This recipe starts with melting the chocolate and butter into a thick sauce on a double boiler. For this, you’ll need butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate. While this can be done with many types of chocolate, we’d recommend using a 60% bittersweet or dark baking chocolate (the kind sold in 4-ounce bars that break into squares). Chocolate chips and chocolate chunks don’t melt as smoothly which will leave you with a lumpy batter and crumbly brownie, but either can be used in a pinch.
The remaining dry ingredients in this recipe are granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, and flour. Added to the dry ingredients are eggs, vanilla, and vegetable oil — we’re using both butter and oil in this recipe for a balance of fudgy and cakey. Butter helps the batter rise while baking, so swapping the oil for more butter will result in a cakey, fluffy brownie, while using the oil will offer a dense, chewy, fudgy brownie.
Of course, you’ll also need pecans, chocolate chunks, and bourbon. Use your favorite of each; chopped or whole pecans, dark or bittersweet chocolate chunks or chips, strong and sweet bourbon whiskey. Don’t reach for your nicest bottle here, though. Use any budget bourbon with nutty caramel tasting notes.