Micah A. Leal
If you’re into cakey brownies, these are not the treats for you. In fact, everything about these brownies is gooey, moist, and rich—a truly decadent affair for chocolate lovers and pecan pie lovers alike. Made by baking a sheet of thick chocolatey brownies and then adding a layer of pecan pie filling spiked with a touch of bourbon, these brownies pack a lot of flavor into each bite. The two layers intermingle into squares of dense chocolate, crunchy pecan, and syrupy pecan pie filling. The brownie batter itself is made by melting chocolate chips in warm butter before whisking in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Equal parts of cocoa and flour are then added to this liquid mixture to make a brownie batter that’s amazingly rich in chocolate flavor.
Most brownies are not made from a base of melted chocolate, but this secret is what keeps the brownies moist, dense, and chocolatey. While the brownies are in the oven, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, melted butter, and bourbon to simulate the flavor of a pecan pie. Instead of an actual pecan pie filling that requires a long time to set in the oven, this filling is an amalgamation of ingredients modified to bake into a sliceable layer in just 25 minutes. Stir pecans into the liquid filling, and pour it over the brownie base. Then, bake it until the two distinct layers have melded into one sheet of decadent pecan pie brownies.
How to Make It
Step 1
Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9- x- 13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper; set aside.
Step 2
Make Brownie Batter: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high. When butter begins to boil, remove from heat and add chocolate chips, stirring once to coat. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before whisking together until fully combined. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Add chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Sift cocoa powder and flour into wet ingredients and gently stir until fully incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
Step 3
Make Pecan Pie Topping: While brownies are baking, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, salt, and melted butter until everything is well combined and the sugar is dissolved. Stir in pecans and set aside.
Step 4
Once the brownies are baked through, pour the pecan mixture overtop the brownies and spread evenly with a spoon. Return to the oven until the Pecan Pie Topping is set, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
