These pecan pie brownies have a super rich fudge brownie bottom and are topped with pecan pie—the best of both worlds!
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pecan pie brownies
I’m here with a Thanksgiving ~twist~, if you will: pecan pie brownies. This recipe features my rich, perfect fudge brownies topped off with a homemade pecan pie filling! And if you’re typically put off by pecan pie using corn syrup – don’t worry at all. This pecan pie uses maple syrup for sweet, flavorful deliciousness. If you’re looking for something a little different and delicious to make these Thanksgiving, these are for you!
why you’ll love these pecan pie brownies:
- They’re super fudgy: as all brownies should be.
- They’re the perfect balance of textures: I don’t know about you but I am a *huge* texture person and am not a fan of perfectly smooth textures. So here you get the perfect balance between a rich, fudge, smooth brownie and crunchy pecans.
- They don’t use corn syrup: so many pecan pie recipes use corn syrup, but we’re using maple syrup which is not only better, but it’s also more flavorful and delicious!
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients:
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Mix the batter carefully:
When adding in the flour, only fold the mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing the dough leads to more gluten formation, which can make the brownies tough and chewy rather than fudgy.
The secret to crackled brownie tops:
The secret to getting those perfectly crackled tops in this small batch brownie recipe is all in the eggs, sugar, and chocolate. We’ll beat the eggs and sugar together vigorously for a few minutes so it gets nice, light, and foamy. This will add air into the batter, which will cause the brownies to rise, then fall while baking – leading to that perfectly crackled top. Also note that I’ve found that chocolate chips make a more prominent crackled top than chocolate bars.
How to get perfect brownie slices:
Brownies and bars can be annoying to cut, especially when they start dragging the batter and it seems like half of the brownies have ended up on your knife! To get perfect brownie cuts, get a clean knife and a tall glass of hot water. Dip the knife in the hot water, then make a slice in the brownies. Continue dipping and slicing to be left with perfectly cut brownie slices!
How to tell when brownies are done baking:
Fudge brownies are a little more difficult to tell when they’re done since they are essentially meant to be a little raw. For that reason, I definitely don’t recommend using the standard toothpick test. Instead, you’ll know that your brownies are done when the edges have fully set and the middle of the brownies just BARELY move when the pan is jiggled. The listed time for baking is 20 minutes which is true if your oven is at 350F and are using a standard metal baking dish. I recommend against using glass pans, so please note that if you do use a glass pan, your baking time will increase. I highly recommend using an oven thermometer so you know if your oven is actually the temperature it claims to be!
How to make your chocolate more chocolatey:
The secret to getting more flavor out of your cocoa powder? Bloom it! Usually this is done with a hot liquid like espresso, but since we don’t want to add liquid into these brownies, we’ll do it by mixing the cocoa into the hot chocolate/butter mixture.
Line your pan with parchment paper:
I line all of my pans with parchment paper. This just makes it much easier to lift your baked goods out of the pan and eliminates any worry of having to flip over your hard work and hope for the best. I typically butter my pan, then take a small sheet of parchment paper and line the pan so that the parchment is up the walls of 2 sides of the pan.
A note on oven temperature:
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
ingredients for pecan pie brownies:
Fudge brownies:
- All purpose flour: lends some structure to the brownies and makes them slightly chewy.
- Salt: helps balance and bring out the sweetness and flavor of the brownies.
- Unsalted butter: makes the brownies tender and gives them that melt-in-your-mouth feel. You can use salted butter in place of the unsalted, just be sure to omit the extra salt from the brownies.
- Semi-sweet chocolate: where the main flavor of these brownies comes from! I use chocolate chips as I have noticed that they are better for bringing out that crackled top when compared to using a baking bar. Make sure you use good quality chocolate chips here as this part makes up the entire flavor of the brownies!
- Granulated sugar: sweetens the brownies, helps lock in moisture in the batter, and helps contribute to that perfect crackled top.
- Dutch process cocoa: lends a deeper chocolate flavor to the brownies. I love using dutch process cocoa because it has a deeper and richer flavor than natural cocoa, but natural cocoa or even black cocoa powder can easily be substituted in here.
- Eggs: binds the brownie batter together, adds moisture to the brownies, and is the main contributor in getting that perfectly crackled top.
pecan pie topping:
- Unsalted butter: for richness and flavor. You can use salted butter here instead, just be sure to omit the extra salt from the topping.
