High Altitude Butter Pecan Fudge Brownies
These dense, rich and moist Butter Pecan Fudge Brownies are studded with butterscotch chips and crunchy pecans, then topped with fluffy brown butter pecan frosting.
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Ingredients
Brownies
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- ½ cup butterscotch chips
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp milk or cream
- 2 tbsp pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter and sugar over medium heat. Once it begins to bubble, cook for two minutes.Remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla until melted and shiny; the mixture will be grainy.Let cool for 10 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until the mixture comes together into a smooth batter.
- In a bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until no dry streaks remain.Fold in the butterscotch chips and chopped pecans. The batter will be thick but spreadable.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. For a pretty finish, reserve a few butterscotch chips and chopped pecans to sprinkle on top of the batter.Bake on the center oven rack for exactly 25 minutes – don’t over-bake!The brownies will be shiny and crackled on top and slightly puffed. Cool the brownies completely before cutting, so that they cut cleanly into bars. (To speed up the cooling process, let them cool at room temperature for 1 1/2 hours, then refrigerate for 1 hour, so that they will firm up enough to cut into bars.)
- Lift the cooled brownies out of the pan by the parchment paper onto a cutting board to cut them into bars. If you like, sprinkle the top of the brownies with coarse finishing salt.
Frosting
- Place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the butter, swirling occasionally, until nutty brown solids form at the bottom of the pan. Scrape into a bowl and refrigerate until solid, then set out to soften to room temperature before using (this step can be done a day in advance).
- In a bowl, use an electric mixer (stand or hand-held) to beat the browned butter for 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and milk, and beat for several minutes until very light and fluffy. Add a little more or less milk for desired consistency, then fold in the chopped pecans.
- Frost the cooled brownies with the frosting and serve.
Notes
Leftover brownies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They can also be wrapped and frozen for 3-6 months.
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