Caramel pecan killer brownies

AKA Knock-you-naked brownies

I worked at a bakery in high school. We sold "killer brownies" — two layers of dense, kind-of-dry (in a good way) brownie sandwiching melty caramel and pecans. It's a bakery rule that if something breaks you have to pitch it or eat it — you can't sell a smushed donut or crumbling brownie. Sometimes the killer brownies would crumble on purpose and find their way into my mouth. 

When I saw this recipe for "Knock-you-naked brownies" on the Pioneer Woman's website, I had flashbacks to my bakery days. There they were: two brownie halves oozing caramel out the middle. As if this find could get any better, check out the short list of ingredients. It's a baker and brownie lover's dream!

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CARAMEL PECAN KILLER BROWNIES

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
*Note: Double this recipe for a 9 by 13-inch pan.
1 box German chocolate cake mix (it must be German chocolate!)
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup evaporated milk, plus another 1/2 cup
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
60 caramels (one bag from the baking aisle)
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, or more to taste
powdered sugar

WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir until combined (mixture will be very thick). 

2. Divide the mixture roughly in half. Press half into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, then remove from oven. 

3. While the brownie bakes, combine the caramels and additional 1/2 cup of evaporated milk in a heatproof bowl and melt them together (I microwaved the caramels and milk, microwaving on high for about three minutes, then stirring, and repeating until melted). 

4. Pour the melted caramel mixture over the baked brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the caramel.

5. Turn out the remaining brownie dough onto a work surface (I used a wooden cutting board). Press the dough into a square, roughly the size of the pan. Use a spatula to lift the square of dough and set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips. *Note: If you can't lift the entire square of dough in one swoop, do it piece by piece. It'll all bake together and be wonderful anyway!

6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating for several hours or overnight. Before serving, generously sift powdered sugar over the entire top of the brownies.

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Don't stress if you don't use the exact right amount of melted caramel. Or if you add way more chocolate chips (because why wouldn't you?). These brownies are just the best thing to ever come out of boxed cake mix. So make them! Make them now. And make a double batch so there are still some left to share after you've eaten your way through half the pan.