New Orleans Praline Brownies (Print Page)
Fudgy chocolate brownies topped with rich pecan praline frosting for a decadent Southern treat.
# What You Need:
→ For the Brownies
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter
02 - 8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
03 - 1½ cups granulated sugar
04 - ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
05 - 4 large eggs
06 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
07 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
08 - ½ tsp fine sea salt
→ For the Praline Topping
09 - ½ cup unsalted butter
10 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - ⅓ cup heavy cream
12 - 2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
13 - 1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
15 - ¼ tsp fine sea salt
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - Whisk in granulated and brown sugars until fully combined.
04 - Add eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
05 - Sift in flour and salt. Fold gently until just incorporated—do not overmix.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25–28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in the pan.
07 - For the praline topping: In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add brown sugar and cream, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a gentle boil. Boil for 1 minute.
08 - Remove from heat. Stir in pecans, then gradually whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and thick.
09 - Immediately spread the praline topping evenly over cooled brownies. Let set for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The brownie layer stays impossibly fudgy while the praline adds this crackly, caramelized pecan crunch that makes people stop midconversation
- Everything happens in one pan with minimal equipment, and the frosting sets into something that looks like you bought it from a fancy bakery
02 -
- The brownies must cool completely before adding the praline topping or the frosting will melt into a weird, glossy puddle instead of setting properly
- Work quickly once the praline mixture is ready because it thickens fast in the pan and becomes impossible to spread
03 -
- Toasting the pecans in a dry pan for five minutes before adding them brings out this nutty depth that makes the praline layer taste twice as good
- A clean, slightly wet knife dipped in hot water between cuts gives you those perfectly smooth, professionallooking edges