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Home » Brownies & Bars » German Chocolate Brownies

German Chocolate Brownies

Published: Mar 3, 2023 by Allison · 24 Comments

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If you’re a fan of German chocolate cake, you’re going to love these fudgy brownies topped with a gooey coconut pecan frosting. This decadent dessert has the perfect balance of flavors and textures (sweet! salty! crunchy! gooey!).

You know we are obsessed with brownies, so if coconut-pecan isn’t your thing, you can try our peanut butter brownies, coffee brownies, or cookie dough brownies. We’ve got something for everyone!

Stack of two german chocolate brownies.
Jump to:
  • Why you’ll love this recipe
  • Two parts of these German chocolate brownies
  • Recipe overview
  • Recipe tips
  • Serving and storage
  • More brownie recipes
  • Recipe

Why you’ll love this recipe

Flavor: Chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar, coconut, and pecans create an incredible flavor profile.

Texture: Chewy-fudgy brownies with a gooey-crunchy topping.

Ease: Although this recipe is homemade there are no difficult steps, techniques, or fancy equipment needed.

A delicious twist on a classic: These brownies are a great alternative to German chocolate cake. They’re faster and easier than making and decorating a layer cake.

Closeup of a German chocolate brownie topped with flaky sea salt.

Two parts of these German chocolate brownies

  1. Brownies: I use a variation of our favorite homemade brownies for this recipe. I reduced the sweetness of the brownies just a bit to balance with the sweet topping. I also reduce the chocolate chips and bake them in a 9×9 pan (rather than my usual 8×8) because I wanted a thinner brownie with a *tiny* bit less chocolate to keep from overpowering the topping.
  2. “German chocolate cake” frosting: This is a homemade coconut-pecan topping. It’s made on the stovetop and comes together in minutes. Traditionally you’d see this type of frosting on a German chocolate cake. Tip: Using brown sugar rather than granulated sugar in the topping creates a deeper, richer flavor.

Recipe overview

*Full recipe below in recipe card*

Begin by making the brownies. The batter comes together in one bowl, no electric mixer is needed. Pour the brownie batter into a greased 9×9 pan and bake.

Four photo collage of brownie batter in a glass bowl.

Once the brownies have baked and cooled slightly (it’s ok if they’re still a little warm), proceed with the topping. Combine evaporated milk, brown sugar, butter, and egg yolks in a saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened, stir in the coconut, pecans, and vanilla.

German chocolate (coconut pecan) frosting in a saucepan next to a grey spatula.

Recipe tips

Use sweetened coconut for the topping. I like to roughly chop it so that the pieces of coconut aren’t too long and stringy.

Finely chop the pecans so they distribute evenly throughout the topping.

Allow the brownies to cool and the frosting to set before cutting and serving.

If you’re a fan of the combination of sweet and salty (like me!) add some flaky sea salt on top. I use Maldon.

Need a shortcut? Use a boxed brownie mix and add the homemade topping.

Closeup of a German chocolate brownie topped with flaky sea salt.

Serving and storage

Serve chilled or at room temperature. The topping will be more firm if it’s chilled, more gooey if it’s warm.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

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Recipe

Stack of two german chocolate brownies.

German Chocolate Brownies

If you’re a fan of German chocolate cake, you’re going to love these fudgy brownies topped with a gooey coconut pecan frosting
4.95 from 19 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 16
Calories: 336kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

Brownies:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and still warm
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup chocolate chips

Topping:

  • ⅔ cup evaporated milk, full fat
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • a couple pinches of salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ⅔ cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1⅔ cups sweetened shredded coconut, I like to roughly chop it
  • flaky sea salt, optional, for topping

Instructions

Brownies:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 square pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving a couple inches of overhang on two sides (this will allow you to lift the whole tray of brownies out of the pan for easy removal). Lightly grease the foil/parchment.
  • Whisk the melted butter and sugar vigorously for one minute. Add eggs, water, and vanilla extract, whisking again for about 30 seconds. Tap all the excess batter off the whisk and remove the whisk from the bowl.
  • Sprinkle cocoa powder, powdered sugar, flour, and salt over the wet ingredients. Use a rubber/silicone spatula or wooden spoon to stir the mixture until it is glossy and well combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 18-20, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without raw batter on it, moist fudgy crumbs are OK. Be careful not to over bake. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Once the brownies have cooled, proceed with the topping.

Topping:

  • In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg yolks, butter, and salt. Slowly bring to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly (make sure you're getting all around the pan). Once simmering, simmer for about 3-4 minutes, whisking frequently, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened a bit. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla, pecans, and coconut.
  • Spoon onto the brownies and carefully spread the topping into an even layer. Top with flaky sea salt, if desired. Allow the topping to firm up a bit before cutting. You can speed this along by placing the brownies in the refrigerator. I like these served at room temperature.

Video

Notes

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tips:
  • Use sweetened coconut for the topping. I like to roughly chop it so that the pieces of coconut aren’t too long and stringy.
  • Finely chop the pecans so they distribute evenly throughout the topping.
  • Allow the brownies to cool and the frosting to set before cutting and serving.
  • If you’re a fan of the combination of sweet and salty (like me!) add some flaky sea salt on top. I use Maldon.
  • Need a shortcut? Use a boxed brownie mix and add the homemade topping.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 389IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

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Comments

  1. Maria

    March 06, 2018 at 5:36 pm

    5 stars
    I need one of this right now! And this frosting is everything! I would totally eat them with my hands because they look so good that I wouldn’t want to waste the time on getting a spoon. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Emily

    March 06, 2018 at 6:23 pm

    5 stars
    Totally pinned these. I LOVE German chocolate brownies!

    Reply
  3. Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts

    March 06, 2018 at 6:30 pm

    5 stars
    Coconut pecan frosting!!!!! SIGN ME UP!
    Brownies are my favourite baked goods, but that frosting….over the top deliciousness.

    Reply
  4. Lisa Huff

    March 06, 2018 at 6:39 pm

    5 stars
    German chocolate is one of my favorites! These look PERFECT!

    Reply
  5. Rebecca | Let's Eat Cake

    March 06, 2018 at 7:32 pm

    5 stars
    I love rich, fudgy brownies, but that coconut pecan frosting takes it to a whole new level. It would be really hard for me to not just eat it all with a spoon!

    Reply
  6. Alexa

    August 29, 2021 at 10:17 am

    4 stars
    I found that the coconut to liquid ratio was too high, leaving it more dry than gooey. Especially once it firmed up. I ended up making an extra half batch of the first part and adding it in and was happy with the consistency.

    Reply
  7. Nancy M. Scott

    December 01, 2022 at 9:07 am

    Just what I was looking for today! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  8. Shamima

    March 05, 2023 at 10:04 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a simple yet moorish recipe..

    Reply
  9. Lorrie

    July 26, 2023 at 7:59 am

    Can you use an 8×8 square pan?

    Reply
    • Allison

      July 26, 2023 at 10:46 am

      That should be fine. You’ll need to increase the bake time by a few minutes.

      Reply
  10. Karen

    September 29, 2023 at 10:51 am

    These are delicious. Can they be made ahead of time and frozen?

    Reply
    • Allison

      October 04, 2023 at 5:55 am

      I haven’t tried it. I’m not sure how the frosting would hold up. You can make the brownies in advance and add the frosting after thawing.

      Reply
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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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