Fudgy German Chocolate Brownie Bars Recipe

You can never have too many dessert recipes in your repertoire, as Tasting Table recipe developer Jessica Morone proves with these fudgy German chocolate brownie bars. Featuring a rich, chocolatey base and a sweet, textured surface, every bite is pure decadence. "My favorite thing about these is how the incredibly fudgy brownie base pairs so well with the gooey coconut-pecan topping," Morone describes. 

If you're familiar with German chocolate cake, she says this is an even fudgier rendition and adds, "As a chocolate lover, this is right up my alley." Fellow chocolate enthusiasts will want to whip up these brownie bars to satisfy their sweet tooth when the next craving strikes, or as a delicious dessert to serve guests or to make your day a little brighter. Store them at room temperature for a few days, but then transfer them to a sealed container in the fridge to keep them for up to a week.

For the brownie base, you'll need unsalted butter (melted), granulated sugar, large eggs, pure vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned and leveled), and salt. Next, for the topping, grab evaporated milk, brown sugar (packed), large egg yolks, unsalted butter (cut into pieces), salt, vanilla extract, finely chopped pecans, and sweetened shredded coconut.

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment paper or foil, and set aside.

Make the brownie batter: Add the melted butter and sugar to a large bowl and whisk together until smooth.

Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon water until combined.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and mix until well incorporated.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. It will be thick.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20–22 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Make the topping: To a medium saucepan, add the evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg yolks, butter, and salt.

Heat over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until simmering. After it begins simmering, whisk for about 3 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture has thickened.

Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla extract, pecans, and coconut.

Spread the topping over the baked brownies. Let the topping set.

Cut into squares, and serve.

If you're wondering what sets this brownie bars apart and designates them with a German name, Morone shares the scoop. "The part of these brownie bars that makes it 'German chocolate' is the topping, which consists of a caramel-like mixture of egg yolks, evaporated milk, sugar, butter, shredded coconut, and chopped pecans," she explains. For those uninitiated to German desserts, she adds, "This topping is iconic and essential to the flavor profile of German chocolate cake." 

However, she makes a distinction: "German chocolate itself is a type of chocolate invented by Samuel German, but you don't need it for this recipe," Morone says. In the mid-1800s, German invented the chocolate, which has a higher sugar content and less cocoa butter, making it darker. In turn, this ratio made it unnecessary for bakers to add so much sugar to their desserts.

These rich, fudgy chocolate bars are perfect as is, but Morone offers some suggestions if you're in the mood to experiment. For example, the topping features pecans and coconut, but she says, "You can swap the pecans out for a different type of nut if you prefer something like almonds or hazelnuts." This would give the topping a pleasant twist and would still pair well with the shredded coconut. 

Meanwhile, she recommends, "You can swap the 1 tablespoon of water in the recipe out for coffee for a more intense chocolate flavor." You won't notice the coffee — just extra richness. Finally, you could take a totally different turn with this recipe and deviate from chocolate. "If you wanted to, you could swap out the brownie base completely and do blondies with the same topping," Morone says. The caramel notes in the blondie base are sure to complement the pecan coconut topping.