Our Most-Saved Thanksgiving Dessert Is a Chef John Recipe You’d Never Expect

Thanksgiving desserts usually take one form: pie. From apple to pecan, the options are endless and all delicious.

For the traditionalists among us, pie is a necessary part of Thanksgiving. But there are other desserts you can serve for dessert on Thanksgiving Day. 

We have no shortage of seasonal cakes, cookies, bread pudding, and candies to fill your belly up with if pie isn’t your thing. If you’re looking for a dessert recipe that is different from any other (but still resembles a pie in proper Thanksgiving fashion), try our most-saved Thanksgiving dessert. But don’t take my word for it—take it from Chef John.

Our Most-Saved Thanksgiving Dessert

“I can’t ever remember being more surprised at how a recipe turned out, which is why I really do hope you give these a try soon,” says Chef John about his pecan pie brownies, our most-saved Thanksgiving dessert of all time.

Chef John has no shortage of Thanksgiving recipes. Whether you’re looking for a show-stopping side or a perfect turkey, he’s done it all. But his pecan pie brownies stand out, both for their uniqueness and flavor. The crispy edges of the brownie paired with a pecan pie topping creates a dessert you’ve probably never had before, but won’t soon forget. 

“I was sure this experiment was not going to work, but it worked really, really well, and these fudgy brownies with a pecan pie layer baked on top are incredibly delicious,” he says.

How to Make Chef John’s Pecan Pie Brownies

Chef John gives a thorough rundown of how to make his recipe—along with a video to walk you through it. But here’s a quick overview of the recipe.

You’ll need ingredients for your brownie mix (which includes white sugar, cocoa powder, kosher salt, hot melted butter, vanilla extract, eggs, and all-purpose flour). If you don’t want to make a brownie mix from scratch, you can get by using a boxed brownie mix as long as it is one with a fudge-like texture.

For the pecan pie layer, use brown sugar, salt, vanilla extract, light corn syrup, eggs, salted butter, and pecans.

1. Make the brownie batter, then cook for about 20 minutes.
2. Make the pecan filling, then pour the mixture on top of the brownies.
3. Cook for about another hour, or until the filling is nearly set.

“I knew the pecan pie filling topping was going to be good, but to take a brownie that had already cooked 20 minutes and then cook it for another hour at an even higher temperature, I was sure that was going to cause a problem with the brownie taste and texture,” says Chef John. “But somehow—and I have no idea why—it didn’t.”