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The best ever Gooey Pecan Pie Brownies, simply delicious. Made with my crinkly brownies on the bottom, then layered with gooey cookie pie swirled with pecans on top. The bars are baked until set on the bottom and the edges. The gooey center has puddles of melted chocolate, notes of maple, brown sugar, and vanilla. They’re the perfect holiday brownie to bake, eat, share, gift, and love this holiday season. They’re going to be a smashing hit!
Happy Halloween! It’s the spookiest day of the year, but I’m skipping ahead to our busy holiday entertaining season. I’ve got a delicious brownie pie recipe to share and I just can’t wait!
I’ve been looking forward to my holiday recipes for months now. I’m so happy and excited to share all of the yummy things I have planned for this November and December. And with Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, we need to get to planning our menus and testing our recipes. You know, do a little preparation before all the holiday craziness begins.
Now these brownies have a very long history. I first shared my original pecan pie brownie in the year of 2012. In just the second month after my mom and I created this website. The brownies are fine, the recipe is written just OK, and the photos, well the photos need so much work.
I could have taken the recipe down, but I love that it’s there. It shows the progress we’ve made and the longevity of this site. I love looking back at those old, old posts.
The idea of a pecan pie brownie still excites me! So I decided to update the recipe. After much testing and batch after batch of brownies, I finally have the perfect recipe to share. We LOVE these.
In my mom’s words, “Frickin delicious! Perfect! Not kidding, that was just the highlight of my day so far. Those were amazing!”.
If you know my mom, you know she’s serious. She doesn’t eat sweets much anymore, mostly never. But she’ll give in when something is really looking and sounding good. She’s also a tough critic, my toughest in fact. She sugar-coats NOTHING. But she said she had one of these three nights in a row.
wow, now we’re both excited!
Here are the details
Step 1: bake the brownies
For this layer, I use my crinkle-top brownie recipe. I didn’t change a thing other than the measurements and omitting the coffee.
Melt together butter and chocolate chips, then mix in sugar and vanilla.
Next, whisk the eggs up in a separate bowl. This is the secret to the crinkle top. You have to use room-temperature eggs, and you have to really whisk them until you see so many bubbles on top.
Whisk the eggs until the chocolate is thick and very glossy looking. It’s going to be pretty and look yummy.
Next, mix in the flour, baking powder, and a handful of chocolate chips.
Step 2: bake the brownie
Now bake the brownie batter. I bake mine for exactly 15 minutes. But depending on your oven, you may need to bake yours for closer to 20. The tops of the baked brownies should be crinkly and no longer wiggle.
Then pull the pan out and arrange the chocolate squares over the brownie.
Step 3: make the pecan cookie pie
It’s easy and you don’t even need a mixer. What you do need is melted butter, so start with that. Just melt the butter in a medium saucepan or in the microwave, then let it cool.
Next up, whisk together brown sugar, eggs, maple syrup, and cream. Then add in that melted butter and vanilla.
Step 4: the pecans
Mix finely chopped pecans into the pecan pie filling.
For the pecans, you can use raw pecans or toast the pecans with bourbon, maple, brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. This is optional, but I did share how I do this in the notes.
It will add another layer of deliciousness to your brownie.
Step 5: bake the pie
Pour the pie filling over the pre-baked brownie. Bake until the top is just barely set.
Wait a little bit to let the brownies cool slightly, then cut and serve while still warm. Or at least that’s my personal favorite way to enjoy these brownies, but it is messier. If you prefer a clean slice, let the brownies cool completely, then slice.
And that’s kind of it! As always, my suggestion would be to test the brownies tonight in preparation for the nights of entertaining ahead of us! Enjoy!
Looking for other Thanksgiving desserts? Here are my favorites:
Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie Cupcakes with Butter Pecan Frosting
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pumpkin Pie
Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
Lastly, if you make these Gooey Pecan Pie Brownies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Brown Sugar Pecan Pie Brownies
Servings: 16 brownies
Calories Per Serving: 293 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ounces dark chocolate, broken into pieces
Pecan Cookie Pie Layer
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped (see note)
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9×9 inch square pan with parchment paper.2. In the microwave, melt together the butter and 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Stir in the sugar, and vanilla.3. In a bowl whisk the eggs until bubbly on top, 1 minute. Whisk the eggs into the chocolate mixture, whisking until the chocolate turns thick and glossy. Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and 1/4 cup chocolate chips, until just combined. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the brownies are just set (I bake mine exactly 15 minutes).4. Arrange the chocolate pieces over the brownie. 4. Meanwhile, make the pie layer. Whisk together the brown sugar and 2 eggs, and 1 egg yolk until, pale in color, about 3-4 minutes. Add the maple syrup and cream. Whisk in the melted butter and vanilla. Fold in the pecans. Gently pour the filling over the pre-baked brownie. 5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the brownies are just barely set on top. If your pecan layer is still wiggly in the center, continue baking another 20-25 minutes, until the center is melty set. The longer you bake, the more set your brownie will be. Remove from the oven and let cool. Slice into bars and enjoy the yumminess.
Notes
Pecans: You can use raw pecans or you can make the pecans below for added flavor. They are pretty delicious.
