Caramel Coconut Pecan Brownies

Jump to Recipe

If you’re likely to choose the brownie with some extra flavors versus a plain brownie, then these caramel pecan coconut brownies are for you! There’s so much good stuff in these!

A caramel coconut pecan brownie on a white plate with more brownies in the background.

Now, that’s a recipe title. These brownies have it all. While brownie cravings sometimes lead us to a no-frills chocolate experience, there are times when flavor-packed brownies are the only thing that will do! This recipe certainly offers a little bit of everything.

Why You’ll Love These Coconut Brownies

Layers of goodness. These flavor-packed brownies start with a really good brownie filled with chocolate chips. Then comes the topping, where coconut, more chocolate chips, and chopped pecans are sprinkled over the top of the batter. Next, sweetened condensed milk is poured over all of that for the caramel-like component. The end result is a fantastic brownie with a wonderfully flavorful topping.
Quick and easy. It takes about 25 minutes to assemble these brownies for the oven, and then all you have to do is wait for them to finish baking – simple!
Adaptable. Not a pecan lover? No problem! Swap them out for another nut of your choice. Or, switch up the chocolate chips for peanut butter chips. There are so many ways to change up this recipe.

overhead view of labeled ingredients for caramel coconut pecan brownies

What You’ll Need

You’ll need the usual brownie ingredients plus the topping ingredients. With a well-stocked baking pantry, you may very well have everything you need to make a batch of these fantastic brownies! Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact measurements and directions.

Unsweetened chocolate – Use a good quality chocolate for the best flavor.
Unsalted butter – Unlike many brownie recipes, this one uses softened butter. Set it out about half an hour before baking to allow it to soften properly. Learn more: How to Soften Butter
Sugar – Regular old granulated sugar is all you need for this recipe.
Eggs – Set these out before you begin baking so they can come to room temperature.
All-purpose flour – Measure by weight for the best results. Learn more: How to Measure Flour
Vanilla extract
Semisweet chocolate chips – You can use chocolate chunks instead if you want.
Sweetened flaked coconut – Make sure you don’t grab the unsweetened variety!
Chopped pecans – As mentioned above, you can substitute another type of nut or a combination.
Sweetened condensed milk – Look for this alongside the baking ingredients. Don’t confuse it with evaporated milk, which isn’t sweetened.

Overhead view of caramel coconut pecan brownies on white plates.

How to Make Caramel Pecan Coconut Brownies

overhead view of butter and sugar in a glass mixing bowl — Beat butter and sugar.

overhead view of melted chocolate added to a mixture of butter, sugar, and eggs in a glass mixing bowl — Beat butter and sugar.

Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease and flour a 9″x13″x2″ baking pan. Alternatively, use a cooking spray with flour or line the pan with parchment and spray the paper and any exposed parts of the inside of the pan.
Melt the chocolate. Place the unsweetened chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat at half-power in 30-second increments until it melts when stirred. Stir until smooth, and then set aside to cool slightly.
Mix the wet ingredients. With an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs one at a time; then mix in the melted chocolate.

overhead view of flour added to brownie batter in a glass mixing bowl — Mix in the flour on a low speed so that none spills.

overhead view of chocolate chips added to brownie batter in a glass mixing bowl — Mix in the flour on a low speed so that none spills.

Finish mixing. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour and mix just until combined. Next, stir in the vanilla and 1 cup of the chocolate chips.

overhead view of flaked coconut sprinkled over brownie batter in a rectangular baking pan — Top the brownie batter with coconut flakes…

overhead view of coconut and chocolate chips sprinkled over brownie batter in a rectangular baking pan — Top the brownie batter with coconut flakes…

Assemble the brownies. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the coconut, the remaining chocolate chips, and the pecans over the top. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the toppings, distributing it evenly.
Bake the brownies. Place the pan in the oven, and bake the brownies for 50 to 55 minutes. The brownies are done when the edges are browned and the center is set. Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting them into bars.

Overhead view of freshly baked caramel coconut pecan brownies in a rectangular baking pan.

Tips for Success

Alter the toppings to suit your tastes. I’ve made these a few times with coconut only on part of the brownies, as I’m married to someone who doesn’t like coconut. It’s an easy change to make if you want to omit the coconut or use different nuts or maybe substitute a different flavor of chips. Get creative!
Testing for doneness. Big batches of brownies can be tough to get thoroughly baked. When checking for doneness, give the pan a gentle shake to make sure the center doesn’t jiggle. The edges may look a bit over-baked before that happens, but my experience has been that those edges will be just fine given adequate time for the center to bake.
Use a light-colored metal baking pan. Dark pans tend to overbake the edges, which can especially be a problem with this big pan of brownies.
Cutting the brownies. For the cleanest, neatest cuts, be sure to let the brownies cool completely first. You can even put them in the refrigerator for a bit to make them even easier to cut. Then use a serrated knife to make smooth cuts. (No sawing motions!) If necessary, wipe off the knife between cuts.

A caramel coconut pecan brownie on a white plate with a bite on a fork resting on the plate.

Proper Storage

Room temperature/refrigerator. Store the cooled brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For a few more days of storage, place the container in the refrigerator. Either bring the brownies to room temperature before eating or briefly warm them in the microwave.
Freezer. Wrap the brownies individually in two layers of plastic wrap; then wrap them again in aluminum foil or place them in an airtight, freezer-safe bag or container. Thaw the brownies overnight in the refrigerator or for about an hour at room temperature.

Caramel coconut pecan brownies on white plates.

More Brownie Recipes

Get the Recipe: