Pecan Pie Brownies are the ultimate dessert mashup with a layer of gooey, chocolaty brownies topped with a buttery, chewy pecan mixture.
If you love Pecan Pie but want a more simple, shareable treat, this Brownie Recipe is perfect for you. They come together easily and have everything you love about Chewy Chocolate Brownies plus the rich pecan pie mixture for an amazing combination of chocolate and pecan flavor.
Table of Contents
- Sabrina’s Pecan Pie Brownies Recipe
- Ingredients
- Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- How to Make Pecan Pie Brownies
- Recipe Card
- Chef’s Note: Fudgy, Gooey Brownies
- Can this be made ahead of time?
- Nutritional Facts
- Baking Tips & Tricks
- What to Pair With Pecan Pie Brownies
- How to Store
- Ideas to Serve Pecan Pie Brownies
- Frequent Questions
- Variations
- Related Recipes
Sabrina’s Pecan Pie Brownies Recipe
Can’t decide what dessert to make? With this recipe, you don’t have to choose just one. Adding sweet, buttery pecan pie filling to the top of delicious brownies turns them into a holiday dessert perfect for a Thanksgiving table or Christmas treat box.
I start with my easy chocolate brownies from scratch and partially bake them to make a base. The par-baked brownie crust gets a “pecan pie filling” and then baked a second time. They take a little bit longer than my normal brownies but the pay off is so worth it! One bite of these gooey, indulgent Pecan Pie Brownies and you may never go back to plain chocolate brownies again.
Ingredients
- ½ Cup and 2 Tablespoons Melted Butter: Melted butter is the best to make fudgy brownies. Use ½ cup unsalted butter for the brownies, and set aside another 2 tablespoons of melted butter for the sweet pecan topping.
- 1 ¾ Cup Sugar: Sugar is another ingredient that you’ll use in both the brownie batter and the pecan pie filling. Add a cup to the brownie mixture and ¾ cup to the pecan mixture. Granulated sugar blends well with the other ingredients and sweetens the recipe without making the batter too heavy.
- 4 Large Eggs: Use 2 room-temperature eggs in the brownie batter to help bind the ingredients together. Add an additional 2 eggs to the pecan filling for a rich, custard-like mixture.
- ⅓ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder adds a strong chocolaty flavor, so you don’t need a lot to make rich, fudgy brownies.
- ½ Cup Flour: All-purpose flour is the best option for making your brownies soft and chewy but not too dense.
- ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder: Adding a little baking powder to the batter works as a leavening agent to make the brownies rise during the baking time.
- ¾ Cup Light Corn Syrup: Along with the sugar, add light corn syrup to the pecan filling. Corn syrup adds extra sweetness and keeps the sugar from crystallizing in the pecan mixture.
- 2 /14 Cup Pecans: Sprinkle 1 cup of chopped pecans over the brownie batter before baking. Then, mix the remaining 1 ¼ cup into the pecan pie filling.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- 8×8-inch Baking Pan: Use a square baking pan with tall sides to bake the brownie recipe. A glass or ceramic baking dish will work well.
- Baking Spray: Coat your pan with a light layer of cooking oil to keep the brownies from sticking to the pan. If you don’t have baking spray, you can wipe the pan down with a butter wrapper to grease it.
How to Make Pecan Pie Brownies
Time needed: 1 hour.
- Prep
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray your baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Brownie Batter
Add the melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and whisk the ingredients together. Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, kosher salt, and baking powder. Then, whisk to combine the brownie batter.
- Brownie Layer
Spread the brownie batter evenly in the baking dish.
- Nut Layer
Then, sprinkle 1 cup chopped pecans over the top and bake for 20 minutes.
- First Bake
During the first bake, add the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and whisk the pecan pie topping ingredients together. Then, fold in the chopped pecans. Take the brownies out of the oven after 20 minutes.
- Pecan Pie Layer
Pour the pecan pie filling over the top of the partially-baked brownies.
- Second Bake
Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes until the pecan topping is lightly browned.
- Serve
Let the Pecan Pie Brownie recipe cool before slicing them into squares.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Brownies:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup pecans , chopped
Pecan Pie Filling:
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 3/4 cup light corn syrup
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup pecans , chopped
Instructions
Brownies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with baking spray.
- Whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Spread batter evenly into greased baking pan.
- Sprinkle the 1 cup chopped pecans over the batter evenly.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
Pecan Pie Filling:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Fold in the chopped pecans.
- When the crust comes out of the oven, pour filling evenly over crust, then put back into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.
- Allow brownies to cool before cutting.
Nutrition
Chef’s Note: Fudgy, Gooey Brownies
If you like gooey brownies – this is definitely the recipe for you! The sugary pecan topping forms a chewy caramelized crust but it also releases moisture back into the pre-baked brownie base. This makes the brownies so much softer they may not even seem baked, but that’s why I bake it for 20 minutes before adding the pecan pie mixture. You get a super gooey brownie but you also know it’s perfectly safe to eat!
Can this be made ahead of time?
Making brownies ahead of time is a great way to prep for a party, bake sale, or potluck. The brownies will stay fresh longer if you don’t slice them. Left unsliced, you can cover the brownie pan in plastic wrap and keep Pecan Pie Brownies fresh at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutritional Facts
Baking Tips & Tricks
Follow these quick tips to make the perfect Pecan Pie Brownies to share with everyone!
- Neatly Sliced Brownies
- To slice your brownies into clean squares, wait for them to completely cool. Grease your knife with cooking spray to keep the crumbs from sticking, and slice them into even squares. You might need to reapply the cooking spray at some point during cutting.
- Double Up the Recipe
- This recipe makes enough batter and pecan topping for one 8×8 pan of brownies. But you can easily double up the ingredients to make a larger pan or two pans of brownies. This is an excellent option if you’re serving a larger group or want to freeze one pan for later.
- Blend Ingredients Well
- For soft brownies with a tender crumb, it’s important to mix the wet ingredients well. Use room-temperature eggs to help them blend easily, and mix until the sugar is dissolved into the eggs and butter.
What to Pair With Pecan Pie Brownies
- Drinks: Sweet, chocolaty pecan brownies go well with a chilled glass of milk or a cup of Cold Brew Coffee! Both the creamy milk and bitter coffee will help cut the sweetness for a perfectly balanced bite!
- Desserts: Like most brownie recipes, Pecan Pie Brownies taste amazing served a la mode aka with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. You can also top the brownies with Whipped Cream. A drizzle of Caramel Syrup or Chocolate Fudge Sauce over the ice cream or whipped cream would make an even more decadent treat!
How to Store
- Store: You can keep leftover brownies covered in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature. If you’ve already sliced the brownies, it’s best to eat them within 1-2 days. They’re safe to eat for up to 5 days, but the brownie squares will start to dry out around the edges the longer they’re left out.
- Freeze: To keep Pecan Pie Brownies fresh in the freezer, let them cool completely and wrap the brownie squares individually in plastic wrap. Then, place the wrapped brownies in a freezer bag or another airtight container to keep frozen for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the counter top before serving.
Ideas to Serve Pecan Pie Brownies
To serve, stack the brownie squares in a pyramid on a platter and set them out for passers-by to enjoy. These would be perfect for a potluck or holiday dessert table. You can also leave them in the brownie pan and use a spatula to plate them for individual servings after dinner just like you would a slice of cake or pie.
Frequent Questions
Corn syrup helps sweeten the pecan pie topping and create the right syrupy texture for the mixture. You could use other kinds of syrup like agave syrup, honey, or maple syrup for a similar effect. Corn syrup just creates the most traditional pecan pie flavor.
For the first baking time, you’ll only want to bake the brownies until they’re just starting to set. Then, add the pecan topping and bake for an additional 20 minutes or so. To test if the brownies are done, insert a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, then the brownies are ready to eat.
Variations
- Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Brownies: If you need to make this recipe work for a gluten-free diet, swap out the regular flour for your favorite gluten-free alternative. The other ingredients should be naturally gluten-free. However, if you have a gluten allergy check the labels to make sure there’s no cross-contamination.
- Mix-Ins: You can introduce more flavors and textures to your brownie recipe by mixing in chocolate chips, toffee bits, or extra chopped nuts with your brownie batter.
- Brown Sugar: Try giving the pecan topping a more rich, toffee-like flavor by swapping out the white sugar for brown sugar.