These decadent German chocolate brownies are just the right combination of fudgy and cakey in brownie-speak. I baked a batch today and the house smells heavenly. Bittersweet chocolate, shredded coconut and coconut oil, and pecans. They are gluten-free and dairy-free, and far lower in sugar than using the traditional high-sugar frosting. Trust me, they are delicious and will hit all of your chocolate buttons!
German Chocolate Brownies
Inspired by my dad's favorite cake, my German chocolate brownie recipe is made with the profile ingredients of German chocolate cake: bittersweet chocolate, coconut, and pecans. I fold coconut and pecans into the rich chocolate batter then garnish with more.
Instead of the traditional gooey high-sugar frosting used for German chocolate cakes, I drizzle them these brownies with more melted chocolate and sprinkle with coconut and pecans.
Brownie Baking Tips
Choose the Right Pan
Bake the brownies in a light colored square baking pan. Light colored pans reflect the heat. Dark metal pans absorb the heat and your results will be different.
Why Use Baking Parchment
Use a piece of baking parchment paper cut to line the pan, allowing the edges to drape over the sides. See the photo below for help. This makes the brownies easier to get out of the pan after baking and cooling.
Baking parchment comes in pre-cut sheets and in rolls. Pre-cut parchment sheets are lighter weight than parchment paper rolls. Find the pre-cut packages at cooking stores and online. The rolls are available at the market near the foil. Parchment is not the same as was paper so do not use wax paper. I always have a package of pre-cut parchment in my kitchen and use it for many things. It's super handy.
Teff Flour
Considered the smallest grain in the world, teff is the size of a poppy seed. It is native to Ethiopia, used as a dietary staple for thousands of years. Teff has a nutty, mild taste and packs a healthy punch with protein, fiber, minerals. These brownies use teff ground into flour. Whole grain teff can be used for breakfast porridge or added to stews, pilafs, mixed into baked goods and even mixed into veggie burgers. Think of it like millet.
Teff Flour Substitute
If you don't have teff flour or don't want to buy it, substitute Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-free Baking Flour blend (blue bag). It's widely available and is terrific for gluten-free baking of all sorts. But if you enjoy baking gluten-free, you might try teff. It has a great affinity for chocolate.
A Note on Brown Sugar
I tested German chocolate brownies with coconut sugar and sucanat (photo above), an unrefined sugar containing all of the natural molasses giving it a golden color. It is a good replacement for brown sugar in baking and the granular texture melts into the batter. Alternatively, use golden brown sugar.
Bake a batch of bittersweet German chocolate brownies as a treat for your friends and family. Looking for another chocolate treat for your family? Try this decadent chocolate sorbet.
📖 Recipe
Bittersweet German Chocolate Brownies
Equipment
- 1 9x9 light colored metal baked pan
- 1 baking parchment paper
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dark bittersweet chocolate 72% - 85%
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- ¾ cup natural light brown sugar or Sucunat 4 ¼ ounces
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons teff flour SUB Bob's Red Mill 1:1 GF flour blend
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 pinch sea salt
- ¾ cup chopped raw pecans 4 ounces
- ⅓ cup fine unsweetened shredded coconut 1 ounce
Instructions
- Grease a square light metal baking pan (8x8-inch) with ½ teaspoon of extra coconut oil. Line the pan with parchment paper, draping it over two opposite sides of the pan. The parchment overlap makes it easy to remove the brownies after baking. Pre-heat the oven to 325°F.
- Chop the chocolate into medium chunks with a serrated bread knife or heavy chef’s knife. Place the chocolate in a clean, dry, glass bowl and microwave on 70% power for 1 minute. Stir with a flexible spatula or spoon, then continue melting chocolate in 15 second intervals, stirring between times, until chocolate is melted, smooth and glossy. Cool chocolate for 5 minutes, then stir in the vanilla and the coconut oil with a spoon or flexible spatula until smooth.
- Place the brown sugar and eggs in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed, about 3 minutes. Whisk together the teff flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour the dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients and beat on low speed for 3 more minutes. Stir in the chopped pecans and shredded coconut with a flexible spatula. The batter will be thick and stiff.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and distribute evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the brownie surface is a little firm to the touch, but not hard. Cool brownies in the pan for 10 minutes. Grasp the parchment paper edges and lift the brownies out, transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Slice into 9 pieces when cool.
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