Mawmaw's German Chocolate Bars

24 servings Prep: 10 m Cook: 25 m Total: 35 m Beginner
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Mawmaw's German Chocolate Bars
This was one of my grandson Colby’s favorite cookies at Christmas with pecans, coconut, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. Now he makes his Mom do them. Easy shortcut recipe using German chocolate cake mix and condensed milk for foolproof bars that disappear fast.

Ingredients

24 servings
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 package Betty Crocker German Chocolate Cake Mix
  • 3 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 (6 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips or butterscotch
  • 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 (14 oz) can condensed milk

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt the butter and pour into a 9x12 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix onto the butter, distributing evenly. Then sprinkle and layer in this order: marshmallows, chips, coconut, and then pecans. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the top.
  3. Bake 25 minutes or until golden brown. Run butter knife along the edge to loosen sides while still warm. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why did my bars fall apart when cutting?

A: Make sure to cool the bars completely before cutting—cutting while warm makes them crumbly. Also, running a butter knife along the edges while still warm helps release them from the pan.

Q: Can I use a different cake mix flavor?

A: German chocolate cake mix gives the authentic flavor, but you could use regular chocolate cake mix. The result will be slightly different but still delicious.

Tips and Techniques

Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting for clean edges. These bars freeze beautifully—layer them between parchment paper in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • semi-sweet chocolate chips: butterscotch chips or milk chocolate chips
  • sweetened flaked coconut: toasted coconut
  • pecans: walnuts or almonds

Equipment Needed

  • 9x12 inch baking pan
  • medium saucepan or microwave-safe bowl (for melting butter)

Historical Context

German chocolate cake isn’t actually German—it’s named after Sam German who developed a sweet baking chocolate for Baker’s Chocolate Company in 1852. This layered bar version became popular as a time-saving alternative to making the traditional layer cake.