German Chocolate Shortbread Brownies

Name: German Chocolate Shortbread Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: dessert
Ingredients: 3/4 cup butter, softened; 1 cup brown sugar; 2 cups flour; a pinch of kosher salt; 3/4 cup butter; 12oz chocolate, chopped; 4 eggs; 2 cups brown sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 2 cups flour; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup heavy cream; 1 cup sugar; 2 eggs; 2 Tablespoons butter; 1 teaspoon vanilla; pinch of salt; 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut; 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

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I get more requests for these delicious German Chocolate Shortbread Brownies than just about any other treat I make. Recently, I sent some into work with my husband, and one of the women in his office said they were “the bomb” and requested the recipe. I realized it was high time to get this recipe posted, and stop keeping this treat to myself!

This decadent dessert is composed of three layers. We have a brown sugar shortbread base followed by a rich, fudgy brownie. Top this with a gooey coconut and pecan caramel for a next level treat. Now, three layers might sound like a lot of work, but I promise it is simple ingredients and simple steps, and these German Chocolate Shortbread Brownies are worth the work.

A little background.

I first made a version of these German Chocolate Shortbread Brownies after seeing a recipe in a magazine in 2005. The magazine went out of business years ago, but I kept making the brownies, always adjusting and simplifying. My recipe now has little resemblance to the original. The recipe below is much more straightforward, has simpler ingredients, and (IMHO) tastes much better. You can benefit from my almost 20 years of making this treat! And, darn, does that make me feel old…

Here’s What You Will Need:

As I type this, it is January of 2023. The most popular memes on Instagram and Tik Tok almost certainly reference the high cost of eggs. My local grocery store is restricting the purchase of eggs to two cartons per customer. As a baker, I find this challenging. As I mentioned earlier, these German Chocolate Shortbread Brownies use simple, straightforward ingredients. They are not, however, inexpensive ingredients at this point in time. This recipe calls for six eggs. Again, it is worth it.

This recipe also requires twelve ounces of chocolate, and I recommend using good quality chocolate. I use Ghriadelli 60% baking bars, which run about $3.50 each at my local grocery store right now. So, yes, we are talking about over $10 in chocolate. Again, worth it. Make these German Chocolate Shortbread Brownies as a decadent treat, or as a showstopper to take to a potluck or event.

Pro Tips:

These brownies are really rich, maybe you don’t need a whole batch.

This recipe is perfect for sharing, and I can’t think of much that would be better for a potluck. If, however, you want a smaller indulgence, cut the recipe in half and bake in an 8″ square pan. You may also need to reduce your bake time for the brownie layer, so keep an eye on the bake.

Metal bakes brownies better.

Use a metal baking pan for this recipe. A glass pan will take forever to get that center to firm up!

Speaking of keeping an eye on the bake…

I usually underbake my brownies; I don’t mind some goo. This brownie layer needs to be baked enough to hold up to slicing without making too much mess. Insert a toothpick about two inches from the edge to check for doneness. I find the brownie layer baked when it starts to crack a bit around the edges.

Print Recipe

A rich, gooey, decadent bar of brown sugar shortbread, brownie, and caramel coconut pecan. German Chocolate Shortbread Brownies are perfect for sharing.

Author: Darla McVay
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 12–24+ 1x
Category: brownies and bars
Cuisine: dessert

Ingredients

Scale

For the Crust:

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

2 cups flour

a pinch of kosher salt

For the Brownie:

3/4 cup butter

12oz chocolate, chopped

4 eggs

2 cups brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Topping:

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350

Line a 9×13 metal baking pan with parchment.

For the Crust: In a medium bowl using a hand mixer, blend the butter and brown sugar until incorporated. Add the flour and salt and mix until it resembles slightly wet sand. Dump the mix into the baking pan and press into place. Bake the shortbread layer for approximately 12 minutes to set.

For the Brownie: Meanwhile, place the butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave at 30 second intervals until chocolate has just melted. Stir the butter and chocolate to combine. In a large bowl, mix eggs and brown sugar until well incorporated and lightened in color. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and blend to combine. Add the vanilla and mix. Finally, add the flour and salt and beat until just incorporated. Spread the batter over the shortbread crust and return the baking pan to the oven. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, checking for doneness. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before adding the topping.

For the Topping: In a medium saucepan, whisk together cream, sugar, eggs, and butter. Cook over medium heat until bubbles form around the outside edge, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for an additional minute until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add vanilla, coconut, pecans, and a pinch of salt. Spread over the brownie layer and allow to cool completely before cutting.

Notes

The bars can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days (if they last that long).

Keywords: brownie, bar, German chocolate, shortbread, caramel, coconut, pecan, brown sugar

A note on serving size:

As mentioned above, these are very rich and decadent bars. I generally cut a 9×13 pan of brownies into 12 large brownies. With these, I suggest cutting the pan into 24 or more servings as pictured below: