How to make Bourbon Brownies with Pecans

Name: Bourbon Pecan Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 20 oz. dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate ((2 ¾ cups, chopped)); 8 tablespoons unsalted butter ((1 stick)); ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce; 6 eggs; 1 ½ cups granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract; 3 oz. bourbon; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 ½ cups pecan pieces; 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Chip Brownies with Bourbon and Pecans are a unique dessert! Dark chocolate and pecan-filled brownies are gooey, dense and wonderful for sharing. Makes 24 brownies.

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Bourbon lover? Don’t miss Bourbon Pecan Pie and Bourbon Maple Bacon Cupcakes!

Sliced Brownies with Bourbon and Pecans on a cooling rack

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Many of my recipes have a story behind them. This recipe is not one of them.

These Chocolate Chip Brownies with Pecans and Bourbon came about simply because we were asked to bring a dessert to my cousin’s house for New Year’s Eve, and I wanted to bring something different than my usual brownies.

That evening, I asked myself if I could add bourbon to brownies that already had chocolate chips and pecans. And I did… and then was told that these Bourbon Pecan Brownies were the only recipe I could bring to their home in the future.

… It still holds true years later.

Why I love this recipe:

Unsurprisingly, I love bourbon pecan desserts. (Hello, Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Hand Pies, Bourbon Pecan Pie Bars, Bourbon Pecan Tassies, Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies… I adore you.)

These brownies are the kind of dessert that you can eat one of, but no more because they’re just too much. (Which sounds ridiculous saying, but alas—some desserts are so good, you only need a little bit of ’em.)

Instead of using unsweetened cocoa powder, this brownie recipe actually calls for chocolate bars or chocolate chips, whichever you’ve got on hand. And I think this makes all the difference in the intense chocolate flavor they have.

A splash of your favorite kind of bourbon, some chopped pecans and bonus chocolate chips combine in this decadent dessert that is perfect served up with milk. The bourbon leaves a wonderful flavor in the dense brownies, the pecans add a nice crunch, and the dark chocolate chips are melted and gooey, just the way chocolate should be in any baked dessert.

If you, too, are a bourbon-infused dessert lover, these Chocolate Chip Brownies are for sure your kind of thing.

Love chocolate dessert recipes? Here are a few more ideas: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies | Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes with Baileys Frosting | Chocolate Pudding Pie with Graham Cracker Crust | Chocolate Cheesecake Dip | Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies | Homemade Brownie Skillet with Oreos

Ingredients to make chocolate chip brownies in bowls on marble

What you need to make this recipe:

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9″ x 13″ baking pan
Avocado oil spray (or another nonstick kitchen spray)
Parchment paper
A large mixing bowl
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Wire rack for cooling

Let’s talk ingredients!

In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

Here’s what you need to get from the grocery store:

Dark or bittersweet chocolate — we use a lot of this, and it adds intense chocolate flavor to this brownie recipe. I’ve always used dark chocolate, but you can use bittersweet if that’s more your jive. You may use chopped chocolate bars or chocolate chips. (I tend to use a combination, based on whatever is in my pantry.) Semi-sweet chocolate chips will work. I do not recommend swapping these with milk chocolate, as I think these brownies will become too sweet.
Unsalted butter — this adds much-needed fat to the brownies.
Unsweetened applesauce — while you could use the same amount of melted butter or oil in the place of this applesauce, I really like the texture this gives to the brownies. It’s not enough to make them cakey, but it keeps the brownies moist as they bake.
Eggs — I grab large eggs at my grocery store!
Granulated sugar — also known as white sugar, this is our sweetener, along with some of the sweetness in the chocolate chips.
Bourbon — use what you’ve got on hand, so long as it’s not the fancy stuff. You want to use a drinkable bourbon because you’re going to taste the bourbon in these brownies. You could also substitute your favorite whiskey or even a spiced rum to give these brownies a different flavor. The alcohol will bake out of the brownies, but leave the flavor behind.
Kosher salt — medium-grain kosher salt is my go-to for all baking recipes. You can use a similarly sized sea salt.
All-purpose flour — also known as AP flour, you don’t need a lot of this… but you do need some. I have not tried swapping it with a gluten-free flour blend and do not recommend trying that.
Chopped pecans — I always grab pecan pieces from the store, but you can certainly chop your own if you have whole pecans on hand. You may also swap it with your favorite nuts. We’ve tried this with walnuts, and it’s great!
Bittersweet or dark chocolate chips — use your favorite! I like the flavor of these better than semisweet or milk chocolate.

