Bourbon Pecan Brownies Cookies And Cups

Try these browned butter chocolate chip cookies and my butterscotch pudding made with (or without) bourbon next. You might also like these fudgy Bailey’s brownies with Irish cream!

Can You Taste the Bourbon in These Brownies?

Bourbon is to these brownies what espresso or coffee is to a chocolate cake: you don’t actually taste it, but it helps to amp up the fudginess. That’s the beauty of bourbon in these pecan brownies. The flavor is there if you know it’s there, otherwise, it simply gives the chocolate a boost.

Why You’ll Love These Bourbon Pecan BrowniesIngredients You’ll NeedHow to Make Bourbon Pecan BrowniesMore Tips and VariationsHow to StoreMore Fudgy Brownie RecipesGet the Recipe

They’re so easy to make! The batter for these brownies is quick and needs only a few easy baking ingredients. Have a warm pan of brownies on the counter in under an hour. Every bite is super fudgy. A little bourbon goes a long way toward the perfect rich, chewy, and chocolatey brownies. The whiskey flavor isn’t strong at all, but it makes the chocolate flavors shine. They’re packed with nutty crunch. The chocolate and pecan combination is irresistible, but you can use any nut you like. I also couldn’t resist adding chocolate chips to the mix. Melty, gooey chocolate pockets in a fudgy brownie? Yes! You’ll want to make them all the time. These brownies are great for potlucks and holidays (nothing says “Good cheer” like a boozy brownie!). Serve them as they are, or top them with ice cream and caramel sauce for a decadent after-dinner treat.

Butter and Sugar – I use regular granulated sugar and unsalted butter, but salted butter works, too. You can just skip the added salt. Eggs – These can be at room temperature. Cocoa Powder – My favorite is Hershey’s unsweetened natural cocoa powder. You can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for even fudgier brownies. Bourbon – Choose your favorite bourbon whiskey. You can also use brandy or dark rum if you don’t have bourbon. Or, if you’d rather skip the alcohol altogether, go ahead and leave it out. Chocolate Chips – No brownie is complete without a handful or two of melty chocolate chips! You can use semi-sweet, dark, or white chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Pecans – Chopped pecans give these brownies a nice crunch and the flavor pairs well with the bourbon and chocolate. I sometimes like to toast the nuts for more flavor.

How to Make Bourbon Pecan Brownies

Ready to make some brownies? Follow the steps below. You’ll find printable instructions in the recipe card along with the full recipe details.

Heat the butter and sugar. You’ll start by dissolving sugar into melted butter on the stovetop. Once that hits 120ºF, take it off the heat. Combine. Meanwhile, whisk your eggs with cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, followed by a splash of bourbon. Stir in your warm butter mixture, followed by the flour.

Stir in the add-ins. Finally, gently fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. Bake. Pour the brownie batter into a lined 9×13” baking pan. Bake at 350ºF for 28-32 minutes. These brownies can cool completely in the pan. Afterward, lift them out and slice!

More Tips and Variations

Line the pan. Line the pan with parchment paper before you add your brownie batter. Clean-up is quick, and it also makes it much easier to lift the brownies out of the pan. Cool the brownies completely. Cutting the brownies while they’re warm can make them fall apart, or they’ll come out of the pan gooey (and not the good kind of gooey). I’ll even let these brownies rest in the pan overnight before I lift them out. This way, I know they’re 100% cool and ready for slicing. Use a sharp knife. A bench scraper also works well if you have one. For clean slices, run the blade under warm water, wipe it dry, and then slice. Wipe the knife clean again before each cut for best results. Go half and half. When it comes to cocoa powder, I like to use natural cocoa powder because I find that Dutch-processed cocoa powder makes the brownies very dark. If you love the fudginess of darker cocoa powder, but don’t want a brownie that’s almost black in color, you can use half regular cocoa and half Dutch-processed. All the flavor and the brownies stay brown!

How to Store

To store. These bourbon pecan brownies are fine to store at room temperature, just be sure to keep them airtight. They’ll be at their freshest for up to 3 days. Freeze. You can also freeze these brownies airtight for up to 2 months. Defrost them at room temperature before serving.