- Light brown sugar: for sweetening and for flavor.
- Maple syrup: pure maple syrup helps bind the pecan filling together and lends some great maple flavor. Honey will work here as well!
- Salt: for balancing and bringing out the flavor of the pecan pie topping.
- Vanilla: for flavor.
- Egg: helps with binding the pecan pie topping together and ensuring that it bakes up as a solid layer.
- Chopped pecans: the star of the show, really!
how to make pecan pie brownies
Here’s a rundown of the process for making these pecan pie brownies. The full recipe can be found at the end of this blog post!
- In a small microwave safe bowl, melt together the butter and chocolate and mix until smooth. Then, immediately mix in the cocoa powder.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until they’re light and fluffy.
- Gently mix the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined, then add in the flour and salt, and gently fold together just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Bake for approx. 20 minutes, until the top has set. In the meantime, make the pecan pie topping. Pour the pecan pie topping over the brownies, then continue to bake for another 20-25 minutes, until the topping has set. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
pecan pie brownies recipe q&a
Can I double this brownie recipe?
Of course – simply double all of the ingredients and bake the brownies in a 9×13″ pan, or bake them in two 8″ square pans. Be sure to keep an eye on the brownies if baking in a different sized pan, as the bake times may vary. If you’re looking for a smaller batch of these brownies, you can check out my small batch brownies here!
How to store pecan pie brownies
These brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
tools and ingredients
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Pecan Pie Brownies
Ingredients
Fudge Brownies
- 113 g unsalted butter (½ c.)
- 180 g semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 c.)
- 24 g dutch process cocoa powder (⅓ c.)
- 200 g granulated sugar (1 c.)
- 2 eggs
- 80 g all purpose flour (⅔ c.)
- ½ tsp. salt
Pecan Pie Topping
- 42 g unsalted butter (3 tbsp.)
- 70 g light brown sugar (⅓ c.)
- 125 g maple syrup (⅓ c. + 1 tbsp.)
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- 1 egg
- 140 g chopped pecans (1 c. + 2 tbsp.)
Instructions
Fudge Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease and line a 8" square pan with butter and parchment paper.
- In a large microwaveable mixing bowl (or in a medium sized saucepan set over medium heat), melt together the chocolate and butter.
- Once the mixture is melted, immediately whisk in the cocoa powder and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is light and foamy.
- Gently fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until fully combined.
- Add in the flour and salt and gently mix the mixture together just until no flour streaks remain.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out to an even layer. Bake the brownies for 20 minutes, until the top has slightly set. In the meantime, make the pecan pie filling
Pecan Pie Filling
- In a medium sized microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Add in the sugar, syrup, salt, vanilla, and egg. Whisk until well combined, then whisk in the pecans.
- Once the brownies have slightly set, remove them from the oven. Gently pour the pecan pie filling over the brownies into an even layer.
- Return the brownies to the oven and continue baking for 25 minutes, until the pecan pie filling has browned and only wobbles slightly in the middle.
- Wait for the brownies to fully cool before cutting. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition facts are only an estimate and may vary based on different brands of ingredients and any substitutions made.
Just making these. What’s confused me is in your description you say you’ll whisk the eggs and sugar until foamy for a few minutes. But in the actual recipe you add the sugar/cocoa to the melted chocolate and butter then add the eggs? Anyway I’ve gone the traditional way and whisked the eggs and sugar until pale and creamy. Hopefully they’ll work out nicely
Lovely recipe for the pecan top. Thank you
Hello, sorry for the confusion! I’ve made these both ways many times and they turn out the same – it’s just that usually I whisk the eggs & sugar for the crackled top which isn’t important to get in these brownies since they’re topped with the pecan topping, but I’m used to doing it that way which is why I wrote it up that way! I’ve gone ahead and updated the recipe. Hope you enjoy the brownies! 🙂
These were delicious. I made them exactly as written. Fudgy and decedent.
Thank you so much! ☺️
Wow! I am know for my desserts and this one was a hit at thanksgiving this year. I wasn’t in the mood to make a pie so this one was perfect. I doubled the brownie bc I love a thick brownie. Thank you!
That sounds SO delicious with 2x the amount of brownie! Thank you so much and I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit! 🙂
what a great idea! i’m definitely going to try these!