Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies
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.

Overview
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Technique Used: One Bowl Method
- Components Used: Homemade Caramel Sauce, Toasted Pecans
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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
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.
MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!
If you loved these caramel brownies, you might like to try these other brownie recipes!
- Mint Chocolate Brownies
- Easy Brownie Recipe (6 simple ingredients!)
- Brookies (brownie + chocolate chip cookie!)
- S’mores Brownie Pie
Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Position an oven rack in the center position. Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C.
- Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment paper or grease with non-stick spray.
Make the Brownies:
- Melt the butter (113 grams/ ½ cup) in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. The butter needs to be very hot!
- 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.
- Add the vanilla extract (2 teaspoons) and the eggs, whisking vigorously for about 30 seconds.
- 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.
- Fold in the toasted, chopped pecans and chopped chocolate, saving about a little bit of each to sprinkle on top before baking.
- Transfer the mixture into your prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the reserved chocolate and pecans.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the salt (¼ teaspoon) and continue cooking and stirring the mixture until it thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let it slightly cool until ready to use.
Assemble:
- 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.
- Allow the brownies to set for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
- Store leftover brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
67 Comments on “Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies”
Oh boy these brownies look so gooey and dense and wonderfulll!!
Oh hell yes. These look incredible and I love how they use healthy ingredients. Will definitely make these, and I’m reminding myself by pinning them here: http://pinterest.com/vegangela/vegan-mofo-2012/. Happy Vegan MoFo!
Thanks Angela! They have been going crazy all over pinterest!
You had me at salted caramel!
If I wasn’t just in the kitchen for five straight hours (MoFoing it up!) I would totally make these right now. I’m taking a little break until I have to check the contents of my oven in, oh, three minutes!
I may just have to (at least!) make that caramel sauce.
Adding another great blog to my roll 🙂 I love MoFo!
XOXO!
Dawn
Vegan Fazool Blog
MoFo Theme: Homesteading it in October!
Can I substitute some of the maple syrup with molasses or something else? 1 1/4 cup’s worth is pretty expensive.
Thanks.
Hi Jessie,
You can substitute it for molasses. I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m sure the consistency would be great. The molasses may change the “caramely” flavor that the maple syrup gives. I would maybe do 1/2 and 1/2.
The other option is to cut the caramel recipe in half. That will give you just enough to make the brownies.
Yum! These will definitely be a hit a the Bennett Camp!
These look just heavenly! I have been dying for some vegan (and GF caramel). I plan to make these lovelies sometime soon!
Baker Bettie strikes again- these look incredible and so fudgey!
Thanks Heather! They are. And dangerous. I have to hide them from myself.
I made these tonight–INCREDIBLE! Thank you so much!
I am so glad you made them and loved them Allison! These are one of my favorite creations!
These were very moist and yummy! Didn’t taste any cinnamon and very very coconutty.
Hi Linda, glad you thought they were tasty! Thanks for trying out the recipe. You know, I should have mentioned, and now I will edit the recipe, that the cheaper coconut oil (the more refined stuff) is better for baking because it doesn’t have the coconut flavor. If you don’t mind the coconut flavor, then the Virgin stuff is fine. I’m guessing that the coconut flavor overtook the cinnamon, because mine have always had a strong cinnamon taste. If you do try them again and don’t want the coconut flavor, use a cheaper non-virgin oil. You could also increase the cinnamon by 1/2 tsp if you want an even stronger cinnamon flavor!
I made the caramel, it was absolutely awesome! I was so pumped, I thought how could I mess up the brownies now? Well, somehow I managed to do the impossible. My brownies came out of the oven with a thick layer of liquid on top. I’m not sure if it’s from the coconut oil, or if it was because I used the end of my almond butter, but… yeah. So they were dense, oily, and underbaked in the middle. Silver lining, I now have extra caramel from not putting any on top of finished brownies. I’ve eaten it on everything and with every meal for 24 hours. YUM
Well, I am so glad that the caramel worked out for you! I’m so sorry about the failure with the brownies. Just to help me figure out what might have gone wrong, did you change anything about the recipe? Did you make the gluten free version or the regular version? I am going to make these again this week to double check measurements, but I have received feedback that they turned out for some other people. I don’t like it when my recipes don’t work out.
