Turtle Brownies
These Turtle Brownies are fudgy, chocolatey, and packed with toasted pecans, gooey caramel pockets, and melty chocolate chips!
Servings: 16 brownies
Calories: 449kcal
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 ¼ cups (140 g) pecans, roughly chopped, toasted, divided
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks / 170 g) unsalted butter
- 6 ounces (170 g) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (40 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional, to enhance chocolate flavor
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Caramel Pockets
- 1 cup (344 g) caramel sauce, store-bought or homemade, divided
Top Drizzle
- ¼ cup (86 g) caramel sauce, warmed (if needed) for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch metal baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Lightly spray parchment with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast 7 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool, then roughly chop. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl (or over a double boiler), melt butter and chopped chocolate together in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth and glossy.
- Whisk in granulated sugar and brown sugar until combined. (It will look grainy, and that's okay.)
- Add eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously until glossy and thick. Stir in vanilla.
- Fold in flour, cocoa powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips and 1 cup toasted pecans. The batter will be thick.
- Spread about ⅔ of the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Dollop ½ cup caramel sauce in spoonfuls over the batter. Swirl gently with a knife or skewer to create pockets; do not fully mix.
- Spread the remaining brownie batter over the caramel layer to cover.
- Dollop the remaining caramel sauce on top in generous blobs. Scatter the reserved ¼ cup chocolate chips and remaining chopped pecans over the surface.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until edges are set, top is cracked and bumpy, and center is slightly soft but not wet. A toothpick inserted in a non-caramel spot should come out with moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
- Allow brownies to cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 to 3 hours so the caramel sets.
- Drizzle cooled brownies with caramel sauce, warming it slightly if needed.
- Lift brownies from the pan using the parchment overhang, slice into squares, and serve. Best slightly warm for gooey caramel pockets!
Nutrition
Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 449kcal