German Chocolate Brownie Pie
German Chocolate Brownie Pie: A decadent fudgy brownie is topped with the classic coconut and pecan German chocolate frosting!
This tasty twist on a German Chocolate Cake Recipe is so much easier than baking a full-fledged cake and definitely as rich and delectable!
Why You Must Make
- The base is a rich Brownie Pie.
- But to guild the lily, it’s topped with classic German Chocolate Frosting!
- The combination is amazing!!
How to Make
- Use my favorite One Bowl Fudgy Brownies recipe and bake it in a pie plate instead of a square baking pan, using an offset spatula to smooth the top before baking.
- When the brownies cool to room temperature, make the frosting.
- Gently cook the custard mixture, which will become the frosting base, over medium heat while stirring constantly. Add the coconut and pecans.
- Let the brownies cool to room temperature before frosting.
- Spread the frosting on top of the brownies. Paired with the fudgy base creates a dazzling dessert!
Expert Tips
- You can use a favorite brownie recipe or box mix that is for an 8 x 8-inch pan.
- The frosting is actually a custard made with eggs. Stirring it constantly while it thickens so the egg yolks don’t scramble, but form a luscious base to which you add the coconut and pecans.
- Serve small wedges as this is a very rich dessert. And there’s no need for ice cream or whipped cream toppings!
- Store covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator but bring to room temperature to serve.
- This brownie recipe doesn’t always work well at higher altitude locations. So it’s best to use a recipe that works at your elevation.
Frequently Asked Questions
In 1852, American baker Samuel German developed a type of dark chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company. Sweeter than semisweet chocolate, it contains chocolate liquor, sugar, cocoa butter, flavorings, and lecithin, an emulsifier. To honor Mr. German, it was named Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate.
Now that you know what makes up German chocolate, you might surmise that this chocolate is a component of the cake. Since it’s similar to semisweet chocolate, it can also be used as a substitute. The first German chocolate cake recipe was posted in the Dallas Morning Star in 1957. Credit is given to Mrs. George Calay, a homemaker. So the cake is actually Texan, not German. Sales of German chocolate went crazy after this recipe was shared with the public.
Besides the German chocolate, a German chocolate cake recipe contains buttermilk, which makes for a moist, tender cake. It is also iced with a special German chocolate frosting recipe with coconut, pecans, sugar, butter, and cream cooked with eggs. If you love coconut and pecans, this is a to-die-for cake filling and frosting!
You May Also Like:
- White Chocolate Coconut Truffles
- Chewy Coconut Cookies
- Coconut Apricot Bars
- German Chocolate Brownies
- Mounds Bars
- Chocolate Coconut Cookies
- Plus, check out all my Homemade Brownies Recipes.
German Chocolate Brownie Pie Recipe
A brownie twist on the classic German chocolate cake.
Ingredients
For Brownies:
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup (1 stick ) butter, cut into tablespoons
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup flour
- Pinch of salt
For topping:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup shredded coconut
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine chocolate and the ½ cup of butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave using 30-second increments till the chocolate is melted, stirring frequently. Mix in sugar and let cool for a couple of minutes
- Whisk in eggs and vanilla, then stir in flour and salt until just combined.
- Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or till the crust is brown and the top of the brownies is appears set. Cool to room temperature.
- To make the topping, cook heavy cream, sugar, yolks, and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly till the mixture starts to boil and thickens.
- Remove from heat and mix in coconut, pecans, and vanilla. Let rest till cools to room temperature then spread over the top of the brownies.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 447Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 88mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 3gSugar: 49gProtein: 5g
Memories of My Dad, AKA the Dude
German chocolate anything reminds me of my dad. Known by family and friends as “the Dude,” he passed away almost four years ago. I first shared this recipe with a twist on one of my Dad’s favorite recipes for Father’s Day. My dad was a huge fan of steak, sushi, tacos…well, almost everything except his mom’s oxtail soup. Every birthday, my mom would run to our local Randall’s grocery store and pick up their bakery German chocolate cake. It was a huge treat for the whole family.
And, even though my dad denied liking sweets, he would eat every crumb off his plate! I created these German chocolate brownies as a tribute to the man who showed me the value of education, altruism, loyalty to family, and unconditional love. Though I get teary as I remember him, I know he’s been reunited with my mom, his cherished wife of over 50 years, and they’re sharing a bottle of red wine and laughing. That’s the way I remember them both. Nostrovia!!!
37 Comments on “German Chocolate Brownie Pie”
A great way to honor your dad. I am with you I love the coconut and pecan topping! These German chocolate brownies are right up my alley!! They look delicious!!
No doubt this will quickly become a favorite pie in my house!
