Dolly Parton Pecan Pie Brownies

These Dolly Parton Pecan Pie Brownies combine rich fudgy brownies with a gooey pecan pie topping for an easy fall and Thanksgiving dessert.

I’ve been having the best time working my way through Dolly Parton’s line of baking mixes, turning them into all sorts of new desserts. Some experiments have surprised me more than others, and these pecan pie brownies landed firmly in the “Oh, yes. I would make these again” category.

The idea was simple: take Dolly Parton’s Fabulously Double Fudge Brownie Mix and give it a Southern twist with a pecan pie topping. Chocolate and pecans are already a terrific combination, and I knew from my Fudgy Pecan Pie that chocolate and pecan pie filling were meant to be together. These brownies proved the point all over again.

Why Pecan Pie Brownies?

Pecan pie is one of those desserts that immediately makes me think of fall and Thanksgiving, but sometimes you want something a little different from a traditional pie. Brownies, on the other hand, are easy to make, easy to cut, and easy to serve to a crowd.

Putting the two together gives you the best of both worlds: a dark, fudgy chocolate brownie on the bottom and a sweet, buttery, gooey pecan pie layer on top.

Funny enough, when I took some of these to a friend, she said they reminded her of the Dolly Parton Mississippi Mud Cake I had brought her just a few days earlier. I could see why—the dark chocolate base and all of those pecans on top definitely give them a similar look. But there are no marshmallows in these. Instead, that top layer is pure pecan-pie goodness.

Why I Used a Smaller Pan

The Dolly Parton brownie mix is designed to make a traditional pan of brownies, but I decided to use my 7 x 11-inch baking dish instead of spreading the batter into a larger 9 x 13-inch pan.

There was a method to my madness.

I wanted the brownie layer to have enough substance to stand up to the pecan pie topping, but I didn’t want an enormous slab of brownie with just a skimpy little layer of pecan pie on top. I’ve made layered desserts like that before, where the proportions just felt wrong, and I wanted these two components to feel more balanced.

Once I saw how thick the brownie batter was in the smaller pan, I actually worried for a minute that I had gone too far in the other direction. But after tasting the finished brownies, I loved the proportions.

That said, I think a 9 x 13-inch pan would work, too, particularly with the extra pecan pie filling I used. The brownie layer would simply be thinner, giving you a slightly different brownie-to-pecan-pie ratio.

I Doubled the Pecan Pie Filling

This was the other change that made a big difference.

The recipe on the box uses a pecan pie-style topping, but when I looked at the amount of filling, I knew I wanted more of that gooey goodness. So I doubled the filling ingredients but did not double the pecans.

That gave me plenty of the sweet, buttery filling to settle around the nuts and create a real pecan-pie layer instead of simply putting a scattering of glazed pecans on top of a brownie.

And yes, I used two eggs in that doubled filling. The additional egg helps the pecan mixture set so that the topping remains gooey without being runny.

Dolly Parton Pecan Pie Brownie Ingredients

You’ll find a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s a quick look at what you’ll need.

For the Brownies

• 1 box Dolly Parton’s Fabulously Double Fudge Brownie Mix
• 1 egg
• ½ cup melted butter
• 3 tablespoons milk

For the Pecan Pie Topping

• ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups chopped pecans

Note: The pecan pie filling quantities above reflect the doubled filling I actually used. I doubled the wet/filling ingredients from the box recipe but kept the pecans at the original 1 ½ cups. Check the image below to see Dolly's original recipe.

How to Make Dolly Parton Pecan Pie Brownies

Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 7 x 11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Prepare the Dolly Parton brownie mix according to the package directions. The batter will be quite thick. Spread it evenly into the prepared baking dish.

Bake the brownie layer for about 23 minutes. You want it partially baked and sturdy enough to support the pecan topping, but it will continue baking after the topping goes on.

While the brownies are baking, prepare the pecan pie mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir until well combined.

When the brownies have finished their initial bake, remove the pan from the oven. Sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly over the brownie layer, then slowly pour the pecan pie mixture over the nuts, making sure it reaches the entire surface.

Return the pan to the 350°F oven and continue baking until the pecan pie topping looks set around the edges and mostly set through the center. A slight softness is fine—the topping will continue to firm as it cools.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting them into squares.

What to Expect from These Brownies

These are rich. There’s no getting around it, and I mean that in the best possible way.

The brownie underneath is dark, chocolatey, and fudgy, while the topping has everything I love about pecan pie: buttery caramel flavor, plenty of pecans, and that soft, gooey texture beneath the toasted nuts.

I especially loved the contrast between the two layers. The brownie is dense and fudgy, while the pecan pie topping is sweet and almost custardy. Then you get the crunch of the pecans on top.

If you love chocolate and pecans together, this is a really good one.

Variations on These Pecan Pie Brownies

There are several easy ways you could change this recipe.

Use a 9 x 13-inch pan. The brownie layer will be thinner, but after seeing and tasting mine, I think there’s enough brownie batter and pecan filling to make this work nicely in the larger pan. Watch your baking times because the thinner brownie layer will bake more quickly.

Toast the pecans first. If you want even deeper nutty flavor, lightly toast the pecans before adding them to the brownies.

Add chocolate chips. For serious chocolate lovers, sprinkle some semisweet chocolate chips over the partially baked brownie before adding the pecans.

Add a little sea salt. A small sprinkle of flaky salt over the finished brownies would be lovely against that sweet pecan filling.

Serve them warm. A slightly warm pecan pie brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? I don’t think anyone at the Thanksgiving table is going to complain.

More Dolly Parton Inspired Recipes

I’ve been baking my way through Dolly Parton’s cake mixes, brownie mixes, and other baking products, and this recipe is part of my growing collection of Dolly Parton Inspired Recipes.

Be sure to check out the full collection, where you’ll find cakes, cookies, breads, bars, and other Southern-inspired sweets made with Dolly’s baking mixes or inspired by some of the foods associated with her and Dollywood.

And if brownies are your thing, check out my Brownies and Bars collection for even more easy recipes.

If it’s the chocolate-and-pecan combination that brought you here, don’t miss my Fudgy Pecan Pie. It has that same wonderful combination of deep chocolate flavor and classic pecan pie goodness.

Final Thoughts

Of all the Dolly experiments I’ve been working on, this one was a winner for me. I loved the chocolate and pecan pie combination, and doubling that filling was absolutely the right call.

The smaller pan gave me a substantial brownie layer, while the extra filling created enough of a pecan pie layer that neither half of the dessert got lost. And those pecans across the top? That’s fall baking right there.

If you’re looking for something a little different for Thanksgiving this year—or you simply can’t decide whether you want brownies or pecan pie—I say don’t choose.

Make both at once.

Thanks for Stopping By!

If you make these delicious brownies and enjoy them please leave a comment or review. And before you go, please pin some photos to your Pinterest boards.

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