Fudgy German Chocolate Brownies with Coconut Pecan Frosting

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Sweet, nutty, and caramel-y German Chocolate Brownies. The classic dessert – but updated! Homemade fudgy brownies that are ultra chocolate-y and rich, topped with the classic pecan and coconut frosting. Every last bite of these indulgent brownies is reminiscent of the cake you know and love, but even BETTER!

close up of german chocolate brownie on white tray with more behind.

Today’s recipe is a truly indulgent dessert! A soft, fudgy, crinkle-top brownie recipe with the classic german chocolate cake frosting on top. Two of the best desserts combined into one!

The best part? These brownies are SO easy to make. The actual brownie itself is made in two bowls, needs no speciality equipment, and is sure to have a warm and fudgy center every time. Each bite of these brownies is everything that german chocolate cake WISHES it could be – ultra chocolate-y, fudgy, rich, soft, tender, and simply melt-in-your-mouth.

Tell Me About These German Chocolate Brownies

Indulgent, fudgy brownies with a crinkle-top texture.
Topped with classic german chocolate frosting.
Easy to make with minimal equipment required.
Rich, ultra chocolate-y, and tender.
Melts in your mouth, reminiscent of the classic german chocolate cake.

overhead shot of german chocolate brownies on white tray with a knife, bowl of pecans, and measuring cup of shredded coconut around.

The Ingredients You’ll Need

For The Brownies:

Bittersweet Chocolate – While german chocolate cake traditionally uses german sweet chocolate, we opted to use bittersweet chocolate in these brownies. It’s slightly less sweet than german sweet chocolate and in our opinion, has a deeper, richer flavor!
Salted Butter – An emulsifier that helps create a cohesive batter while adding richness, tenderness, flavor, and structure, salted butter eliminates the need for additional salt.
Large Eggs – Eggs add richness and moisture to the brownies, as well as acting as a binder and giving these brownies some much-needed lift, as there is no rising agent!
Granulated Sugar – Perfectly sweetens these brownies while helping create the perfect texture and structure.
Vanilla Extract – A splash of vanilla rounds off the flavor in these brownies and really makes them taste SO GOOD!
All-Purpose Flour – Gives these brownies the perfect structure.

eggs, vanilla, butter, chocolate chips, flour, and sugar on marble surface.

For The Frosting:

Evaporated Milk – This provides the rich caramel-y flavor we all know and love from the classic dessert!
Granulated Sugar – Adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Egg Yolk – This helps thicken your frosting!
Salted Butter – Using salted butter makes this frosting rich and decadent. The added salt helps to cut some of the sweetness.
Vanilla Extract – A splash of vanilla helps round out the flavors and give this frosting a delicious flavor!
Chopped Pecans – Not only do these add crunch, but they also add SO. MUCH. FLAVOR!
Sweetened Coconut Flakes – A must-use! Sweetened coconut flakes are an essential addition to german chocolate cake frosting.

Evaporated milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, chopped pecans, egg yolk, and shredded coconut on marble surface.

What’s The Best Chocolate To Use?

For this recipe, we highly recommend using a high quality bittersweet chocolate! Anywhere from 60% – 70% cacao works wonderfully with this recipe.

Here’s How To Make These Brownies In 4 Simple Steps

Step 1: Prepare the brownie batter

Place chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds and stir well. Microwave in 15 second increments, stirring well after each, until melted and smooth. Set aside.

butter and chocolate chips in glass bowl.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and vanilla.

Whisk in chocolate mixture.

Stir in flour.

Step 2: Bake

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness.

Let cool in pan for 5-10 minutes before turning out.

Step 3: Make the frosting

In a medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, egg yolk, and butter. Cook, stirring continually, over medium low heat until bubbly and thickened, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat.

sugar, evaporated milk, egg yolk, and butter in small pot.

Stir in the vanilla, pecans, and coconut. Allow to cool slightly.

coconut, chopped pecans, and vanilla added to mixture.

Step 4: Frost brownies

Spread the frosting on top of cooled brownies.

frosting spread across brownies on wire cooling rack.

A Quick Tip!

While brownies are super simple to make, there are a few tips to remember to ensure the perfect fudgy brownie.

Tip 1: Preheat the oven! A fully preheated oven is the secret to every good bake.
Tip 2: Don’t over-mix the batter. While brownies are meant to be dense and chewy, over-mixing the batter would provide an unpleasant, more cake-like texture.
Tip 3: Don’t over-bake the brownies! Brownies are known for their fudgy, dense texture, which is due to the combination of ingredients and the slight underbaking.

How To Tell When Brownies Are Perfectly Baked

We found that, with these brownies in particular, using a cake tester or tooth pick is the best way to tell when they’re perfectly baked. After inserting the cake tester, it should still be a little damp with maybe one or two crumbs on it.

This means that the brownies are still fudge-y and moist, while being just barely baked!

FAQ’s and Troubleshooting

Can I substitute the type of chocolate in the brownies?

Yes. You can use semi-sweet or german sweet. If you use semi-sweet, the flavor will be less intense. If you use german sweet, they will be a little sweeter.

Can the brownies be made gluten-free?

Yes. Substitute your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend for the all purpose flour. Keep in mind that the texture will be slightly different and the cooking time may need to be adjusted.

Can I substitute another type of nut for the pecans?

Yes, you can. Walnuts will be the closest match to pecans texturally, but you could also substitute almonds or even peanuts.

Do I have to use evaporated milk?

While it’s better to use evaporated milk, you can use sweetened condensed milk; but you will need to remove the sugar and butter from the recipe.

How do I store these brownies?

The brownies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

bite taken out of german chocolate brownie on white tary with more brownies behind.

Let’s Be Friends ♡

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