Liz, what a special way to remember your dad. I hope to make this soon and think of him when I do! Thank you for sharing such a special recipe.
Growing up I always stayed away from desserts like this because they had coconut in them (even though my Mom LOVES coconut in every form). Now that my tastes have changed, I like coconut a bit more and am trying all sorts of things I never had before. What a great topping to compliment a delicious brownie!
What a wonderful tribute to your dad! And what a fabulous way to re-create a German chocolate cake!!
I <3 this blog post! Saving this one to make for a gf's b-day!
I can’t even handle how good this is! Will be making again and again and again!
This dessert was a hit! Even my husband who (like your dad) doesn’t like sweets, went for seconds! It’s definitely a keeper.
my whole family would be swooning over thisone !
I can see the whole family swooning over this one!
This brownie pie looks heavenly 🙂
I’ve lost my Dad in my teens and I love to bake his favorites every now and then. I celebrate his birthday every year with a cake. So I see this as a beautiful tribute to your Dad
Condolances to you as you miss your Dad today. He (and your Mom) are smiling down upon you and wishing they could join you for this brownie treat.
I love anything coconut (and chocolate, for that matter!). What a heavenly pie!
Love the colourful post! Have an awesome week, dear!
Liz what a great way to honor your dad. I know he’s looking down and wishing he could sit down with you for a slice. This, your first, Father’s Day without him will be difficult, believe me I know. But all we can do is remember all of those happy times and past celebrations. Hey, maybe our fathers are up there getting to know each other. 🙂 Sending you a big hug!
What a beautiful tribute to your Dad. Your German chocolate brownie pie looks divine!
Hi Liz, so sorry to hear about your father, love the pictures of him and both of your parents together. Very thoughtful post….
Such a great post and what a delicious dessert to go along with it!
I put off reading your post, Liz, because I knew it was going to make me well up but in the end I couldn’t resist that coconut/pecan topping. I could eat that stuff with a spoon. What a great dessert! And, as expected, a lovely tribute to your dad.
What a wonderful recipe to honor what sounds like a wonderful man!
Beautiful tribute to your dad! German Chocolate is my very favorite cake too and I’ve been lucky to have it every year on my birthday. I’ll have to try this pie, it looks amazing!
What a lovely tribute to your dad. I don’t know how you keep coming up with such great recipes, but you’ve done it again. Bookmarked to make for my coconut-loving husband!
What an amazing looking pie – love that topping. I can imagine this will be a harder father’s day for you but you write so warmly about him, I hope those memories make it a better day. Along with this pie, of course, to toast him.
All those photos are so great. It sounds like you have many fond memories of your dad. I’m sure he would have loved this pie. I made brownie pie once and loved it and with that topping – irresistible.
Liz this looks simply scrumptious!
Amazing!
Your post was incredibly sweet and touched my heart. 🙂
What a lovely tribute to your Dad. I love this dessert. I hate to admit it but chocolate cakes are not my thing (I know – how can that be?) but I love brownies, who doesn’t? Plus the gooey coconut filling on the brownie – this has my name written on it!
What a sweet tribute to your dad. My dad would LOVE this pie–He’s a chocoholic big-time. I would be like your husband, scraping off the topping! 🙂
I loved your post. Sorry for the loss of your darling dad. He looks like a great guy. And who doesn’t like Coconut, brown sugar and pecan topping. I don’t blame you for taking your husband’s extra. BTW, is that Rose’s Pie Plate?
It is definitely a win-win when you get extra topping!! The photos of your dad are lovely. I know mine will love this too. He is a big fan of coconut, but my mom is not so he doesn’t get it often!
That’s a really sweet tribute to your Dad. I love esp. that topping…totally divine.
What a heartfelt tribute to your Dad, Liz. My father insisted he wasn’t a sweet eater too, lol…However, on Thursdays, treat night at our house, when he came home from work, he usually brought home donuts. There was always one missing from the box by the time we got to tackle them, lol…
Cherish the memories, Liz and everyone once in a while, join your parents in spirit with a toast to their love:)
Thank you so much for sharing, Liz…
Liz, I am visiting my Dad this week and this is his all time favorite cake and brownie combined! I must make for him!
I always wanted to try German chocolate pie! Looks really rich and delicious!
Love the photos of your dad – a wonderful glimpse into a life that was surely well lived.
Love those photos of your parents, Liz…I almost got teary eyed reading your heartfelt account…Bet he and your mother are toasting all your wonderful success from Heaven..Bet they’re super proud too that they raised such a kindhearted daughter.
Ps. Bravo for your win-win arrangement with Bill…David and I have a similar arrangement when it comes to desserts with whipped cream =)
Yes please:@) Love that topping!
Great photos of your Dad. These brownies look devine – the coconut topping would be so good.