No jabronis here…rich, fudgy brownies combine two great Southern traditions, candied pecans & whiskey, into one amazing treat. You’ll love Candied Pecan Whiskey Brownies!Adapted from Scotch & Scones, The Noshery, and Mama Gourmand
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword 20th Century Baking, Boozy Food, Bourbon, Brownies, Candied Pecans, Chocolate, Cookies & Bars, Pecans, Whiskey
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Cooling Time 1 hourhour
Total Time 1 hourhour55 minutesminutes
Servings 16squares
Calories 165kcal
Equipment
half sheet baking pan
Silpat silicone mat
parchment paper
8- × 8-inch baking pan
baking spray
sifter
Ingredients
For the candied pecans
¼cupdark brown sugar(1¾ oz, 54g)
1Tbsphoney(¼ oz, 21g)
1Tbspwater
¼tspground cinnamon
?tspkosher salt
?tspground allspice
pinchground nutmeg
1cuppecans(4¼ oz, 120g)
For the brownies
½cupall-purpose flour(2 oz, 60g)
3Tbspcocoa powdersee Recipe Notes (1/2 oz, 16g)
½tspbaking powder
½tspkosher salt
2/3cupchocolatechopped, see Recipe Notes (4 oz, 113g)
½cupunsalted buttercubed (4 oz, 114g)
1cupdark brown sugar(7½ oz, 213g)
2large eggsat room temperature
3Tbspwhiskeysee Recipe Notes
1tspvanilla extract
Instructions
Make the candied pecans: Combine all the candied pecan ingredients (except the pecans) in a skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbling vigorously, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the pecans to the skillet and stir to coat the pecans in the glaze. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously, until all the syrup is almost gone.
Remove the pan from the heat, and spread the pecans out in a single layer onto a half sheet baking pan lined with a Silpat silicone mat or parchment paper. Let the pecans cool completely. If the pecans are still sticky after they cool, place the pan in the oven at 325°F for 5 to 15 minutes, then let them cool again.
Make the brownies: While the pecans are cooling, prepare the brownies.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8- x 8-inch baking pan with baking spray, then line with parchment paper, letting it overhang on two sides.?Using a sifter, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a small bowl.
Break apart the cooled pecans. Set aside 16 nice looking whole ones, then coarsely chop the rest. They might be a little hard, so be careful as you chop them.
Combine the chocolate and the butter in a heavy saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the dark brown sugar (breaking up any lumps), then add the eggs one at a time. Whisk in the bourbon and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture just until combined (do not overmix). Finally, stir in the chopped pecans.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 29 to 31 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and place a reserved pecan evenly over the top of the brownies, pressing in slightly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
Just before cutting, chill the brownies in the freezer for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment to remove the brownies from its pan and place on a cutting board; cut into 2- x 2-inch squares with a sharp knife.
I used semisweet chocolate and standard cocoa powder for these brownies. If you prefer, you can use 72% dark chocolate and dark chocolate cocoa powder (like for these brownies).The subtle flavor from the whiskey or bourbon you choose will peek out under the chocolate, especially peated whiskey. You can experiment with different versions of your favorite bourbons. Try using different expressions of scotch, or a liqueur like Kahlua, an Irish cream whiskey, or your favorite spirit. Have fun!You can adjust the amount of whiskey to suit your taste. If you want an alcohol-free version, you can substitute in strong coffee or espresso (which will give the brownies a subtle mocha flavor), or just leave it out altogether and increase the vanilla to 2 tsp.When making the candied pecans, don’t use wax paper to spread them out to cool because the wax paper will stick to them.For the brownies, you can melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts. Stir after each interval until the chocolate is melted.Did you make this recipe? Please share your pictures with the world on your social media…tag @outlandercast (on Instagram and Twitter) and use the hashtag #howtheymadeitoutlander. I can’t wait to see your creations!