Nutty Homemade Brownies

two Nutty Homemade Brownies stacked and ready to eat

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4.91 from 11 votes

Delicious, classic chocolate fudge brownies complete with a generous dose of toasted pecans and walnuts.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Brownies, homemade brownies

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 423

Author Erren Hart

Ingredients

For The Toasted Nuts

½ cup walnuts halves
½ cup pecan halves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon sea salt

For The Brownies

2½ cups butter (20oz or 5 sticks) cut into pieces
8 ounces dark chocolate chopped - I use 54% Cocoa solids
1 cup granulated sugar
2½ cups light brown sugar packed
6 large eggs room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour* sifted
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF/180ºC and grease 13×9 inch baking pan

For The Toasted Nuts

Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the pecans have a nutty aroma (the salt will not dissolve, but adds a nice crunch).
Remove the pan from the heat and cool while you prepare the brownies.

For The Brownies

Melt the butter and chocolate in a large saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Whisk in the sugar and brown sugar right into the pot and mix well until no visual sign of melted butter is left. The mixture should be thoroughly combined.
Whisk in the eggs & egg yolks one at a time, then the vanilla & salt. Mix well until completely incorporated.
With a wooden spoon, stir in the sifted flour and cocoa powder just until it is incorporated. It's important not to over-mix the batter at this point. Fold in the toasted nut mixture.
Spread into the pan. Place the pan in the oven and set your timer for 30 minutes.
When the timer goes off, open the oven, pull the shelf out, and gently shake the pan. If the brownie wobbles in the middle, it’s not entirely done, so slide it back in and bake for another 5 minutes until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the pan.
Remove from the oven and cool the brownies for at least an hour before removing them from the pan and slicing them.

Notes

*If you live in the US or Canada, Use good quality unbleached flour (with 4 to 5g of protein) for the best result. Lower-quality flour may not have the stability to set well.

For Perfectly Toasted Nuts

Nuts can burn easily, so watch them carefully.
You'll know the nuts are done when you start to smell their nutty fragrance, and they’ll look more golden in color.

For Perfect Brownies

Melt the butter and chocolate over LOW heat. Overheating chocolate can cause it to seize up, which will ruin your brownies.
Allow the butter and chocolate to cool until the pot is cool enough to touch before moving on to the next step.
Follow the instructions on mixing. Under and over-mixing at different stages can cause greasy or cake-like brownies. Follow the instructions, and you'll have perfect brownies every time!
Using good quality ingredients. in a recipe is vital if you want great results, and it makes a huge difference in flavor.
Always sift your cocoa powder, as it's notoriously lumpy. If you add it straight to the batter, breaking up the clumps is nearly impossible.
Use eggs at room temperature. Eggs combine better into the batter when at room temperature. They also mix more evenly. Your brownies will have a lighter texture and cook more evenly.
Mix your brownies by hand. Always mix by hand to achieve fudgy brownies. Use a whisk until you add the cocoa powder and flour, and then switch to a wooden spoon.
Don’t over-mix. When mixing in the flour, only mix until combined. A few lumps are fine. Over-mixing creates a cake-like brownie.

Nutrition