Anyway, hope you are having a good weekend and glad you have been enjoying that caramel!
I made everything exactly to recipe, except I used honey instead of molasses (I’m dairy and egg intolerant, so I cook vegan-ish). I made the regular version, I didn’t have the ingredients for gluten-free. I ended up soaking the oil off the top, sprinkling some cocoa powder on top, and sticking it back in the oven… that seemed to help some (and it’s not like I’m not eating it anyway 🙂 ). I’m not worried, I’m totally going to give the another try. Could it have been because I used 3/4 cup melted coconut oil instead of using it in it’s solid foim?
Hmmm, well the recipe doesn’t use honey or molasses, it uses maple syrup, but I don’t think either of those things would make it oily. As far as using the melted coconut oil, I guess it could be that. When I make it, I do use it in it’s solid form but I’m just wondering if you melted it before you measured it? I feel like 3/4 cup of melted coconut oil might be more than 3/4 cup solid coconut oil.
The melted oil is most likely the problem. When you’re cooking with solid fats, you’re relying on the fat’s melting point to keep things volumized and well incorporated. When you use liquid fat in a recipe which requires a solid, it usually ends up really flat and oily.
This is a really good point Rachel! I edited the recipe to specify using solid coconut oil which is what I always do for this recipe but people are so in the habit of melting coconut oil. Thanks for your input!
Pingback: Brownies með saltaðri kanil karamellu… | …í dagsins önn
Wow! These look so incredible! Can’t wait to try these 🙂
Hi Kristin,
I had these brownies on my mind since I saw them on Facebook. They look amazing!
Thanks for sharing the recipe, just linked to it in my 100 chocolate recipes round-up
Making these right now!
Are you bringing dessert tomorrow for dinner?
Caaaaan I have some? 😀
I just made this, and my blender broke!!!! My arm is ridiculously tired, it definitely could have been better but the sauce turned out ok, can’t wait to try this again with a working blender.
Pingback: Wintery Fun in Kananaskis | Momma On The Move
Yummy!
On dirait des pâtes… ;-p
Mais ouais, cest pas la bonne image ! Je veux le gateau moi <3
Ah bah non, ça devait être un brownie au caramel normalement…
https://bakerbettie.com/2012/10/06/cinnamon-salted-caramel-brownies-gluten-free-vegan/?fb_comment_id=fbc_332660346829159_55753040_421976354564224
Ça c'est la recette sur laquelle ai salivé
Ah ben ça devait être bon ensuite, tiens !!!
!
Pingback: Yummy Easy Vegan Treats (with chocolate!) | Momma On The Move
Pingback: 42 Uses for Coconut Oil | The Wellness Blog
Oooooo
oh my these look amazing! I will be making these very soon.
Pingback: Best Vegan Recipes:- Baker Bettie
This looks amazing 🙂 OMG. So good. And it sounds too easy not to try it 🙂
Just made the Salted Caramel Sauce…it is the best caramel sauce I've ever had! I'm going to use it on waffles, pancakes, cinnamon buns…out of the jar…wow, this stuff is addictive!
This recipe looked amazing so I couldn’t pass up the chance to try it. Salted caramel Paleo brownies??? Count me in! The caramel sauce is surprisingly delicious! I wasn’t sure I was getting the texture right at first but it turned out great. I followed the directions exactly. I may have overlooked the brownie batter a tad, but not enough to come even close to ruining them. The only downside to this recipe is that it may be hard to sell to traditional brownie lovers, or those who haven’t eliminated processed wheat or sugar from their diet. I could see some people not liking them for this reason. For my husband and me, however, this is a great substitute. Are these your run of the mill, ooey gooey boxed brownies? No. But I will take these little bites of yummy and enjoy every bit over the processed refined stuff at the store. Overall, a really good recipe! This will be my go-to Paleo food fpr when i am craving something sweet. I am sending a batch for my husband to bring to work (a lot of his coworkers are Paleo). Thanks for a beautiful and unique dessert !!!
