Recipe: Spicy cherry chocolate brownies

Spicy cherry chocolate brownies

Total time: About 1 hour, plus cooling time

Servings: 12 to 16

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup dried sweet cherries (6 ounces)

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-inch baking dish.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly combined.

3. In a separate medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and salt.

4. Slowly beat the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Continue mixing until evenly combined to form a batter.

5. Gently fold in the cherries and chocolate chips using a spatula. Pour the batter into the baking dish, using the spatula to level the top of the batter.

6. Bake until the brownies are set and a toothpick comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the brownies to a rack, and cool completely before serving.

Each of 16 servings: 406 calories; 5 grams protein; 64 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 83 mg. cholesterol; 48 grams sugar; 169 mg. sodium.