German Chocolate Brownies Remix

Name: German Chocolate Brownies Remix
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, salted butter works; 6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped; 1 ⅓ cups (270 grams) light brown sugar, packed; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour; FOR FROSTING:; 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar; ⅓ cup (80 ml) evaporated milk; 4 tablespoons (57 grams) butter unsalted or salted; 3 large egg yolks, room temperature; 1 ½ cups (135 grams) sweetened shredded coconut; 1 cup (120 grams) toasted pecans, chopped; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; OPTIONAL:; ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for drizzle

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 24 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Chocolate and butter melting in sync. Sugar folded in warm, eggs beaten in one by one—careful not to scramble. Flour tossed, just until no dry spots, overmix wrecks the chew. Baked until it pulls back from edges, toothpick with few moist crumbs. Coconut, pecans, and vanilla swirled in a caramel-like custard, thick and glossy after simmering low. Spread frosting thick, rich, with bite. Drizzle chocolate for crunch or skip. Swaps a touch: brown sugar instead of granulated for deeper caramel notes. Salted butter if unsalted’s MIA. Reorganized and timed by eye not clock. You’ll hear the crackle, smell toasted nuts, see shine settle. Texture matters, timing bends. Bake smarter, taste smarter.

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 45 min

Total: 65 min

Servings: 16 servings

#baking #chocolate desserts #nuts #frosting #American German-inspired

Melting butter and chocolate together was my first solid lesson in heat patience. Ran it fast once, grainy disaster. Slow melt, soft whisk in sugar, eggs added one at a time means texture speaks and bites are tender, not rubber. Don’t let flour intimidate—loose lumps are your friend. Bake until edges firm, middle still a little wobble. Frosting here is more than topping—it’s a thick, nutty custard layer, burned sugar avoided by constant gentle stirring. Coconut and pecans bring texture, toffee notes if you swap sugars give it depth. I learned on third batch not to rush cooling—cut warm and it crumbles; cool it pairs rich, dense, chew. Play with nuts, oils, chocolate melts. Senses are guides—the crackle, gloss, smell coax timing better than clocks.

Ingredients

1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, salted butter works
6 ounces (170 grams) bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped
1 ⅓ cups (270 grams) light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
FOR FROSTING:
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (80 ml) evaporated milk
4 tablespoons (57 grams) butter unsalted or salted
3 large egg yolks, room temperature
1 ½ cups (135 grams) sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup (120 grams) toasted pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
OPTIONAL:
⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for drizzle

About the ingredients

Butter matters—unsalted you control salt balance; salted adds complexity but cut salt added. Chocolate bar higher cocoa % equals deeper bitter notes; 60-70% bittersweet preferred but balance to taste. Brown sugar stalls dryness; replacement with white sugar plus small molasses boost works if needed. Evaporated milk adds body and caramel notes, replace with equal volume canned coconut milk for tropical twist but expect texture change. Pecans toast slightly for aroma and crunch. Coconut shredded preferred lightly sweetened; unsweetened adds chew but less sweetness—adjust sugar if swapping. Eggs room temp emulsify better and prevent batter seizing. Vanilla real extract only—imitation dulls depth. Linen parchment saves pan cleanup and browns edges without burning. If you lose your parchment, grease and flour the pan thoroughly with caution to avoid sticking, or use silicone mat. Avoid overmixing flour; gluten ruins tender crumb.

Method

HEAT oven 350°F; line 9x13 pan with parchment, spray lightly. Butter paper corners solid prevents stick.
MELT butter in heavy pot, medium-low heat, slow wins. Toss chopped chocolate in once butter swells, stir gently, no scorching. Watch; silky gloss forms—don’t rush or seize.
OFF heat, whisk brown sugar fully in. Dissolves rise sticky sweet, grainy bites gone.
DROP eggs one at a time, whisk fully each before next. Don’t speed or they clump.
ADD vanilla and salt. Salt cuts sweetness, draws depth. Shake in flour, stir gently till just joined. Avoid overmixing; batter looks lumpy is fine.
POUR batter into pan, scrape every glossed last bit. Smooth top or leave rustic.
BAKE 33-40 minutes—edges firm, center jiggles slightly, toothpick with moist crumbs is key. Underbake means fudgy, overbake dry. Look for crackly edges pulling from paper.
COOL completely on wire rack, patience now seals texture.
FROSTING: combine sugar, evaporated milk, butter, egg yolks in medium saucepan over medium-low.
STIR slowly until butter melts, sugar dissolves—start gentle.
BRING to low simmer, stir often, rare spots stick. After simmer hit, cook about 10 minutes until thickened shiny sheen forms. Thickness shows when coating spoon neutrally, runs thick but not stiff.
OFF heat, stir in coconut, toasted pecans, vanilla. Mix well. Continue stirring off heat about 3 minutes—cools, thickens to spreadable fudge.
SPREAD topping over cooled brownies. Use offset spatula for even layer or rustic dollops.
OPTIONALLY drizzle melted chocolate over frosting for crunch and contrast. Let it cool until set.
CUT bars with sharp serrated knife—warm knife if sticking or cracking edges.
STORE airtight at room temp a couple days; longer refrigeration toughens texture, but topping holds well.
SUBSTITUTIONS: butter can be replaced with coconut oil same measure. Evaporated milk can be canned regular milk simmered down by half or use coconut milk for tropical twist. Pecans swap for walnuts or almonds. Brown sugar swap to white sugar plus 1 tsp molasses for darker tone.