Hi Bettie! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! You deserve a lot of love and admiration for your dedication to making wonderful vegan treats. I appreciate you very much. Your salted caramel sauce is heavenly and I’m sure the brownies are too. I wanted to follow your brownie recipe exact but forgot to buy almond flour. I was a little worried about how they’d turn out but went ahead and used unsifted whole wheat flour (couldn’t find my sifter either!) The dough was very crumbly and dry. I used my hands to combine it and the oil came through but it was still quite crumbly. It did stick together when I pressed it in the pan so I hoped they might be ok, but they turned out very dry. I’m also at a high altitude. I could be wrong but I’m guessing they turned out dry because 1. The whole wheat flour is heavier to begin with so I should have used almond flour, 2. The sifting process aerates the flour and lightens it so you’re using less, and 3. I should have decreased the baking time due to a higher altitude. Do you think the flour was the main issue or not following altitude adjustments? Or both? If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them so I’m on the right track for next time around. Again, thank you so much sharing your knowledge and expertise in vegan baking. <3
Whole wheat flour is much heavier and coarse because the bran and the germ haven’t been removed, like in white flour. I’m guessing it is a combination of the high altitude and the whole wheat flour. Do you only have whole wheat flour or do you also have white flour? I would try it again with a combination of the two. 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white, or if you can try it with almond flour. You might also try using slightly more of the caramel sauce. At higher altitudes you typically do need some extra moisture. It is so hard to know the exact reason especially if I am not there playing with the batter, but I hope this helps point you in the right direction!
Thank you for the suggestions, Betty, and for taking the time to read & reply to my post. Sorry for the delayed response. I finally bought some almond flour & I found my sifter! Yay! I will let you know how the second round turns out ~
Pingback: 2013-10-25 Fabulous Friday Finds | surviving the food allergy apocalypse
Pingback: 42 Healing Uses for Coconut Oil | Real Food Heals
The caramel sauce is awesome but the brownies came out super oily and have a strange texture. I didnt sift my almond flour but I did everything else exactly as told. Ive never cooked with almond flour before. Does it always leave a gritty texture? I didnt see an option for a non-GF version but I saw you mention it to someone else in the comments.Did I maybe not cook them long enough or did I do something else wrong?theyre still decent since I loaded them up with caramel sauce but ai was hoping my brownies would look like the ones in your picture! Mine look like they have tiny white beads in them…either coconut oil or almond flour??
Hi! How do I store these?? Thanks!
Pingback: elisetheviking: Here’s a list of my favorite recipes!… « We Live Social
I JUST FOUND YOUR SITE TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS BROWNIE RECIPE. MY DAUGHTER IS ALLERGIC TO EGGS AND DAIRY. IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR HER TO FIND TASTY FOOD SHE CAN EAT.
Pingback: Your Wise Self (and Salted Caramel Brownie) | BeReal Yoga
Pingback: Best recipes for Healthy Halloween treats: 12 easy alternative snacks - Swide
Pingback: » 11 Mouth Watering Vegan Brownies
Pingback: Maria's Mixing Bowl | Cinnamon Salted Caramel Brownies
Pingback: Yummy Easy Vegan Treats (with chocolate!) | Momma On The MoveMomma On The Move
Pingback: Vegan salted caramel brownies – Site Title
I’m going to make these brownies today. I was wondering can I make a stuffed caramel brownie? I would put the caramel on a brownie batter then top the caramel with another brownie batter and cook it?
Thank you,
Hi Sara,
I have not tried it with these, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. Let me know how it goes if you do try it!
Just made these! And my family and I LOVE them!!! Absolutely delicious!
That is so great to hear Kristina! Thank you for sharing!
Do you think coconut flour would work instead of almond flour? I can’t find reasonably priced almond anywhere. Or perhaps a different gluten free flour? Thank you!
I am confused. How do I find the ingredients for the caramel? I really want to make these, but when I click on the salted caramel recipe link it says not found.
Hi, the recipe for the salted caramel can be found within this recipe: https://bakerbettie.com/salted-caramel-skillet-cookie/#mv-creation-60-jtr
You’ll do steps #1-2 in the instructions. My apologies, I no longer have the caramel as a stand alone recipe.