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Home » Brownies & Bars » German Chocolate Brownies

German Chocolate Brownies

Published: Mar 3, 2023 by Allison · 20 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
4.91 from 11 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Dessert
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 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. Sweet Treats by Dani

    June 06, 2016 at 6:02 am

    we share the same affinity for brownies 🙂 and i LOVE german chocolate anything!!!! thanks for sharing

    Reply
  2. Ellie Augustin

    June 06, 2016 at 6:44 am

    OH MY WORRRRDDD… Yeah I need brownies..STAT.. it is after all Monday! I have to try these hopefully this weekend.

    Reply
  3. Christina Rambo

    June 06, 2016 at 11:01 am

    Delish! Pinned this one.

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      June 06, 2016 at 1:59 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  4. Cynthia | What A Girl Eats

    June 07, 2016 at 6:57 am

    Oh my! That’s my kind of brownie! Chocolate, nuts and coconut! Yum!

    Reply
  5. Shashi @ RunninSrilankan

    June 07, 2016 at 7:28 am

    YASSSS!!! That big stack sure is calling my name – and really what other reason than that do I need to succumb to ALL this brownie goodness! Loving that topping!

    Reply
  6. allie @ Through Her Looking Glass

    June 07, 2016 at 7:38 am

    YES!!! Brownies answer so many of life’s problems. These are a no brainer. Love the German twist, Allison. I could use a stack of these ASAP!

    Reply
  7. Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction

    June 07, 2016 at 7:57 am

    These look incredible! Love how fudgy they are!

    Reply
  8. suzanne

    June 07, 2016 at 6:39 pm

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness, these look amazing! My husband is obsessed with German chocolate cake – he will love this!

    Reply
  9. AZURA YAHAY

    August 10, 2016 at 7:19 pm

    5 stars
    MMmm. Love BROWNIES…

    Reply
  10. Dee

    October 15, 2017 at 5:10 pm

    5 stars
    I will never ever, ever make German chocolate cake, or your German Chocolate Brownies with store-bought coconut, pecan topping again. Home made with your recipe is the bomb!! I was surprised how easy it was to make.

    Reply
    • Celebrating Sweets

      October 16, 2017 at 7:35 pm

      Yay! I’m SO happy to hear that. It really is quite easy – and so tasty. Thanks for stopping by!

      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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