Cooking tips

Slow is king when melting butter and chocolate—medium-low keeps rich emulsion without burnt bits. Whisk sugar off heat to fully dissolve, grainy sugar bites ruin smooth batter. Eggs beaten in single file prevents scrambling. Flour folded gently, chunks okay. Overmix gives dry, cakey brownie which defeats goal. Bake edges first set, center jiggles—visual cues beat timer. Toothpick should show moist crumbs not runny batter or dry clean. Cooling on wire rack prevents steamed bottom. For frosting, slow simmer with constant stirring key; too hot burns custard, too slow won’t thicken. After simmer, thick, shiny coating on spoon signals ideal stage. Stirring off heat cools to spreadable fudge layer. Spread topping carefully thickly for textural contrast—it adds chew and nuttiness. Drizzle chocolate fast sets crisp contrast, but optional. Cut bars cool or gently warm with serrated knife for clean bars. Practice tuning heat and senses—listen for sizzle fading, watch gloss shifts, smell toasted nuts and rising caramel notes in frosting.

Chef's notes

💡 Melt butter slow medium-low heat no rush. Add chopped bittersweet chocolate after butter starts swelling. Don’t scorched or rushed gloss disappears fast. Watch closely. Stir gently till silky smooth. Off heat whisk sugar quick. Grainy sugar ruins smooth batter texture. Drop eggs in single file. Whisk fully between each or they scramble. Avoid speed mixing eggs. Room temp eggs liquid better blends. Don’t overbeat.
💡 Fold flour gently. No overmixing—lumps welcome. Overmix makes cakey dry brownie. Batter looks loose and chunky but that’s normal. Pour into pan scrape every last glossed bit. Smooth top optional, rustic okay here. Bake 33–40 mins based on edges pulling back, center jiggles faintly. Toothpick moist crumbs not raw batter. Visual cues beat oven timer any day. No dry clean pickups. Pull when small wobble stays in center.
💡 Frosting slow simmer sugar, evaporated milk, butter, egg yolks. Stir constant off heat post simmer to cool and thicken. Sticky, shiny coating of custard forms around 10 mins simmer then 3 mins off heat stirring. Coconut shredded sweetened for chew, toasted pecans add crunch and aroma. Vanilla real extract only never imitation for depth. Spread thick on cooled brownies or rustic dollops. Chocolate drizzle optional for crunch but cool frosting first or chocolate seizes.
💡 Swap butter coconut oil 1:1 in brownie or frosting. Evaporated milk can stand in for canned coconut milk simmered down by half but texture shifts. Brown sugar swaps white with 1 tsp molasses for darker tone, slightly wetter. Pecans interchange with walnuts or almonds no big taste shift. Salted butter works but reduce salt added by half; unsalted controls salt precisely. Eggs room temp for batter stability high emulsification, prevents seizing.
💡 Cut bars with serrated knife warm if cracking. Cooling critical after bake or cutting warm crumbles edges and messes texture. Wire rack cool prevents soggy bottoms. Store airtight room temp few days—refrigeration stiffens texture but topping holds. Reheat slightly if needed before serving. Use parchment or grease flour pan if no parchment, silicone mats good but test bake once. Baking sensory guides beat timers. Listen crackle, smell toasted nuts, watch gloss shifts.

Common questions

Why add eggs one by one?

Avoid scrambling. Each egg mixes fully before next. Keeps batter smooth. Stops clumps. Helps emulsify butter, sugar, chocolate. Room temp eggs blend better. Quick whisk after each.

What if frosting sticks or burns?

Stir often medium-low heat key. Burn happens if heat too high or no constant stirring. Slow simmer not boil. Turn off heat once thick shiny sheen shows. Cool off heat keep stirring for fudge texture.

How know brownies done?

Edges firm, pull from pan sides. Center jiggles slight but not liquid. Toothpick moist crumbs not raw batter. Too dry means overbaked. Underbake if you want fudgy but risk collapse if cut too soon.

Best storage for brownies?

Airtight room temp couple days fine. Refrigeration set up thick but toughens edges and changes chew. Freeze layers wrapped well extends life. Bring to room temp before cutting or eating. Cool frosting holds well fridge longer.