"Pecan Pie Brownies" Are the Cozy Boxed Mix Hack I Make Every Thanksgiving

It may seem odd, but this year on The Kitchn, we uninvited pies from Thanksgiving. Kinda.

Listen, if you’re a pumpkin pie purist or a die-hard pecan pie fan, we’ve got you covered with amazing, rigorously tested pie recipes you can rely on. But the more we talked about Thanksgiving dessert as a team, the more we realized that lots of people think 1) pies are overrated and/or 2) pies are too hard.

4-Ingredient Dump Cake and Pecan Pie Brownies led us to this theory. They were our most popular recipes in November 2023 by far. Both recipes are ridiculously delicious and special occasion-worthy, but they’re delightfully easy to pull off and, notably, not pie.

I myself am a non-pie gal. And while I am a big dump cake supporter, I will always prioritize chocolate when it comes to dessert. These pecan pie-inspired brownies from Jessie Sheehan changed the game for me. 

Get the recipe: Pecan Pie Brownies

What Makes Pecan Pie Brownies So Good

My husband is a big fan of pecan pie and after baking my fair share of recipes, I realized I far prefer chocolate pecan pie. The Thanksgiving staple needs the subtle bitterness from the cocoa to help balance out its signature sweetness. This dessert doubles down on my chocolate logic with a fudgy chewy brownie base, which tops a buttery crust, no matter how flaky, any day. 

The topping is extremely reminiscent of pecan pie filling. But it has a hint of toasty caramel notes, thanks to some butter and cream. Jessie describes the whole situation best: “Pecan pie brownies are the dessert mash-up that you didn’t know you were missing.”

How to Make Pecan Pie Brownies

I always stress about making pie, but I never stress about these brownies. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a baker, I promise you, you’ve got this!

To start, you’ll need a “Family”-size box of brownie mix and a 9-inch square baking pan lined with parchment paper. (I wouldn’t swap in an 8-inch pan or the brownie “crust” will be too thick!) Prepare the brownie batter according to the package instructions, transfer to the baking pan, and bake at 325°F until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, which should be about 30-ish minutes.

While the brownies are in the oven, melt butter with brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Simmer it for a few minutes then take it off the heat and stir in the pecans.

Turn up the oven temperature to 350°F, spread the pecan mixture over the brownies, and bake again until the topping is bubbling all over, another 30-ish minutes. This may seem like a long time, but trust me, it’s necessary for sticky, caramelized topping perfection.

Let the brownies cool to room temperature before cutting, and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired. (I highly recommend it!)

Get the recipe: Pecan Pie Brownies

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