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!
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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.
Two parts of these German chocolate brownies
- 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.
- “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.
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.
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.
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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Save this Recipe!
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Recipe
German Chocolate Brownies
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 the pan 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. Use the parchment paper sling to transfer the brownies onto a cutting board. Serve at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- 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
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Anna Smith says
Haven’t tried it yet, but I will be making them. They look delicious.
Mary says
I don’t often leave comments on recipes, but these are sooo yummy that I have to! I will definitely make them again.
Allison Mattina says
That’s great to hear! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Paula says
Thank you soooo much for this recipe German chocolate cake is one of my favorites I can’t wait to try this for the Christmas holiday with the family
Camille says
Absolutely freaking delicious!! Im typing this as I eat it. Its just too yummy!
Allison says
Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Marti says
This recipe is pure perfection. The brownies themselves are heaven. Pair those with the frosting…yum!
Allison Mattina says
I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Momof3 says
Delicious recipe! I made some today for my husband’s birthday and he loved it and so did the boys. I think it will be gone by tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe!
Allison Mattina says
That’s great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Tom Michalisko says
I want to start by saying that these brownies are absolutely delicious! And I would definitely make them again. If you’re even thinking about it, just do it! Now, is the beginning of significant my constructive criticism. This is not a German chocolate recipe. German chocolate has nothing to do with the frosting. And I feel that this buys into the concept that it does. German chocolate is a type of chocolate. Look it up. Is a blog writer, I feel like you should’ve addressed that. It’s a sweet chocolate, versus semi sweet or milk, chocolate or dark chocolate. Again, look it up. Secondly, I love the idea of using parchment or foil as a sling. However, you never say exactly when to remove that sling. Is it to cool the brownies? Is it after you frost the brownies? It’s never addressed. And surely you do not expect people to cut brownies in the pan while the parchment or foil is still underneath it. So, here’s what I did. I removed the brownies from the pan with the sling to let them cool. Then I put them back in the pan to top them with the frosting. Once it cooled, I removed it again and placed it on a cake saver plate and cut them into pieces. I’d love to hear your thoughts on whether this was the intent or not.
Allison Mattina says
Hi, Tom. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. I used the name “German Chocolate Brownies” as a reference to the familiar flavors of chocolate paired with coconut-pecan frosting. Since this is not claiming to be an authentic German Chocolate Cake recipe (in fact, not cake at all), I didn’t feel the need to get into the history or meaning behind the chocolate type originally used by Samuel German.
Thank you for mentioning the parchment sling! My intent is to let the brownies cool in the pan, frost them, allow the frosting to set, and then use the parchment to lift the whole batch out and onto a cutting board. I often slice them right on the parchment, being careful not to slide my knife through the parchment. If you’d prefer to slide the parchment paper out before slicing you’re welcome to do so. I will add that note to recipe to avoid confusion.
Thanks for stopping by!