Rocky Road Brownies (Fudgy, Chocolatey & Easy to Make)

 

If you love a brownie that’s rich, fudgy, and just a little bit nostalgic, these Rocky Road Brownies are about to become a new favourite. Inspired by the British version of Rocky Road — the kind made with glace cherries, toasted walnuts, and soft mini marshmallows — this recipe takes a classic chocolate brownie base and gives it a fun, old‑fashioned twist.

Each square is studded with sweet cherries and crunchy walnuts , then topped with a smooth chocolate glace icing and a scattering of mini marshmallows that gently adhere as the icing set. They are then topped with a smooth chocolate glace icing and a scattering of mini marshmallows that gently adhere as the icing sets. . The result is a brownie that’s moist, sturdy, and wonderfully moreish, with little pops of cherry and nutty crunch in every bite.

Perfect for bake sales, weekend treats, or anytime you’re craving something chocolatey and fun, these Rocky Road Brownies are easy to make and even easier to love. Just be warned — they are incredibly moreish.

 

This brownie recipe I am sharing today is one I baked early last week. It is not Rocky Road in the sense of the North American style of rocky road, although it is similar to be sure!  The recipe comes from this cookbook I bought at M&S a long time ago when we were living down South.  The M&S cookery books are usually quite good if you can get your hands on one. They are filled with good dependable recipes.

For this brownie you stir candied cherries and toasted walnuts into the batter  . . .  glace cherries.  You could use maraschino cherries if you wanted to.  Just dry them off very well.  I always rinse my glace cherries in warm water and dry them off anyways. Once baked they are coated with a chocolate glace icing and mini marshmallows are pressed into the top. 

These are amazingly good.  The brownies are  moist and hold well together . . .  with a nice crunch from the toasted walnuts and a bit of sticky sweet cherry surprise here and there, that we both quite enjoyed!

I think you might want to call them a bit dangerous actually. This is a bake that you will find yourself sneaking into the kitchen to cut off one more sliver when nobody is looking.  That can be our little secret.

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE

ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES

There are a few unusual ingredients here, but nothing too extraordinary. These really are delicious.

For the Brownies:

• 1 cup (225g) butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (100g) plain all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (140g) granulated/caster sugar
• 3 TBS cocoa powder, sifted (not drinking mix)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 large free range eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup (70g) glace cherries, quartered
• 2/3 cup (70g) toasted walnuts

For the frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups (200g) icing sugar
• 2 TBS cocoa powder, sifted
• 3 TBS evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup (60g) mini marshmallows

 

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

• I used salted butter. I only keep salted butter in the house. There is no salt called for in the recipe.
• Use plain flour not self-rising flour. Self-rising flour will alter the texture of the finished product.
• Make sure you use cocoa powder, not hot chocolate or milk chocolate drinking mix. Make sure you sift it to get out any lumps.
• I used large eggs.
• Glace cherries are real cherries that have been pitted and preserved in a candy syrup. You will need to rinse the syrup off of them and dry them well before using.
• Toasting walnuts enhances their flavor and texture and can be done in the oven, on the stove top or in the microwave. I usually spread them out onto a baking sheet and toast them in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C) for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Evaporated milk is a type of processed milk product which comes in a can. The milk has been heated until some of the water in it has evaporated and condensed it. Do NOT mistake it for Sweetened Condensed Milk which has had sugar added and is much thicker. There is no sugar in Evaporated Milk. The brand I use the most is Carnation. You could also use half and half or single cream in it's place.
• I used colored marshmallows, but plain white ones are the normal. Do use mini marshmallows.

 

HOW TO MAKE ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES

A very simple make. Prepare to fall in love.

1. Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter a 9 inch square baking tin and line with baking paper. Set aside. (I like to line the pan with paper so that I can left them out easily for cutting into squares.)
2. Whisk together the melted butter, eggs and vanilla. (Make sure the butter is not hot.)
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sugar. (This ensures that the cocoa powder is evenly distributed.)
4. Make a well in the centre. Add the wet ingredients all at once. Beat well to mix together smoothly. Stir in the cherries and walnuts. (I used a wire whisk to mix the batter, then I fold in the cherries and nuts with a spatula.)
5. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until just firm on top. Leave to cool in the tin. (Do NOT overbake.)
6. To make the frosting, place all of the ingredients into a bowl and beat together with an electric whisk to give you a spreadable consistency. (You want it to be nice and smooth.)
7. Spread over the cooled brownies. (It won't be really thick, but it shouldn't be runny either.) Sprinkle the marshmallows on top, pressing down slightly.
8. Leave to set before cutting into squares to serve. Store any leftovers in a tightly covered container.

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR BROWNIE SUCCESS

• Rinse and dry your cherries well. Glace cherries come packed in sticky syrup, which can make your batter streaky. Rinsing them in warm water and drying them thoroughly helps them distribute evenly through the brownies.

• Dry maraschino cherries thoroughly if using them. You can substitute maraschino cherries, but they must be dried very well so they don’t add excess moisture.

• Toast your walnuts for extra flavour. Toasted nuts add a deeper, richer flavour and a lovely crunch in every bite. They really shine in the finished brownies.

• Don’t overbake — look for “just firm” on top. These brownies should be moist and fudgy, not dry. Bake until the top is just firm, then let them cool in the tin to finish setting.

