• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
    • Meet Lynn
      • Contact
  • Fresh April Sprinkles
  • Recipes
  • Cookbook

Fresh April Flours logo

November 18, 2020

German Chocolate Brownies

Pin
Share
Email
Share
Tweet

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.

My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.

german chocolate brownies

It’s hard to believe that there’s just one more brownie recipe left in our 2020 lineup after this one, but I have to say… We (my house, our friends, our neighbors, and ALL OF YOU!) have been loving taking regular brownies and turning them into something fantastic.

There are many of you I know of who have made all 10 brownies in the monthly collection so far, and I’d love to learn of more of you who have done the same!

Which one has been your favorite so far?

aerial photo of german chocolate brownies cut into 16 bars and scattered around with pecans and shredded coconut
See all 2020 Brownie of The Month series!

Today’s German chocolate brownies are quite simple, and if you’re familiar with my go-to homemade fudgy brownie base, you’re halfway to my German chocolate brownies.

german chocolate brownie sitting on a plate with a fork full of a bite of the brownie

While classically, German chocolate baked goods (like cake) are made with actual German chocolate, a type of chocolate that is typically a little sweeter than semi-sweet chocolate, we’re sticking with simple semi-sweet chocolate as usual.

stack of german chocolate brownies with pecans and coconut scattered around

The whats and whys of how I got to my brownie base are in that post, if you’re interested in knowing all of that.

Otherwise, the real bread and butter of these German chocolate brownies is in the coconut pecan frosting that tops the brownies.

As classic German chocolate cake goes, it’s made of layers of chocolate sponge cake with a coconut pecan filling between the layers and on top of the whole thing. There is ordinarily no traditional frosting involved.

aerial photo of german chocolate brownie sitting on a plate with a fork full of a bite of the brownie

That setup bodes well for German chocolate brownies, as in we can just top our classic brownies with coconut pecan filling to act as a frosting.

And let me tell you about this coconut pecan frosting– it is ultra creamy, full of texture, and the perfect complement to the rich, dense brownies underneath.

bowl of german chocolate frosting with pecans scattered around bowl

The coconut pecan frosting is very simple. The base is made by heating butter, brown sugar, and evaporated milk until it thickens. This creates a smooth base, ready to take on bits of sweetened shredded coconut and crunchy bits of pecans.

Once cool, this coconut pecan filling turns into a spreadable concoction we treat like a frosting, and it adds a whole new level of delicious to my already delectable fudgy brownies.

german chocolate brownies with pecans and coconut scattered around

The only tough part about these German chocolate brownies is waiting for the brownies to cool, and also waiting for the filling to cool before putting it all together.

But I promise, they’re totally worth the wait!

german chocolate brownie sitting on a plate with a fork full of a bite of the brownie

Dense and fudgy brownies topped with a nutty and coconutty texture lover’s dream are the perfect chilly weather brownie, and the perfect way to kick off the end of our year-long brownie celebration.

stack of german chocolate brownies with pecans and coconut scattered around
Print Recipe

German Chocolate Brownies

My classic go-to scratch brownie base gets topped with an ultra creamy coconut pecan frosting to turn them into indulgent German chocolate brownies.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings: 16 brownies

Ingredients

BROWNIES

  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cut into 6-8 slices
  • 8 ounces (227g) semi-sweet chocolate coarsely chopped
  • ¾ cup (150g) firmly packed brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature preferred*
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

GERMAN CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • ½ cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1 small (5oz) can (150mL) evaporated milk
  • ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (93g) sweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup (63g) chopped pecans

Instructions

BROWNIES

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line an 8" or 9" square baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and chopped chocolate, stirring frequently until completely smooth. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
  • Whisk sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the flour and salt and stir gently until completely combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake brownies for 32-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. As brownies cool, prepare the frosting, and allow brownies to cool completely before spreading with frosting.

GERMAN CHOCOLATE FROSTING

  • In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and evaporated milk. Whisk occasionally and bring to a low boil.
  • Once the mixture is boiling, whisk constantly until the mixture thickens (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, coconut, and pecans and mix until completely combined. Frosting will thicken as it cools.
  • When you are ready to frost the brownies, remove the brownies by lifting the foil overhang straight up. Peel back remaining foil and place brownie block onto a large cutting board.
  • Spread the frosting evenly over the brownies, then cut into squares. Store leftover brownies at room temperature up to 1 week. Unfrosted brownies freeze well, up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, then frost.

Notes

*Room temperature eggs: these incorporate into batter much more easily than cold eggs, although this is not absolutely necessary.
Did you make this recipe?Mention @freshaprilflours on Instagram or tag #freshaprilflours!

Related Posts

  • Chocolate Chip Pecan PieChocolate Chip Pecan Pie
  • Praline Ice CreamPraline Ice Cream
  • Almond Joy Coconut CookiesAlmond Joy Coconut Cookies
  • Peppermint BrowniesPeppermint Brownies
  • World Peace CookiesWorld Peace Cookies
  • Gingerbread Chocolate CookiesGingerbread Chocolate Cookies
Pin
Share
Email
Share
Tweet

Filed Under: Brownie of The Month, Brownies & Bar Desserts, Chocolate, Frostings & Icings Tagged With: brown sugar, chopped pecans, evaporated milk, pecans, semi-sweet chocolate, sweetened shredded coconut

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Meet Lynn

Mom, self-taught baker, cookbook author, biscotti lover, and sprinkle enthusiast. Read More


Search

Never Miss A Recipe

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Browse by Category

Sift Through Archives

My Cookbook

ChowDownBuyNow
COPYRIGHT © 2019 · FRESH APRIL FLOURS · PRIVACY POLICY

DMCA.com Protection Status