Yes, I know this recipe makes for a HUGE batch of brownies, and yes, it calls for a TON of ingredients. That’s why we bring these brownies to parties and serve them at parties… because they’re great for sharing. I’ll explain how you can downsize this recipe below.

Collage showing how to melt chocolate and mix eggs for brownies

How to make brownies from scratch

Prepare to bake. Preheat oven and move a rack to the middle of the oven. Spray a 9″x13″ baking pan with nonstick baking spray, then line with parchment paper in a sling. This will help the brownies lift easily out of the pan when they’re cooled.

Melt the chocolate. In a glass bowl, melt the 20 oz. of chocolate with the butter and applesauce in the microwave. Heat them in 20-30 second intervals, stirring after each until everything is melted, smooth and combined. When melted, let cool as you mix the rest of the ingredients.

Make the brownie batter. In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Next, measure in vanilla extract, bourbon and salt together until well combined. Add the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture, and beat gently by hand or on a low setting on a mixer until evenly incorporated.

Finally, add the dry ingredients. This includes the flour, pecans and the additional chocolate chips. Gently fold those into the wet ingredients until everything is just combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake the Chocolate Chip Brownies with Bourbon and Pecans on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes minutes or until cooked through. (If you’re a fan of gooey brownies, check this around the 20 minute point.)

Let the brownies cool completely before cutting into squares and enjoying with a glass of your favorite beverage!

Collage showing how to put brownie batter together with bourbon, pecans and chocolate chips

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

This brownie recipe is one that comes in handy when you’re entertaining because it makes a huge pan of brownies… and who doesn’t love brownies when they’re at a party?

These are a particular favorite at our Kentucky Derby party, but I’ve found they also are a favorite at any party we host or bring them to…

Here are some tips and tricks for making them to share:

Make a hot chocolate bar for guests to serve themselves and garnish their mugs. (You could also create a hot chocolate board if you’d prefer this or have a smaller space!)
Double or triple the recipe… and keep it warm in the slow cooker so that everyone can have a mug.
Ask guests to bring their own mugs! This is a great way to cut down on dishes. Make sure to clear the sink before the party so they can rinse them out before heading home.
For bigger parties, you might want to make extra hot chocolate and keep it cooking in slow cookers in another room. When one runs out, then you have a backup. (Ask to borrow a friend’s slow cooker — no need to buy a new one just for the occasion!)

Collage showing brownies before and after baking

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a fudgy brownie?

A fudgy brownie has more fat in the recipe. In this recipe, we’re using a combination of unsalted butter and applesauce to serve as our fat, and the result is a brownie that is wonderfully dense and fudgy.

Why do chocolate chips melt in brownies?

As the brownies bake, the mixture heats up and causes the chocolate chips to melt.

How do you make brownies easy from scratch?

You follow this recipe! Simply mix together the ingredients and bake until ooey, gooey perfection.

Can I use chocolate melts instead of chocolate chips?

I don’t recommend using chocolate melts in place of chocolate chips in this recipe.

Quick tips and tricks to the best homemade brownies

Bake them in advance. While gooey, warm brownies are excellent to enjoy at any time, if you’re sharing these, make them in advance and reheat individual brownies in the microwave in 15-second bursts.
Make them your own. This recipe can be something where you choose your own adventure. Swap the dark chocolate bars for bittersweet bars. Use milk chocolate chips instead (or white chocolate chips to add different color!) Swap out the pecans for another nut of your choosing, or simply leave them out if it’s not your thing.
Half the recipe. Instead of making a huge pan of these for your family (or friends), make a smaller batch by doing the math. The bake time will be a little shorter (think: 20 minutes instead of 30), so keep an eye on them.

More unique brownie recipes:

Want to make these bourbon brownies with pecans? Scroll on down for the recipe…

Bourbon Pecan Brownies

Servings: brownies

Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate

4.70 from 10 votes

Hosting folks for a party this weekend? Bourbon Pecan Brownies are a unique dessert! Dense, chocolate and pecan-filled brownies sing with bourbon flavor and are perfect for a crowd.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

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