• Use the right icing consistency. The chocolate glace icing should be spreadable but not runny — smooth enough to glide over the brownies, but thick enough to hold the marshmallows in place.

• Press the mini marshmallows in gently. After spreading the icing, lightly press the marshmallows on top so they adhere without sinking. This gives that classic Rocky Road look.

• Let the brownies set before cutting. Allowing the icing and marshmallows to firm up makes slicing much easier and gives you neat, beautiful squares.

• Store leftovers in an airtight container. These brownies stay moist and delicious when stored properly — keep them tightly covered to maintain freshness.

• Aim for fudgy, not soupy. A good brownie should hold together and be easy to pick up — not wet or molten in the middle. Your recipe achieves that perfect fudgy texture without being messy.

• Beware: they’re dangerously moreish! You even warn readers that these brownies are so irresistible, they may find themselves sneaking back for “just one more sliver.” And honestly… they will.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT MAKES THESE BROWNIES "ROCKY ROAD?"

They include glace cherries, toasted walnuts, and a topping of mini marshmallows, which give them that Rocky Road flavour and texture. 

HOW ARE THESE DIFFERENT THAN NORTH AMERICAN ROCKY ROAD?

These are the British‑style Rocky Road brownies. Instead of melted chocolate and broken biscuits, they’re made with a classic brownie batter and then topped with icing and mini marshmallows.

CAN I USE MARASCHINO CHERRIES INSTEAD OF GLACE CHERRIES?

Yes — you can swap them in, but make sure to dry them very well before adding them to the batter. 

WHY DO YOU RINSE THE CHERRIES BEFORE USING THEM?

Rinsing removes the sticky syrup so they mix more evenly into the batter. Dry them well before adding. 

WHAT KIND OF TEXTURE DO THESE BROWNIES HAVE?

They’re moist, fudgy, and hold together beautifully, with a lovely crunch from the toasted walnuts and sweet pops of cherry throughout. 

IS THE ICING THICK AND FLUFFY?

No — it’s a chocolate glace icing that’s spreadable but not runny, giving a smooth, glossy finish. 

HOW SHOULD I STORE THE BROWNIES?

Keep any leftovers in a tightly covered container to maintain freshness.

CAN THESE BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes — they set beautifully once cooled, making them ideal for baking a day ahead.

ARE THESE BROWNIES REALLY SWEET?

They are sweet, but not overwhelmingly so — the brownie base is balanced, and the cherries, icing, and marshmallows add fun bursts of sweetness without making them soupy or messy. 

 

A FEW OTHER BROWNIE RECIPES TO ENJOY

I love brownies. They are one of our favorite baked treats. Here are a few additional recipes which you might also enjoy! 

TRIPLE FUDGE CHOOLATE BROWNIES - If you’re a brownie lover (and truly… who isn’t?), these Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies are the kind that stop you in your tracks. Deeply chocolatey, gloriously fudgy, and studded with three kinds of chocolate — semi‑sweet chunks, white chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips — every bite feels like pure indulgence. This is your best kind of brownie: the kind you can hold in your hand, the kind that bakes up dense and rich, never wet or gloopy, and the kind that fills your kitchen with that unmistakable warm‑chocolate aroma.  When they come out of the oven, you finish them with a playful drizzle of melted chocolate — a little flick here, a little flick there — creating that bakery‑style finish that makes them look as good as they taste.

BLACK FOREST BROWNIES - These bars are wonderfully easy — just a boxed mix, a tin of cherry pie filling, and a handful of almonds — yet they bake up tasting like something truly special. Studded with generous mounds of cherry pie filling and topped with toasty flaked almonds, which add a delicate crunch that pairs beautifully with the fudgy chocolate beneath. What you have here is a pan of brownies that are rich, moist, decadent, and meant for sharing — though you might be tempted to keep a few back for yourself. Serve them slightly warm with a scoop of ice cream or a cloud of whipped cream, and you’ve got a dessert that feels downright luxurious. Brownies with a little flair. Destined to become a favorite.

 

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Yield: 16 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

The Best Rocky Road Brownies

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Quite simply delicious. Not the North American version of Rocky Road, but the British with glace cherries, walnuts and marshmallows.

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

• 1 cup (225g) butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (100g) plain all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (140g) granulated/caster sugar
• 3 TBS cocoa powder, sifted (not drinking mix)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 large free range eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup (70g) glace cherries, quartered
• 2/3 cup (70g) toasted walnuts

For the frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups (200g) icing sugar
• 2 TBS cocoa powder, sifted
• 3 TBS evaporated milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup (60g) mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter a 9 inch square baking tin and line with baking paper. Set aside.
2. Whisk together the melted butter, eggs and vanilla.
3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the sugar.
4. Make a well in the centre. Add the wet ingredients all at once. Beat well to mix together smoothly. Stir in the cherries and walnuts.
5. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until just firm on top. Leave to cool in the tin.
6. To make the frosting, place all of the ingredients into a bowl and beat together with an electric whisk to give you a spreadable consistency.
7. Spread over the cooled brownies. (It won't be really thick, but it shouldn't be runny either.) Sprinkle the marshmallows on top, pressing down slightly.
8. Leave to set before cutting into squares to serve. Store any leftovers in a tightly covered container.

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