How much more decadent can you get than Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake? But decadent doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. Here’s an easy-to-make recipe for Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Cups that look and taste like you spent hours working in the kitchen to create them. And they keep very well, so you can make these a day or two ahead of time and pull out the beautifully designed dessert cups to wow your friends and family whenever you’re ready for dessert
This dessert cup has 3 layers that we’ll construct individually. The bottom layer is a delicious, cherry-flavored brownie… While the middle layer is a super-easy, no-bake cheesecake. Then, the final layer consists of cherries, brownie crumbles, and a drizzle of my signature hazelnut/coconut chocolate dip. YUUMMMMMM! Let’s get started!
Tools You’ll Need:
- Clear, glass dessert cups
- A jelly-roll pan or Large baking dish, at least 15″ x 11″ or TWO smaller pans
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 small, microwaveable mixing bowl
- Mixer (hand or stand) or large spoon and human effort
All the Ingredients You’ll Need to make these Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Cups:
- Your favorite brownie mix (or your own recipe)
- Eggs, 2 for fudgy brownies or 3 for cake brownies
- Cherry juice
- Mayonnaise or cooking oil
- Baking spray (or cooking spray, plus flour)
- Softened cream cheese
- Cold whipped cream
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Lemon juice
- Can of Cherry Pie filling, or fresh or jarred cherries heated with juice and sugar to thicken
- Chocolate-Hazelnut spread
- Coconut oil
For those who prefer a video, here’s the Wine and Dine Show, where I prepared this delectable dessert live. Full step by step written instructions are below the video.
Cherry-flavored Brownie layer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. And pull out the cream cheese to soften, if you haven’t already.
- Your favorite brownie mix (or your own recipe, substituting per the below)
- Follow the recipe on the box, substituting the water (and/or milk) with cherry juice
- I also like to substitute mayonnaise for the oil. I find that this makes for a moister brownie or cake. You could also use a cherry-flavored cooking oil, if you can find one.
- Adjust the number of eggs you use based on whether you want ‘cake brownies’ or ‘fudgy brownies’. For ‘fudgy brownies’, use 2 eggs. For ‘cake brownies,’ use 3 eggs.
Mix all ingredients together. If you’re using a mixer, use a lower speed and be careful not to over mix. Now, instead of an 8″ or 9″ pan, you’ll use a larger one: A jelly roll pan would be great! Or a pan that is at least 15″ x 11″. If you don’t have a pan this large, use multiple pans… Because we want a fairly thin brownie layer at the bottom of our dessert cup.
Coat baking pan(s) with baking spray. If you don’t have baking spray, use cooking spray and add a spoonful or two of four. Shake the flour around the pan until flour lightly covers the oil. Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared baking pan(s). Place on top rack of the oven. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes. NOTE: this is a shorter time than package directions, because we’re making a much thinner layer of brownie than the package suggests.
Once cooking is complete, remove brownies from oven and allow to cool.
No-Bake Cheesecake Layer
While the brownies bake, make sure the cream cheese is out of the fridge and is softening. If you’re whipping the cream yourself, whip the cream first and place into the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- 8 oz. softened cream cheese
- 8 oz. cold whipped cream (or CoolWhip)
- 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
While the brownies are cooling, mix all of the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. A mixer on a medium speed is best, but you can do this by hand, too, mixing vigorously. Place mixture in fridge until brownies are cooled.
Once cooled, use one of your dessert cups like a cookie cutter, to cut out the shape for the bottom layer. NOTE: if your dessert cup has a much smaller bottom than top, use a shot glass or other small glass as your cookie cutter. SAVE THE LEFTOVER BROWNIE PIECES! You will use them in the top layer.
Place one cut brownie piece into each of your dessert cups. Then, pour or spoon your no-bake cheesecake layer on top of the brownie… Leaving at least 1/3 of the cup for the top layer. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to an hour… Or longer if you’re making this dessert ahead of time and want to save the top layer for the day you’re serving it.
Top Layer of These Delicious Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Cups
- 1 can cherry pie filling (OR make your own, heating cherries, juice and sugar until thickened)
- Left-over brownie crumbles
- My signature Hazelnut-Coconut Chocolate dip (Hazelnut Chocolate spread… About 1 1/2 Tablespoons… AND Coconut oil… about 1 Teaspoon… Again, you can totally wing this to make as much as you want and to get the desired, pouring consistency.
First, crumble the leftover brownie pieces and set aside.
Then, make the dip/drizzle: Melt the coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Then, spoon in the Hazelnut Chocolate spread… Stirring after each spoonful, until the mixture reaches drizzling consistency. If you accidentally mix it too thick, just add more melted coconut oil.
Retrieve the dessert cups from the fridge and remove covering. Add one to two spoonfuls of cherry pie filling to the top of each dessert cup. Sprinkle with leftover brownie crumbles. Drizzle the Hazelnut-Coconut Chocolate drizzle over the cherries and brownie crumbles.
WOW! Just look how beautiful and delicious these dessert cups look! They’re almost a work of art! Serve immediately or cover and return to the fridge for later.
BONUS: To take the delectableness to the next level, serve with a Donna Walker Cabernet Sauvignon or Nile Eddy Pinot Noir from our exclusive Wine Club!
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