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German Chocolate Cookie Bars have a chewy chocolate cookie layer topped with gooey homemade German chocolate coconut frosting.
These German chocolate cookie bars are perfectly chewy with a crunchy, yet gooey coconut frosting topping. They are heavenly and SO EASY to make! No joke, I’ve probably made these at least 5 times since the beginning of the year! They are THAT good. Oh, and did I mention they are super EASY to make? I almost always have all the ingredients on hand, so I make these whenever I have a sweet tooth but don’t want to make a trip to the store.
Ingredients in German Chocolate Cookie Bars
- Chocolate Cake Mix – You can use German chocolate cake mix, devil’s food cake mix, or any other chocolate cake mix.
- Butter – Unsalted works best for this recipe.
- Eggs – You need one for the crust and one for the filling.
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Vanilla extract
- Pecans
- Shredded coconut
- Milk chocolate chips – You can also use semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips.
How to Assemble German Chocolate Bars
- Prepare the crust according to the directions below.
- Combine the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, egg, pecans and coconut and pour evenly over the warm crust. You can heat this mixture in a saucepan over medium heat until just hot but we have found that it works best pouring the mixture directly over the warm chocolate crust.
- Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top.
- Bake until the top is a light golden brown. Cool completely before serving.
German Chocolate Cake Mix vs Devil’s Food Cake
As noted in the recipe, you can use either a German chocolate cake mix or a devil’s food cake mix. Originally I only used German chocolate cake mix (hence, the name of the recipe). Once, however, when I was craving these, all I had in the pantry was a devil’s food cake mix. I tried it out and haven’t gone back since! The cookie bars came out more moist and with a richer flavor. Because I made this discovery months after the recipe was posted the first time, it was too late to change the name.. so we still call them German Chocolate Cookie Bars. But (in a whispered voice)…we really like them best when they are “Devil’s Food Cake bars with coconut topping.” Both ways are delicious so if you want to keep with the German theme, feel free to stick with it. You really can’t lose.
Making German Chocolate Bars From Scratch
No box cake mix? No problem! You can make the chocolate cake mix in this recipe from scratch. Here’s what you need:
- 2 cups cake flour (all purpose flour will work fine if you don’t have cake flour)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir well and use this cake mixture in place of the box cake mix.
Variations and Additions
- Caramel – Drizzle melted caramel over the top.
- Almonds – For more of a crunch you can use chopped almonds instead of pecans.
- Easter style – Toss the coconut in a tiny bit of green food coloring for an Easter twist. Add chocolate Cadbury Mini Eggs over the top as another fun addition.
- Fruity – Add in some dried cherries or cranberries to the brownie batter.
- Spice – For extra warmth in this cookie, you can add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Extra chocolate – Add a handful of chocolate chips to the brownie batter for an even chewier, fudgier brownie layer.
Tips for Storing German Chocolate Bars
To ensure you’re getting the longest shelf life from these yummy cookie bars, here are some quick tips for storage:
- Make sure the bars are cooled completely before storing.
- Store the bars in an airtight container or Ziplock bag at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- You can also pop them in the refrigerator where they’ll stay fresh for about a week.
- Freeze leftovers too! Wrap the bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container for a couple of months. If you’re freezing more than one layer, place a piece of parchment paper in between the layers of brownies so they don’t stick together. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter until they’re room temperature.
More Favorite Cookie Bar Recipes
You can’t go wrong with these delicious German Chocolate Cookie Bars but if you are looking for MORE delicious treats like this one, give some (or all) of these a try:
- Caribbean Coconut Fudge Bars: These tasty bars come straight from St. John’s in the Caribbean. Chocolate and coconut are ALWAYS a winning combination! You will love all the delicious layers of these bars!
- Coconut Lime Cheesecake Bars: Craving a taste of the islands but looking for something more on the fruity side? You have GOT to try these coconut lime cheesecake bars. One of the most popular recipes on our site!
- Coconut Pecan Cookie Bars: These cookie bars are SO easy to whip up. No cake mix needed! Only a few easy ingredients and you’ve got yourself a dessert in about 30 minutes!
- Peanut Butter Bars: Better than your lunch lady used to make!
- We have MANY MANY more cookie and bar recipes. Try some and let us know your favorites!
How to Make German Chocolate Cookie Bars
German Chocolate Cookie Bars
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 box devil's food cake mix not the kind with pudding added* (or German chocolate cake mix. See notes above)
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 large egg
Filling:
- 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (fat free works great too)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan (I used non-stick cooking spray).
- In a medium bowl, mix together the cake mix, butter and egg.
- Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. The crust should not come up the sides. Bake for 7 minutes and remove from the oven. The crust will not look done.
- While the crust is baking, mix together the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, egg, pecans and coconut.
- Pour evenly over the warm crust and sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips.
- Bake for 24-30 minutes, until the top is a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
- Any kind of chocolate cake mix will work for this recipe. Or you can make your own cake mix from scratch! Use 3 ½ cups of our homemade cake mix and add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder.
- Try drizzling a little caramel over the top to add a decadent touch
- To freeze, place finished bars in an airtight freezer-safe container. Separate bars by wrapping individually or separating with parchment paper.
I just made these for my son-in-law whose favorite cake is German chocolate. I taste tested once they cooled off – you know, to make sure they’re “shareable” 😉 – and my oh my they are delicious!! The rest of the family will agree after tomorrow’s birthday party for Markus.
I made these bars and could have eaten them all. This recipe will be made often. Ideal for lunches or snacks.
I’m going to make these as growing up all six of us siblings wanted our mom to make her traditional German Chocolate Cake recipe for our birthday! This recipe is easier but I bet tastes so good and yummy from the comments!
CHOCOLATE IS THE BEST!!!!!!!
I’m not much on cookies, except an occasional Oreo. However, these are my all time favorite cookies, ever!!! I love these cookies!!!
I am now thinking there is more to this recipe than what the instructions say. You all must be thinning the topping in order to pour it. This is a complete disaster! The topping doesn’t pour…it’s too think. The crust is not done so just squishes and tears. It is a complete loss. Now I am out a dessert for my upcoming potluck tonight. Disappointed.
I am sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for you. The topping should be fairly runny due to the sweetened condensed milk. Did you use a 14 oz can?
Do you use sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut?
Sweetened!
I can’t believe how delicious and easy this was to make. Because we are chocolate lovers in my family I used 3/4 cup of semi sweet chocolate chips. Definitely will make again. 2/3 of the pan in freezer.
Easy recipe with good directions. Made for a birthday and it was a big hit!