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These German Chocolate Brownies with Coconut Pecan Filling skip the layer cake entirely. A cooked coconut filling made with toasted pecans and sweetened condensed milk gets sandwiched between two layers of a semi-sweet chocolate brownie batter, so every bite has that classic German chocolate flavor in a fudgy, sturdy bar. Make them a day ahead and refrigerate before cutting for clean slices.
Skip the Layer Cake, Keep the Flavor
German chocolate cake is a Southern classic for a reason, but layers take real time to bake and cool, and cutting neat slices for a crowd is never as easy as it looks. This recipe keeps the same coconut pecan filling, made with toasted pecans and sweetened condensed milk, baked into the center of a semi-sweet chocolate brownie instead of frosting it on top of a cake.
The brownie batter underneath firms up enough to hold that filling in place, so when you cut into it, the layers stay put instead of oozing out the sides. It’s fudgy, without the filling weighing down the bottom or leaving it undercooked in the middle. Refrigerate it before slicing and you get clean bars you can cut as small or as large as you need, which is a lot more forgiving than portioning cake slices for a crowd.
The First Dessert I Ever Made for My Husband
German chocolate cake was the first thing I ever made for my husband when we started dating, not realizing that he didn’t really like coconut. He was a good sport and now actually likes coconut. I, of course love coconut. I still make my German chocolate cake with stovetop coconut pecan frosting. I make it into 4 layers so there’s filling in every bite.
These brownies give me that same flavor without the layer splitting and stacking, which makes them the version I actually reach for more often than cake.
I used a brownie recipe with semi-sweet chocolate instead of cocoa powder to give them the sweetness that you find in German chocolate bars. I think the semi-sweet chocolate is much better. I made a few adjustments to the coconut filling so that it would stay thick when baked.
I’d already tested both recipes on their own for years, so combining them mostly meant figuring out how much filling the batter could hold in the middle without falling apart when I cut into it. The batter underneath turned out thick enough to hold the heavy filling without collapsing or turning gummy in the center, so the layers stay distinct instead of sinking or bleeding into the brownie around them. It stays fudgy, and the filling stays exactly where you put it.
Tips for Getting Clean Layers and a Fudgy Center
- Toast the pecans before you start. Five to seven minutes in a dry skillet or a 350° oven brings out a deeper flavor than raw pecans, and it’s worth the extra step here.
- Let the filling cool for a few minutes before spooning it over the batter. A hot filling will sink into the brownie instead of staying in a distinct layer.
- Pull the brownies when the toothpick has a few moist crumbs, not when it comes out clean. They’ll keep cooking a little after they leave the oven, and overbaking dries out the edges.
- Refrigerate before cutting. Bars sliced warm will be gooey and hard to portion cleanly, especially if you’re serving these for a crowd.
- Want the same coconut, pecan, and chocolate combination in a different form? Try my Hello Dolly bars with a graham cracker crust instead.
Two Layers, Simple Ingredients
You’ll find exact amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Sweetened condensed milk: this is different from the evaporated milk that is used in my German chocolate cake frosting. Condensed milk is already sweetened and thicker, which helps the filling set up faster on the stove.
- Semi-sweet chocolate: use a bar, chopped, not chocolate chips. Chips have stabilizers that keep them from melting as smoothly, and you want a fully smooth mixture for the brownie batter.
Cook the Filling, Then Layer the Brownies
Step One: Cook The Filling
Step Two: Add the Filling
Chill it: Refrigerate the filling while you make the brownie batter so it firms up a bit.
Step Three: Mix The Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set it aside while you melt the chocolate mixture.
Step Four: Melt Chocolate And Butter
Do not rush this part: If the chocolate mixture is too hot, it can cook the eggs when they go in.
Step Five: Finish The Brownie Batter
Step Six: Build The Layers
Step Seven: Bake And Chill
These German chocolate brownies are proof that homemade doesn’t have to mean complicated, and if that coconut pecan combination is calling your name, my fudgy coconut brownies with a cream cheese coconut filling deserve a spot in your rotation too.
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Ingredients
Coconut Filling
- 1 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup butter
- 2 ½ cups sweetened coconut 7 ounce package
- 1 ½ cups toasted pecans chopped
Brownies
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 12 ounces Semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- ¾ cups butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
FILLING
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk sweetened condensed milk, egg yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large saucepan. Add 1 cup sugar and ½ cup butter and melt over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly until it is slightly thickened. Stir in coconut and pecans. Refrigerate while making brownie batter.
BROWNIES
- Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Melt chocolate, ¾ cup of butter and 1 cup of sugar in microwave at 50% power for 2-3 minutes, just until mixture melts. Let cool until it is warm to the touch. Whisk in eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla, then mix in flour mixture just until combined.
- Transfer 2 cups brownie batter to prepared pan and spread to edges of pan. Drop filling by spoonfuls all over the batter and spread to even out. Top with remaining batter and spread to cover filling with offset spatula
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs, about 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate before cutting to make pretty brownies.
Notes
- Run a sharp knife under hot water and wipe it dry between cuts for clean, neat edges.
- Pull the brownies when a toothpick shows a few moist crumbs, not when it comes out clean.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze individually wrapped for up to 3 months.
