnuts into the batter
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Counter
3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Fridge
Up to 1 week in an airtight container. These actually taste great cold from the fridge too!
Make-Ahead Notes
You can bake the brownies a day ahead and frost them the next day. They’re perfect for make-ahead party prep.
📋 Recipe
Cherry Cordial Brownies
Would you like to save this?
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
Brownies
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 9-12 cherry cordials
Cherry Frosting
- ½ cup butter softened
- 2 cups powdered icing sugar
- 2 teaspoons maraschino cherry syrup (or grenadine)
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream as desired
Garnish
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon shortening
- 9 cherry cordials chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease and line a 9×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar and melted butter until light and fluffy, beating for about 2 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla until well incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder until combined.
- Add half of the dry mixture to the butter mixture and beat well, then fold in the remaining dry ingredients just until combined.
- Spread the batter into your prepared baking dish.
- Press the cherry cordials gently into the batter, spacing them evenly throughout.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center feels firm and the edges start to pull away from the pan.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, cherry syrup, and milk until smooth and creamy, adjusting the consistency as needed with additional milk or sugar.
- Once the brownies have cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula.
- Scatter the chopped cherry cordials over the frosting.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips for 35 seconds, then stir.
- Continue heating in short bursts until fully melted.
- Mix in the shortening to thin the chocolate.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate over the brownies in a decorative pattern.
- Allow everything to set completely before slicing into squares and serving.
