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Salted caramel pecan brownies are the ultimate in decadence. My classic fudgy brownies are taken up a notch with homemade salted caramel sauce and toasted pecans.

stack of brownies with caramel sauce drizzled on top

Overview

This is my favorite variation on homemade brownies! Salted caramel pecan brownies, also known as turtle brownies, are fudgy, decadent, and the ultimate sweet treat.

I took my classic brownie recipe from my cookbook, Better Baking Book, and took it up a notch by adding gooey salted caramel sauce and crunchy toasted pecans.

pecan brownies stacked up with caramel sauce in the background

What I love about these brownies

  • The texture! These brownies are fudgy, nutty, and slightly chewy. If you prefer a brownie that’s fluffy and cake-like, these aren’t for you.
  • Richness! Chocolate is already rich but when you add creamy caramel, you get an extreme decadence. The salty caramel and pecans balance out the sweetness.
  • Ease! This one-bowl method makes the process of making brownies incredibly quick and easy. To make it even easier use a store-bought caramel sauce.

How to make caramel brownies

This recipe starts by making classic brownies with the addition of pecans. Classic brownie recipes utilize the one-bowl method meaning you only need one bowl and a whisk. It’s that simple!

The second part of the recipe involves making the caramel sauce. If you’ve never made homemade caramel sauce, it can take a bit of practice but once you get the hang of it you’ll never go back to store-bought.

To make this recipe even easier, use a good-quality jarred store-bought caramel sauce.

Make the brownie batter

mixing wet ingredients for brownies
adding dry ingredients to make brownies
adding chopped chocolate and nuts to brownie batter

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cocoa powder. Pour the hot melted butter into the bowl and whisk to combine.

Baking Science Note: The hot butter used in this recipe will “bloom” the cocoa powder, bringing out its natural oils which gives a more intense chocolate flavor.

Add the vanilla extract and eggs and whisk for 30 seconds.

Add the salt, flour, and baking soda to the bowl. Switch to using a large spoon or spatula and mix together for another 30 seconds. This step will help develop the gluten which will make the brownie slightly chewy instead of cakey.

Fold in the chopped chocolate and the toasted, chopped pecans. Reserve a small amount of each to sprinkle on top before baking.

Spread the brownie batter into a parchement lined square baking pan. Use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining chocalate and pecans over the top.

Bake the brownies

spreading brownie batter in a pan
brownies after being baked

Bake as directed for 28-33 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies won’t look fully done when they come out of the oven. They will continue to set as they cool.

Make the caramel sauce

While baking the brownies or make in advance at another time, make the caramel sauce.

If you’ve ever made caramel before, you will recognize this as the “wet method”. The wet method combines sugar and water in a saucepan. The benefit of the wet method is that it slows down the caramelization process and makes it less likely to burn the sugar.

sugar melting into boiling water
sugar starting to caramelize

Turn the heat on to medium and watch carefully as the sugar starts to dissolve in the water. As the mixture boils, the sugar will start caramelizing. Stay close by because the caramelization process moves very quickly. If the sugar is caramelizing unevenly, gently swirl the pan to even out the color. This process takes my stovetop about 10 minutes.

caramel sauce in a pan

Once the sugar smells nutty and is golden brown, carefully add the heavy cream into the pan and stir vigorously with a silicone spatula. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit. 

Add the salt and continue cooking and stirring the mixture for 3-5 minutes until it thickens. Move the saucepan off the heat and let it cool down until the brownies are done baking.

Assemble

closeup of stack of brownies with caramel sauce drizzled on top

After the brownies come out of the oven, drizzle the warm caramel sauce over the brownies. The brownies can still be warm or they can be cooled.

If desired, sprinkle additional kosher or sea salt over the top of the caramel brownies. Allow the caramel to cool and set for at least 15 minutes before slicing. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Slice the brownies into 9 large pieces or 16 small pieces.

As an alternative, you can simply drizzle the warm caramel sauce onto each individual brownie slice instead of the whole pan.

How to store brownies

Store leftover caramel brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

To freeze the brownies, omit the caramel sauce and freeze in a single layer for several hours. Once frozen solid, place in a large zipper bag. Let thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator overnight. Drizzle the brownies with the caramel sauce after thawing.

FAQ

Why are they called turtle brownies?

This recipe for salted caramel pecan brownies can also be referred to as turtle brownies. Turtle brownies have the same 3 components as the old-school recipe for turtle candies. They both include caramel, chocolate, and pecans.

Can I make the caramel sauce ahead of time?

Yes! Caramel sauce can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Warm it up in the microwave or stovetop for a few seconds until it becomes pourable. Pour over the brownies as directed.

Leftover caramel sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!

If you loved these caramel brownies, you might like to try these other brownie recipes!

stack of brownies with caramel sauce drizzled on top
Yield: 9 large or 16 small brownies

Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies

Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 33 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes

Salted caramel pecan brownies are the ultimate in decadence. My classic fudgy brownies are taken up a notch with salted caramel and toasted pecans. Make a homemde caramel sauce or use store-bought.

Ingredients

For the pecan brownies

  • 113 grams (½ cup, 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and hot
  • 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
  • 150 grams (¾ cup) brown sugar (preferably dark brown sugar)
  • 53 grams (⅔ cup) natural cocoa powder
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
  • 85 grams (½ cup + 3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
  • 55 grams (2 ounces) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 50 grams (½ cup) pecans, chopped and toasted

For the salted caramel sauce *or use store-bought

  • 100 grams (½ cup) granulated sugar
  • 60 grams (¼ cup, 60 milliliters) water
  • 117 grams (½ cup, 120 milliliters) heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Prep: 

  1. At least 30 minutes before baking, take the eggs (2 large) out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature. Measure out the rest of the ingredients.
  2. Finely chop the chocolate (55 grams/ 2 ounces) with a serrated knife. Coarsely chop the pecans (50 grams/ ½ cup) and toast them either on the stovetop or in the oven.
  3. Position an oven rack in the center position. Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C. 
  4. Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment paper or grease with non-stick spray. 

Make the Brownies: 

  1. Melt the butter (113 grams/ ½ cup) in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. The butter needs to be very hot! 
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar (100 grams/ ½ cup), brown sugar (150 grams/ ¾ cup), and cocoa powder (53 grams/ ⅔ cup). Add the hot melted butter and whisk to combine. 
  3. Add the vanilla extract (2 teaspoons) and the eggs, whisking vigorously for about 30 seconds. 
  4. Add the salt (½ teaspoon), baking soda (⅛ teaspoon), and flour (85 grams/ ½ cup + 3 tablespoons) the bowl and stir with a mixing spoon or silicone spatula for about 30 seconds to help develop the gluten/chewiness. 
  5. Fold in the toasted, chopped pecans and chopped chocolate, saving about a little bit of each to sprinkle on top before baking. 
  6. Transfer the mixture into your prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the reserved chocolate and pecans.
  7. Bake for 28-33 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies will continue to set as they cool.

Make the caramel sauce:

While the brownies are baking, make the caramel sauce. Skip this step if using store-bought sauce.

  1. In a saucepan at least 2 quarts in size, add the granulated sugar (100 grams/ ½ cup) and pour the water (60 grams/ ¼ cup) over the sugar being careful not to splash sugar granules up the side of the pan. 
  2. Turn the heat on to medium. The sugar will start to dissolve in the water and will come to a boil. As the mixture boils, the sugar will start caramelizing. Stay close by because the caramelization process moves very quickly. Do not stir during this process or you risk re-crystallizing the sugar resulting in a gritty texture. If the sugar is caramelizing unevenly, gently swirl the pan to even out the color.
  3. Once the sugar smells nutty and is golden brown, carefully pour all of the heavy cream (117 grams/ ½ cup) into the pan and stir vigorously with a silicone spatula. The mixture will bubble up quite a bit. 
  4. Add the salt (¼ teaspoon) and continue cooking and stirring the mixture until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
  5. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it slightly cool until ready to use.

Assemble:

  1. After the brownies come out of the oven, drizzle the warm caramel sauce over the brownies. If desired, sprinkle additional kosher or sea salt over the top.
  2. Allow the brownies to set for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
  3. Store leftover brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for 4-5 days.

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© Baker Bettie
Category: Bars & Brownies