Brownies and beer, together at last! This Cherry Lambic Brownies recipe is made with fresh Bing cherries. The brownies are rich, fudgy, and perfect with a scoop of ice cream.
Brownies + Beer
These are those kind of brownies.
The kind of brownies where you eat one and swear off chocolate for the rest of the year and vow to eat salad (and salad alone!) for the next week. But then you sneak one for breakfast the next morning. And maybe one for lunch too.
The kind of brownies that are so rich and fudgy, you have to eat them with a spoon.
The kind of brownies that incite arguments over who gets the last one.
(Yeah, that happened.)
About the Recipe
I realize that Cherry Lambic Brownies aren't exactly why you read Oh My Veggies, but I had this idea floating around in my head ever since I made cupcakes with raspberry lambic earlier this year. I loved the hint of fruit the lambic added to those chocolate cupcakes and I wanted to experiment with using it in more baked goods. So I added "cherry lambic brownies" to my big list of recipes to make and it sat there for several months.
I found myself putting off making them because rich, decadent desserts tend not to do well on my blog. However! I'm a big believer in the power of the daily occasional brownie. And these brownies are so good, they're worth sharing. So if you're not here for brownies, you can come back tomorrow and I promise I'll have something healthier for you. Deal?
Although I love cherries, I'm not a big fan of cherries in pies and cakes. The flavor is a little too much for me. I thought I'd try using Bing cherries because they're in season and they have a mellower flavor than other, more assertive cherries that are used for baking. The lambic also adds more of a cherry undertone to the brownies--it's understated, but it's there. Make no mistake though, chocolate is the star here.
Recipe
Ingredients
Cherry Lambic Brownies
- cooking spray or oil mister
- ¾ cup cherry lambic
- 12 oz semi- or bittersweet chocolate chopped
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup pitted & halved cherries
- vanilla ice cream optional
- cherry sauce optional
Cherry Sauce
- ⅓ cup cherry lambic
- 1 cup pitted & halved cherries
- 2 tbsp white sugar (organic for vegan-friendly)
Instructions
Cherry Lambic Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Bring lambic to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and cook about 10 minutes more, until reduced by about ⅓. Set aside.
- Combine chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted. (You can use a double-boiler for this if you want, but I'm lazy and I haven't burned chocolate in the microwave yet!)
- Combine sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl and whisk until well-combined. Slowly whisk in chocolate butter mixture, then lambic. Stir in flour and salt, then gently fold in cherries.
- Pour brownie batter into baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of dish comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for at least 20 minutes and cut into 16 squares. Serve with vanilla ice cream and cherry sauce (if desired).
Cherry Sauce
- Combine lambic and cherries in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, or until thickened. Use wooden spoon to smash cherries against the side of the pan while it cooks for thicker sauce or puree with immersion blender after sauce has finished cooking for a smoother consistency.
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Chocolate, cherries, beer? These are all of my favorite ingredients packaged up into one awesome looking brownie! I love it!
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
Oh so yummy, and believe me, you wouldn't chase ME away with that goodness! I'll be buying your cookbook when it comes out, and I mean that wholeheartedly.
Kiersten says
I fully expected that this post would not get traffic, but it was still worth it. Because I love brownies!
Crista says
OMG these look AMAZING!!
I don't know what lambic is... I looked it up on Wikipedia but I'm not sure how I would make it...
Kiersten says
Lambic is a Belgian beer made with fruit. You can find it at most liquor stores and even some supermarkets. It's so good!
Rikki says
I am totally here for the brownies!! Especially when they have cherry lambic in them. Wow, this recipe is amazing (and so ironic too because I'm shooting some type of cherry chocolates today. I feel like this always happens with us haha.) And about the fighting for the last brownie- it happens here all the time. It actually happened earlier this week and sadly, I lost.
Kiersten says
I can't wait to see the cherry chocolates! I lost the brownie battle too, but my husband was nice enough to give me a bite. 🙂
Lena says
I have never heard of lamic before, and had to go check out your other post to find out what it is. Sounds awesome, and even more so stirred into a brownie. I need to give these a try, I think I (and the boyfriend) would love them.
Kiersten says
Lambic is so good! I don't like many beers, but I make an exception for lambic.
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
I'm not much of a beer person but these might just change my mind!
shelly (cookies and cups) says
Completely gorgeous brownies! And you put beer in them. Dude. Amazing.
Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says
omg YUM! My stomach just growd
Brenda Williams says
Where do I place my order for your first cookbook? I know with recipes like this and fantastic photos you just have to publish a cookbook!!! We all want to have all your recipes and how to photos. This may be my favorite post!
Kiersten says
I'm hoping it happens soon! 😀
Anne - Mommy Has to Work says
Oh my!! These look wonderful! I've never added beer to anything, but would try this!
Kiersten says
Beer is really good in baked goods! Stout & chocolate is a great pairing too.
Shirley says
Wow!! That looks divine. I don't know which part looks more divine, the fudge chocolate or the part where the cherry sauce mingles with the ice cream. Chocolate and cherries together is awesome.
Kiersten says
These were seriously the best brownies I've ever had. And I say that as someone who has eaten a LOT of brownies. That stack of 3 brownies with ice cream on top? My husband ate all of that!
Amy @ Food Crush says
I made zucchini brownies last week, but I have to say I love the sound of your version. Gorgeous photos too!
Kiersten says
Zucchini brownies sound much healthier than mine--now I feel a little bit guilty. 😉
Carolyn says
LOL, it's the rich desserts that do best on MY blog, because low carb, gluten-free peeps are happy they exist. The veggie dishes don't do as well. I've never heard of Lambic, but now I am intrigued!
Kiersten says
Ha! Well, I guess we know what our niches are. 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
These brownies look rich, decadent and irresistible!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
Heavenly combination. I think all desserts need a little nip of something!
Jeanette says
These look incredibly fudgey - I'd never think to use beer in brownies and have never seen Cherry Lambic. Always fun to find something new.
Kiersten says
I'm not much of a beer drinker (although I absolutely love cooking and baking with it!), but cherry lambic is a favorite of mine.
Natalie says
I love roasted cherry brownies so I can only imagine that adding cherry lambic gives them an even better flavour! And I certainly don't mind the occasional dessert appearing on your blog!
Kiersten says
When I renamed my blog, I didn't realize that people would take the title so literally. 😉 I do desserts too! And fruit!
Stephanie @ henry happened says
I need a batch of these, stat! I'm not a big fan of cherry pies either (that fake taste is gross to me) but this looks so much more natural - and with the chocolate, oh my!
Kiersten says
Yes! I hate cherry pies. Even ones made with real cherries instead of that gross canned filling--there's just something about that flavor that I don't care for. But I do like Rainier and Bing cherries in baked goods--much mellower.
sarah@thesweetlife says
Woah! Those look amazing!!! And a few brownies mixed in with all the beautiful veggies you prepare are the way to a balance diet, right?
Kiersten says
That's what I figure too! As long as you eat well most of the time, you can fit in a brownie now and then. 🙂
Amy says
You take such amazing photos!
Kathy says
Amazing! I will be trying this one!
Crystal says
I don't care what those brownies are made out of, I just want them in my belly now.
Jenn @therebelchick says
I think that I just gained 12 lbs reading this post...because I know that I am going to have to hunt down lambic and try making these - about 73 times. 🙂
Kiersten says
Do you have a World Market by you? They sell it there!
Lisa | With Style and Grace says
Perfect combination, chocolate and cherries!
Kelly @ Texas Type A Mom says
The only thing better than beer or dessert or alone is mixing the two together! Yum!