New Orleans Praline Brownies (Printable)
Chocolate brownies swirled with a rich praline topping inspired by New Orleans confections.
# What You'll Need:
→ Brownie Base
01 - 1 cup unsalted butter
02 - 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
03 - 1 ½ 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 kosher salt
→ Praline Topping
09 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter
10 - ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - ⅓ cup heavy cream
12 - 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
03 - Whisk in granulated and brown sugars until fully combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
04 - Fold in flour and salt just until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.
05 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar and stir until dissolved. Pour in cream and bring to a simmer; cook 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
06 - Remove from heat. Stir in pecans, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
07 - Drop spoonfuls of praline topping over brownie batter. Gently swirl with a knife for a marbled effect.
08 - Bake for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
09 - Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift out using parchment overhang, slice into squares, and serve.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The praline topping transforms ordinary brownies into something that feels like it came from a boutique bakery in the Garden District
- That perfect marriage of fudgy chocolate and buttery pecans makes people immediately ask for the recipe
- They travel beautifully to potlucks and somehow taste even better the next day
02 -
- The toothpick test should show moist crumbs, not come out completely clean, or youll lose the fudgy texture
- Praline sauce sets quickly once removed from heat, so have your pecans measured and ready
- These brownies continue to cook as they cool in the pan, so don't overbake
03 -
- Toasting pecans at 350°F for 8 minutes before adding them to the sauce makes a huge flavor difference
- If your praline sauce starts to look grainy, keep stirring and it will smooth back out