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Turtle Brownie on a plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
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4.78 from 9 votes

The Best Turtle Brownies

Dense, fudgy brownies topped with a rich caramel loaded with pecans makes these some of the best Turtle Brownies on the plant! Up your baking game and impress everyone with these brownies today!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Keyword: bars, brownies, fudgy brownies, turtle brownies
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 500kcal
Author: Chef Jenn

Ingredients

For the brownie layer:

  • 4 ounces semisweet chocolate roughly chopped
  • 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup butter 1 stick
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder `

For the caramel pecan topping:

  • 3/4 cup white sugar granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup light corn syrup
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans lightly toasted

For the chocolate drizzle:

  • 2 ounces semisweet chocolate

Instructions

For the brownies:

  • Preheat your oven to 350-F and line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  • Melt the semisweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, and butter in a large bowl in the microwave. Heat it in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is just melted but not too hot.
  • Transfer the chocolate-butter mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the brown sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well until combined. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
  • Meanwhile, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in another bowl.
  • Add the flour mixture to the chocolate-egg mixture and stir until well mixed.
  • Spread the batter evenly in the parchment paper lined pan and bake at 350-F for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
  • Cool the brownies in the pan while you make the caramel.

For the caramel:

  • Add the sugar, corn syrup, and water to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, without stirring, until the mixture is bubbling and turns a golden caramel color. Be patient - this can take 10-15 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and CAREFULLY add the cream and vanilla. The mixture with bubble and hiss and steam, so be careful not to get any on your skin. It is molten hot. Stir it with a silicone spoon or spatulaas soon as it is safe.
  • Stir the pecans in immediately after the bubbling dies down and pour the mixture over the cooled brownies, spreading it in an even layer.
  • Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl in the microwave and drizzle it over the top - optional.
  • Let cool completely in the pan, then use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan. Cut into squares and serve!

Notes

Chef Jenn's Tips

I've made a billion batches of these brownies, and the following tips will ensure yours turn out perfectly every time!
  • Lining the baking pan with parchment paper is an easy way to get the brownies out of the pan. You could use cooking spray instead.
  • To get very clean cuts through the caramel, partially freeze the brownies. Then cut them with a very sharp knife, wetting the blade in hot water between each cut.
  • Molten sugar - when making the caramel - is extremely hot. You don't want a sugar burn, trust me. Keep kids well away from the pan and use caution when working around it.
  • You can also melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler instead of the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1square | Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 194mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 44g | Vitamin A: 393IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg