Pecan Pie Brownies

Why make pie or brownies when you can have them both at once? These Pecan Pie Brownies are the perfect fall treat for any occasion (or no occasion at all)! They’re fast, easy, and best of all, they’re made with real ingredients.

With a rich brownie layer and a sweet pecan pie topping, these delicious pecan brownies are irresistible. Make them for Thanksgiving, take to a holiday work potluck, or satisfy a last minute dessert craving.

Why You'll Love Pecan Pie Brownies

• Best of both desserts. If you’ve ever spent a little too much time at the dessert table agonizing over the decision between gooey, chocolatey brownies and sweet, crunchy pecan pie, this pecan brownie recipe is for you. No more difficult choices — now you get both flavor profiles in one easy dessert!
• Perfect for fall parties. These pecan pie bars with a brownie base will be a huge hit wherever you take them — to work parties, family gatherings, football tailgates, and beyond! My favorite is serving at Thanksgiving as part of a holiday dessert spread.
• Speedy sweet treat. This hybrid dessert seems like it might take an especially long time to make, right? You might be surprised to learn that they take less than an hour — actually, only 45 minutes! With just ten minutes of active prep and 35 minutes of baking time, this will be your new go-to when you need to make something impressive for dessert on a tight schedule.
• Easy to make from scratch. You’ll start with the gooey brownies, and while they’re in the oven, you’ll move on to the pecan pie topping. Once they’re ready to combine, you’ll layer the topping over the brownie base and bake one more time before the hardest part: waiting for them to cool down enough to eat!

Ingredient Notes

To make these easy Pecan Pie Brownies, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• semi-sweet chocolate - you can also try dark chocolate if you prefer.
• butter
• sugar - sugar is an essential ingredient in most desserts, but you can replace it in this recipe with your favorite sugar alternative, like raw sugar, coconut sugar, stevia, or Swerve.
• brown sugar - the same goes for brown sugar. Try a 1:1 brown sugar alternative if you need to.
• eggs - the eggs in the brownie batter can be replaced with flaxseed eggs, which are made by combining 1 tablespoon of flax meal with 3 tablespoons of water per egg. Let the mixture set for 10 minutes before using in the recipe.
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour - you can easily make these pecan pie brownies gluten-free by swapping the wheat flour for a measure-for-measure gluten free flour substitute.
• cocoa powder
• salt
• maple syrup - honey will also work in a pinch.
• pecans - pecans add the perfect crunch to these brownies! If you really need to, you can swap them out with a similar nut like walnuts or cashews, though you won’t really be able to call these pecan pie brownies if you do. We use both whole and coarsely chopped pecans, but feel free to use or the other if you prefer.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, 9-inch square baking pan, and wire cooling rack.

How to Make the Best Pecan Pie Brownies

First, make the brownie layer.

1. Melt chocolate. Melt the chocolate with butter in a medium heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, or you will burn the chocolate. Whisk until melted and smooth.

2. Add sugar. Remove from heat and add sugars into the chocolate mixture and whisk until completely combined. Let the chocolate mixture cool for a few minutes. 

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3. Add wet ingredients. Add in eggs and vanilla, and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.

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3. Add dry ingredients. Add in flour, cocoa powder, and salt and fold together using a large silicone spatula until just combined.

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4. Fill pan. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper so that it hangs over two sides to make it easy to life the brownies out of the pan when baked. Transfer the thick batter into the prepared baking pan.

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5. Bake. Bake in a 350°F preheated oven for 20 minutes. The brownies won’t be fully cooked, but the top should start to set. If the brownies look completely wet and raw, bake for another 5 minutes, or until it starts to set.

Second, make the pecan pie topping.

1. Combine ingredients. While the brownie base is baking, prepare the pecan pie topping. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, egg, vanilla, and salt until smooth and combined. Stir in the whole and chopped pecans until coated.

1. Add pecan topping. Pour the topping over the baked brownie immediately once the brownie is removed from the oven and is still hot. Return the baking pan back into the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the topping has set (it may jiggle a little with no liquid visible in the topping).

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1. Cool. Allow the pecan pie brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire cooling rack. Once cooled, you can place the brownies in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours for easier slicing, if you prefer. Once cooled completely, easily lift it out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Then, slice into 16 squares and serve.

How to Serve

Pecan pie brownies taste delicious cool or at room temperature. So, you can leave them out on the table for people to take at their leisure. To bring things up a notch, and eat with cold vanilla ice cream. It's so good!

You can also make this legendary fall dessert even better by serving warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or butter pecan ice cream! You can throw the pecan pie bars in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to reheat, or in a 350F preheated oven or air fryer until warmed through.

Storage and Freezing Instructions

How to Store

Once the brownies have completely cooled, you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days — make sure to keep them cool and out of direct sunlight. You can also tightly wrap them in plastic cling wrap or aluminum foil. You can store them longer for up to a week in the fridge.

How to Freeze

Once cool, Place in a plastic freezer bag and freeze for up to two months. You can also slice them first and wrap tightly in plastic cling wrap before placing in a freezer bag. Then, on take out the portion that you want. Defrost in the microwave on the defrost setting or reheat in the oven. You can also thaw overnight in the fridge and serve cold or reheat.

More Pecan Recipes

• 30 Best Pecan Recipes
• Pecan Pie Bars
• Caramel Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
• Candied Pecans
• Pecan Pie
• Slice and Bake Pecan Shortbread Cookies

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