Toasted Butter Pecans: Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On the baking sheet, combine 2 cups pecans, 1 tablespoon bourbon, 1 tablespoon maple, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until toasted. Sprinkle with sea salt.
This post was originally published on October 31, 2023
If I half the recipe, do you know what size pan would be good to use?
Also, can I leave out the bourbon when roasting the pecans or do I need to substitute that?
Hi Dominique,
You can skip the bourbon:) I would use an 8 inch pan if you want to cut the recipe in half. I hope it turns out well for you! xx
the length of the baking time was very confusing. It says to bake for 30-35 minutes and then continue baking for another 20-25 mins if your pecan layer is wiggly. That is a huge range..I baked them for the minimum amount and they were very runny and suggest cooking them longer.
Also wondering if the butter in the toasted butter pecan recipe was omitted.
Hi Cindy,
Sorry you found this to be confusing. Some are having issues with their pecan layer not setting after the initial bake, so if needed it can be baked up to 20-25 minutes longer. So if yours was runny after the initial bake, then you needed to add the additional time to that. The butter is added in step 4. I hope this helps! xx
Could I use dark chocolate? My family prefers it over the semi sweet. Can’t wait to make it!
Hi Renee,
Of course, that will work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Hey Tiegan!
If I make these for Thanksgiving, can I make them in advance? Should I store in refrigerator or leave in an airtight container at room temperature? Thank you!!
Hi Nancy,
You bet! You can store in an airtight container in the fridge:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Thank you!! :))
Exceptionally yummy! I took it to a party and everyone wanted the recipe! Definitely a keeper and easy to make. Thank you!
Love to hear this, Jan!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try and sharing your comment! xT
I’m not a great baker so. I was worried after I read the reviews!! They were delicious! Two thoughts though: 1). A 9 x 9 is really hare to find. I wonder if people used an 8 x 8 which would make it a lot gooier. Maybe redo the recipe for an 8 x 8? 2). What happened to the flaky salt? I did sprinkle some on, which was a great off set to the sweetness. I did refrigerate to make it easier to cut. Yum!
Hey Julie,
I appreciate you trying this recipe and sharing your comment, so glad to hear that it was a winner! The flaky sea salt is sprinkled at the end:) I didn’t realize that 9×9 was difficult to find, if using a smaller pan the bake times would increase. I hope this helps! xT
Excited to make this for a potluck later this week! Can I make the brownie part the night before and then the pecan pie layer the next morning, or do I need to make it all in one go? I couldn’t tell if the brownie was going to be cooked all the way through in the first bake.
Hi Charlotte,
That would be just fine for you to do! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you, I hope you love it! xT
I am very new to baking, or cooking in general and planning on trying this for a dinner next weekend. Can I bake these brownies a day in advance and freeze them and if I do, how would you suggest I reheat them the day if the dinner?
P.S. Love your recipes and excited to try some of them 🙂
Hi there,
I would not freeze them, but you can certainly make these a day in advance:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
The flavor is there, but I didn’t have a very good result. I doubled the recipe, probably the first problem. I just couldn’t get the brownie to cook enough even though I kept adding cooking time. I was running out of time so the pecan pie topping ended up sinking into the middle and it just didn’t end up looking at all the way the photo shows. It came out more like a blob rather than a bar, but eaten with ice cream it still tasted really good. I will try this again!
Hi Lori,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback. Since you doubled the recipe, did you bake in 2 separate pans? Next time, I would just do the single recipe twice rather than doubling. I hope this helps! xT
Will I get into mischief it i double the recipe and bake in a larger baking dish? I know desserts can sometimes be challenging to double. Thanks for any input!
Hi Janice,
For best results, I would do 2 batches of the recipe rather than doubling:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
My family LOVED this recipe. SO GOOD. I’ve already printed it down and put it in my recipe book. Thank you for sharing!!
Hi Mattea,
Thanks for your comment and trying this recipe! I am so glad it turned out well for you! Have a great day:)
Just amazing. Omg this is so good. Thank you Tieghan for the recipe. Pecan pie filling just out of this world, and my question is I want to you use this filling recipe for pecan pie 8″ inch , should I double it?
Hi Naila,
That’s fantastic to hear! Thanks for trying this dish and your comment, love that it was enjoyed! I would think this would be plenty for a pie dish without doubling it! xT
Can I sub heavy cream for a non dairy alternative and walnuts for pecans 🫣 I want to make as is but the rest of the family is picky 🫠
Hi there,
Sure, walnuts would also work! I have not tested this without the heavy cream, I suppose you could try coconut cream but I don’t know what the results would be! Let me know if you give the recipe a try! xT
Would this freeze well if baked in advance?
Hey Christina,
Yes, you could totally freeze these! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
I’m so happy to see you active on this site!! I’m not on IG temporarily so I’m really happy you’re still engaged here. I am going to try this recipe tonight and I’m so excited! Thank you for your beautiful recipes and kindness Tieghan! ❤️ Sending hugs!
Thanks so much Jasmine!
This is a winner dessert Tieghan! Oh my gosh, I made it for my husband’s birthday dessert last night and we both loved it! It’s everything an amazing dessert should include for us! My husband also enjoyed his dinner wine (Red) with it and said it was an excellent pairing! Thank you!
Yay!! Love to hear this Patti! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and sharing your feedback! xx