German Chocolate Brownies

These German Chocolate Brownies deliver the same terrific chocolate, coconut, caramel, and pecan flavors as their namesake cake with a fraction of the work.

Rich fudgy brownies are topped with the decadent, gooey coconut topping that German chocolate cake lovers adore.

Why You Must Make these German Chocolate Brownies 

• The base is made of dense, fudgy, and decadent brownies.
• Topping them with a rich, nutty, caramelly coconut topping pushes these over the top!
• As a coconut lover, these gems were calling my name! And though they’re not low-cal, they’re much less dangerous to your figure than eating a slab of German chocolate cake!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Make German Chocolate Brownies

I packed these German Chocolate Brownies up and took them to two luncheons. You see, Bill won’t touch anything with coconut and I cannot get enough of it. So these sorts of tempting treats must be high-tailed out of the house. Making these brownies is much less daunting than a full-blown German chocolate cake! Here are the highlights:

1. Preheat the oven and line your baking pan with non-stick foil.
2. Melt the butter and chocolate together, and set aside.
3. Whisk together the eggs and sugar, then add the vanilla and cocolate. Finally add the dry ingedients.
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake as directed.
5. For the topping, mix together the ingredients as directed. Drop spoonfuls across the surface of the baked and cooled brownies. Spread evenly over the brownies
6. Broil about 6 inches from the element, watching carefully, for about 3 minutes, until the topping is lightly browned and bubbly. DO NOT walk away while broiling or your topping could burn.

I did sample one of these German Chocolate Brownies first, though, and declared them blog-worthy. And even more than blog-worthy, they were insanely delicious.  So off they went. To the hospital on Thursday and to a holiday lunch with my girlfriends on Friday.

I’m also a fan of the caramel brownies made from a box of German Chocolate Cake mix, but these German chocolate Brownies from scratch are a pure, wholesome indulgence!

Tips for Making these German Chocolate Brownies

• Line your baking pan with non-stick foil. When a dessert has a sticky component like these brownies, it’s especially helpful to assist in removing the brownies.
• Toast your pecans by placing them in a skillet over medium heat, shaking frequently until you can smell a nutty aroma. This helps bring out the essential oils, making the pecans more flavorful. Watch carefully so they do not burn.
• PRO-Tip: When measuring stick ingredients like Karo syrup (also honey, peanut butter, etc), spray your cups or measuring spoons with non-stick cooking spray like Pam for easy release.
• Use a toothpick to check for doneness. When inserted into the center and removed, the brownies are done if it comes out clean. Otherwise, return to the oven for a few more minutes and recheck.
• PRO-Tip: As with many of my desserts, I chill these brownies before slicing. Cold brownies will cut cleaner when first refrigerated. But serve at room temperature for the best eating experience. Check out my post on cutting bar cookies for more details.

You May Also Like:

• Best Ever German Chocolate Cake from A Dash of Sanity — one of my very favorite cakes
• German Chocolate Brownie Pie from That Skinny Chick Can Bake — these thick wedges are rich and irresistible!
• Gooey Upside Down German Chocolate Cake from Tidy Mom — the name says it all!
• German Chocolate Brownie Cupcakes from That Skinny Chick Can Bake –a mini cake all for yourself
• German Chocolate Pecan Pie from Melanie Makes — when two of my favorite desserts collide!
• 7 Layer Bars from That Skinny Chick Can Bake — I fell hard for these with my first taste decades ago!

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The Recipe:

German Chocolate Brownies

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Yield 16 bars

Rich brownies topped with the classic, gooey German chocolate frosting

Ingredients

For Brownies:

• 1/2 cup butter, cut into cubes
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For Topping:

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted for the best flavor
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick foil (or use regular foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray). Set aside.
2. In a microwave, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar. Stir in vanilla and chocolate mixture. Add flour and salt and mix till combined.
3. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Let cool before frosting.
4. For the topping, combine butter and brown sugar in a large bowl. Add coconut, pecans, corn syrup, and milk. Mix till well combined. Drop spoonfuls over top of brownies then spread evenly over top.
5. Broil about 6 inches from the element, watching carefully, for about 3 minutes, till lightly browned and bubbly.

Notes

Adapted from Taste of Home

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1 brownie
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 119mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g

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