Inspired by—*gasp*—Starbucks!
Do you have a go-to dessert when you’re out at the mall? I have a few! One of them, for the past 8 years or so, has been Starbucks’ Double Chocolate Pecan Bars. They’re a mainstay in Starbucks Philippines; not sure about other countries though!
They’re rich, chocolatey, and slightly gooey thanks to the smooth ganache layer sandwiched between two deliciously textured brownie bars. I love how the generously added pecans cut its overall sweetness—just enough for me to still enjoy it all in one sitting.
Admittedly laziness got the better of me so I omitted the ganache layer when I was testing these brownies. (Must avoid doing extra dishes! 😄)
True to my “maarte pero tamad” (basically, “extra but lazy”) baking style, these low-effort, high-reward brownies are my ideal treat: chewy-crunchy, salty-sweet, and indulgent with double the chocolate: both dark and milk, using brands I would also eat on their own. Did I mention there are pecans in every bite?
See the full recipe below and head to my TikTok for a quick tutorial. I also share tons of tips at the end of this post. Let me know when you try it out!
INGREDIENTS
- 90g all-purpose flour
- 5g fine salt
- 40g Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 125g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks*
- 125g unsalted butter, cubed
- 100g granulated white sugar
- 100g brown sugar
- 110g whole eggs (2 large)
- 10g vanilla extract or paste
- 100g couverture milk chocolate chips or chunks*
- 200g pecans
- Softened butter for the pan
*See tips to know which chocolate brands I used!
METHOD
- PREP. Brush two 7×7-inch pans (preferably metal) with softened butter or canola oil. Line with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- MELT. In a heat-safe bowl, place cubed unsalted butter and dark chocolate chunks. Microwave in 20-second intervals until fully melted, stirring in between. See tips.
- WHISK. In a large mixing bowl, combine hot melted chocolate mixture, granulated white sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk thoroughly until shiny and less grainy, then add eggs and vanilla extract/paste. Whisk vigorously until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- FOLD. Sift half of the all-purpose flour into the batter and mix gently with a whisk. Then, sift in the remaining flour and fold with a spatula. Before the flour is completely absorbed, add milk chocolate chips and pecans. Fold just until distributed.
- FILL. Divide the brownie batter into the lined baking pans. Spread to an even layer using an offset spatula, and tap on the table to remove any possible air pockets.
- BAKE. Bake brownies for 25-30 minutes, or until the center surface is dry but soft when lightly pressed. A few moist crumbs will appear when a toothpick is inserted in the center. See tips.
- COOL. Transfer pans to a wire rack and cool until the bottoms are no longer too hot to touch. Unmold brownies from the pan. Once cooled completely, chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before slicing into bars. Enjoy!
TIPS
When melting your chocolate…
Make sure your chocolate is already chopped into smaller chunks. It’s best to heat in 20-second intervals to avoid burning your chocolate or overheating your butter, which *might* explode in the microwave. (It happens.) You can also melt the butter and chocolate over a double boiler to have better control of the heat.
What chocolate should I use?
For any recipe, only use chocolate brands you genuinely enjoy and most importantly, don’t find too sweet. I used Beryl’s Dark Chocolate Compound for the batter, and Callebaut 823 Milk Chocolate for the mix-ins. Other brands I’d recommend are Auro, Guittard, and Ghirardelli. For the cocoa powder, I used Bensdorp!
Can I use other brownie pan sizes?
You can use other pan sizes for these brownies, as long as you adjust the baking time (and possibly lower the temperature) accordingly. Don’t worry too much about the time; just bake until the surface is dry but still soft when pressed. When a toothpick is inserted, a few moist crumbs will appear. You can refer to this guide, too:
- One 7-inch pan = thicker brownies → longer bake time
- One 8-inch pan = thicker brownies → longer bake time
- One 9×13-inch pan = thinner brownies, not recommended
- Two 8-inch pans = much thinner brownies, not recommended
Can I use other nuts?
Walnuts would be the closest substitute to pecans in terms of taste and texture. You can also reduce the pecans to 100-150g for a higher brownie batter ratio, or omit the nuts completely. It all depends on your preference. (P.S. if you’re feeling extra, toast your pecans!)
For clean slices…
After cooling to room temperature, chill the brownies in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before slicing. To cut cleanly, use a large, sharp knife and wipe after each slice.
Thank you for checking out my recipes! Let me know when you try them out. If you have any questions, comment below or reach me on TikTok / Instagram!
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4 thoughts on “Double Chocolate Pecan Brownies”
Do you have a Gamache recipe for these?
No specific recipe but you can start with 1:1 dark or milk couverture chocolate and heavy cream. Add a pinch of salt and more cream if needed. 🙂
We loved your recipe, exactly the right stickyness and nut batter ratio. So an American recipe, reinvented jn the Filippines, then made in the Netherlands. That’s thale power of Internet.
This is such a sweet comment. You made our day! Thank you for the trust 💛 so glad you enjoyed, happy to be a part of your kitchen!