Pecan Pie Brownies

I perfected this pecan pie brownie recipe by testing every detail! The best results came from combining butter and vegetable oil for a rich, chewy brownie, and using both whole and chopped pecans to add amazing texture to the pecan pie filling.

Pecan Pie Brownies at a glance

• two distinct layers
• baked in a 9×13 inch pan, meaning it’s the perfect pecan brownie to share!
• can be made 2 days ahead of time – so you can focus on other thanksgiving dishes the day of!

Pecan Pie Brownie Ingredients

Brownies

All-purpose flour
Salt
Unsweetened natural cocoa powder
Unsweetened chocolate baking bar
Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Vegetable oil
Vanilla extract

Pecan Pie Filling

Brown sugar
Light corn syrup
Unsalted butter
Vanilla extract
Salt
Eggs
Pecans

Butter VS. Oil in Brownies

For my personal tastes, I found that my optimal brownie uses a combination of butter and vegetable oil. Butter enhances the natural chocolate flavor but oil helps to produce a chewier brownie.

Type of Pecans to Use

You can use whole pecans, chopped pecans, or a mixture of both. Whatever you have on hand will work great! I used a ratio of 3:1 – whole pecans to chopped pecans. 

How to make Pecan Pie Brownies

Brownies

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper. If you want to skip the parchment paper, be sure to spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray.

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the properly measured flour, salt and cocoa powder. Stir together with a spoon until mixed. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the chopped unsweetened chocolate and cubed butter. Stir occasionally until it’s fully melted, about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a larger mixing bowl, beat the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer for 1 minute, until the mixture is pale yellow and doubled in volume.
4. Once the chocolate is melted, pour it into the egg mixture. Then add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Mix on low to combine.
5. Spoon the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula or mixing on low speed just until combined. Do not continue to mix the batter once you can no longer see flour.
6. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes (for glass pan) or 35 minutes (for metal pan) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

How To Make Pecan Pie Filling

1. While the brownies are baking, assemble the pecan pie filling. In a mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla extract, salt, eggs and pecans, stirring together with a spatula.
2. Gently pour the filling over the baked brownies, using a spatula to even out the filling so it covers the brownies. Return to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. The filling should not jiggle much when you jiggle the pan. Allow the brownies to cool for 3+ hours. This is a critical step because the pecan pie filling needs time to cool before cutting the brownies.
3. Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies into squares. Store leftovers in an air tight container.

Total Time Required

• 10 minutes to make the brownie batter
• 40 minutes to bake the brownies
• 2 minutes to bake the pecan pie filling
• 30-35 minutes to bake the brownies again with pecan pie filling
• 3 hours to cool, the pecan pie filling needs to completely set before cutting the brownies

Pecan Pie Brownies Recipe Tips

• Did your brownies turn out too fudgy? That most likely means the brownies weren’t baked long enough before the pecan filling was added. The filling adds a lot of moisture to the brownies because the pecan mixture seeps into the brownies so it’s important the brownie base is pre-baked long enough!
• Properly measure the flour using the spoon and level method.
• Spray the measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray before measuring the corn syrup – it won’t stick! 

How to Properly Measure Flour

• Fluff the flour with a fork
• Use a spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup
• Use a butter knife to level off the flour in the measuring cup

If you stick the measuring cup straight into the bag of flour, that will result in too much flour being packed into the cup, which can result in dry brownies.

Should I Bake Brownies in a Glass or Metal Pan?

I used a glass 9×13 inch baking pan. You can use a metal pan – I would recommend decreasing the baking time by 5 minutes because metal heats up faster than glass requiring less baking time.

How to Tell if Pecan Pie Brownies Are Done

Bake the brownies (without the topping) for about 40 minutes. The brownies need to be fully baked before adding the topping. If the brownies aren’t fully baked, once you add the topping the brownies will collapse from the weight of the filling.

After you add the pecan filling, bake for 30-35 minutes. Pecan pie brownies are done when the pecan topping doesn’t jiggle much when you shake the pan. The filling will continue to set during the cooling process. 

It is very important that the brownies cool completely before cutting them because the pecan topping needs to set. The topping sets as they cool. 

More Thanksgiving Desserts

• Easy Pumpkin Pie Bars
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
• Pumpkin Dump Cake
• Chocolate Pudding Pie