New Orleans Praline Brownies (Printable)

Rich chocolate brownies with a buttery praline swirl and crunchy pecans, inspired by New Orleans flavors.

# 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 Advice:

01 -
  • The praline topping creates this incredible crunchy, caramelized layer that perfectly balances the dense fudgy chocolate underneath
  • They're secretly simple to make but taste like something from a fancy French Quarter bakery
  • The marble effect makes them look stunning on a dessert platter, guaranteed to impress at any gathering
02 -
  • The praline layer sinks slightly as it bakes, creating this gorgeous gradient of flavors from top to bottom
  • Let these cool completely before slicing—if you cut them while warm, the praline will be gooey and they'll fall apart
  • These actually taste better the next day, if you can manage to hide them that long
03 -
  • Toast your pecans in a 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes before adding them to the praline mixture—it deepens their flavor incredibly
  • Room temperature ingredients are your friend here; cold eggs or butter can seize the chocolate mixture

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