I kind of think of these as the ultimate nut brownies. Nutty browned butter, pecan meal, chopped pecans – and a little dose of bourbon to give them some Southern flair. I am a big fan of nut flours (or meals) that are now so readily available. They add such dimension to simple recipes. Almond flour is a solid standby, but I love experimenting with hazelnut meal (in a fig tart or an apple loaf) and once I discovered pecan flour, I knew I would be in the kitchen experimenting. Brownies seemed like a logical first attempt. I nailed it.
These brownies are wonderfully chewy and sticky and absolutely packed with pecan flavor. They really are unlike any other brownie. I use this Fisher brand, but there are many other good one available on line, or at grocery stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts. These brownies are gluten free, which is a bonus. The end result here is wonderfully sticky, so do not skip lining the pan with parchment paper or non-stick foil and spraying it with cooking spray. You may end up peeling the paper from the bottom of the brownies, but that’s not a problem. I like to chill the cooled brownies in the fridge so they firm up slightly and cut cleanly. These are delicious served in small squares like a typical brownie, but I have to say they really shine cut into larger pieces and served with a scoop of ice cream on top.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons bourbon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup pecan flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup pecan pieces
Directions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 by 13-inch pan with nonsitck foil or parchment paper with some overhang to lift the brownies out. Spray with cooking spray. Don’t skip lining the pan, these are lovely and sticky.
- Cut the butter into small pieces and place in a small saucepan (light colored or stainless is best so you can see the butter as it browns). Heat over medium high heat, watching constantly, until the butter is melted. It will start to spit and hiss, then you will see brown speckles appear. Swirl the butter around to distribute the browned bits, and as soon as the butter has an even brown color and a nice nutty smell, pour it into a heat proof measuring jug. Leave to cool but not solidify.
- Beat the sugars and browned butter in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium high speed until fluffy, smooth and lighter in color. Beat in the bourbon and vanilla until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the pecan flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and beat on low to medium until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as well so the butter and cocoa mixture combines. Add the chips and nuts and stir to combine.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until the sides pull a away from the pan just a bit and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs clinging. Cool completely in the pan, then loosely cover and refrigerate for an hour or so to firm them up and make for clean cutting. Store the sliced brownies in the fridge.
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