This little pan of 4-ingredient chocolate cherry bars is what my husband calls our “date night classic.” I started making them back in the late ’80s when money was tight and dessert needed to be simple, quick, and special. It’s the kind of Midwest pantry recipe you can pull together in minutes: a boxed cake mix, a can of cherry pie filling, a couple of eggs, and some chocolate chips. No frosting, no fuss—just a fudgy, cherry-studded bar that bakes up in a foil-lined pan and makes the whole kitchen smell like a small-town church supper. To this day, my hubby asks for these more than anything else I make.
Let the bars cool until just slightly warm, then cut them into squares right in the foil-lined pan. They’re lovely served plain with a cup of coffee after dinner, or dressed up for date night with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. A drizzle of chocolate syrup over the top turns them into a restaurant-style dessert without any extra work. They also travel well for potlucks or card night—just lift the foil out of the pan, set it on a cutting board, and let everyone help themselves.
4-Ingredient Chocolate Cherry Bars
Servings: 12
Ingredients
1 (15.25–16.5 oz) box chocolate cake mix (devil’s food or regular chocolate)
Directions
Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, letting some hang over the edges to make a sling. Lightly grease the foil with butter or nonstick spray. This makes it easy to lift the bars out later and keeps cleanup simple.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) while you mix the batter so it’s good and hot when the pan goes in.
In a large mixing bowl, add the dry chocolate cake mix and the eggs. Stir with a sturdy spoon until the eggs are mostly worked in. The mixture will be thick and a bit crumbly at this point.
Spoon in the entire can of cherry pie filling (cherries and all the syrup). Gently fold and stir until everything is well combined and no dry pockets of cake mix remain. The batter will be thick, glossy, and studded with cherries.
