Chocolate Cherry Brownie Kisses

Lick the Bowl Good Popular cookbook author and blogger, Monica Holland, kindly granted this Ninja Baker the permission to print her delectable Chocolate Cherry Brownie Kisses recipe. Inspired by Monica's innovative spirit, instead of maraschino cherries I used real ones. (Pitted, of course!) And substituted kirsch cherry liqueur for maraschino cherry juice.  Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate was also added to compensate for the tart cherries. 

Ingredients: 

For the Brownies:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 tablespoons sweetened (drinking) cocoa
  • (I used Ghirardelli Sweet Ground Chocolate)
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:

  • 1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • 10 ounces fresh cherries with pits removed

For the Frosting:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons kirsch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon meringue powder (not in the original recipe)
Directions: 

For the Brownies & Filling:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Shower a mini muffin tin with butter flavored cooking spray.

Combine the canola oil, egg and extract with a whisk. Pour in the sugar. Mix well.

Add in the flour, baking powder, cocoas and salt. Keep stirring until all ingredients have merged. The batter will look slightly granular. But make sure there are no lumps.

Divide the mix between the mini muffin cups. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Once a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, the brownie is ready to remove from the oven.

While still hot, gently press the centers of the baked brownies down with the wooden handle of a spoon. Into the well of the cup, drop 3 (or more!) chocolate chips. Allow the lovely chocolate to melt and cover the bottoms of the well. Cool completely before filling with frosting.

For the Frosting:

Blend the butter and cream cheese with a beater. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Add the kirsch and vanilla. Fill a piping bag with the frosting. Swirl into the cooled brownie cups.