Make this Coconut Pecan Frosting recipe from scratch for your favorite German Chocolate Cake! This decadent frosting is gooey and sweet like caramel and loaded with coconut and pecans.
Coconut Pecan Frosting
No Southern baker should be without this amazing Coconut Pecan Frosting recipe. It is super sweet, super gooey and loaded with pecans and shredded coconut.
This frosting is cooked on the stovetop to create a thick, custard-like base. That’s what gives it that rich, caramel flavor and helps it set up perfectly as it cools. To make it, you use the same method as you would for custard, and it tastes like caramel mixed coconut and the crunch of pecans. Totally decadent and sweet and rich, and complements chocolate amazingly well.
What Is Coconut Pecan Frosting?
Coconut pecan frosting, often called German chocolate frosting, is a rich, cooked frosting made with butter, sugar, egg yolks, and evaporated milk. Once thickened, it’s finished with sweet coconut and chopped pecans for its signature texture and flavor.
Unlike traditional smooth frostings, this one is thick, gooey, and almost caramel-like, with a nutty crunch and chewy bites of coconut.
It’s most famously used on German chocolate cake, where it’s layered between the cake instead of spread smoothly on the outside. But it’s just as delicious on brownies, cupcakes, or even straight from the spoon!
What Do I Use Coconut Pecan Frosting for?
Coconut Pecan Frosting is a gooey frosting, with the consistency of a cross between custard or pudding and caramel.
Traditionally, it's used to fill and frost a German Chocolate Cake.
What to Do with Leftover Coconut Pecan Frosting
Here are some more ways to use it!
- German Chocolate Cookies
- German Chocolate Brownies
- German Chocolate Pie
- Parfait
- Mini tarts
- Chocolate pudding topping
- Sandwiched between 2 cookies
- Ice cream topping
Does Coconut Pecan Frosting Need to be Refrigerated?
If I made it ahead and haven't yet used it on a cake or other baked good, I prefer to keep it in the refrigerator. (Remove it for an hour to come to room temperature before spreading)
If it's on a cake or cookies, etc., it can stay covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.
How to Thicken Coconut Pecan Frosting
This frosting is made kind of like a custard or pudding. The thickeners are the egg yolks and cornstarch. Simply whisk the frosting base on the stove unless it reaches desired thickness. As long as you cook it for long enough on the stove, you shouldn't need anything else to make it thicker.
More Delicious Frosting Recipes
- Caramel Frosting - gooey spreadable frosting that's made with a homemade caramel base
- Marshmallow Frosting - gooey, sticky, sweet, and vanilla, just like a marshmallow
- Strawberry Buttercream - made with real, fresh (or frozen) strawberries!
- Whipped Mascarpone Frosting - light, fluffy, and delicately sweet!
- Pipe-able Cream Cheese Frosting - a cream cheese frosting that is thick enough to hold its shape when piped onto cupcakes!
Coconut Pecan Frosting Video
Coconut Pecan Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 cups evaporated milk
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 egg yolks
- 1 cup butter sliced
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 2 cups chopped pecans
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, add evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter. Cook stirring constantly for 3 to 4 minutes or until butter melts and sugar dissolves.
- Continue cooking and stirring constantly until mixture becomes a light caramel color, is bubbling, and reaches a pudding-like thickness, about 12-15 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat. Stir in vanilla, coconut, and pecans.
- Transfer mixture to a bowl. Let stand, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes or until cooled and spreading consistency.
Notes
- Toast the coconut for more flavor. Place on a baking sheet, and bake at 325°F for about 5-10 minutes until golden. Then mix into frosting as called for in the recipe.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. Leave out for an hour and stir well before spreading onto a cake.
Nutrition
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Chike Robinson says
Delicious
Dannii says
Oh I want to put this on everything! Anything with pecans is good with me.
Toni says
My kids really loved it!! I couldn't wait to make it again!
gunjan says
loved the combination of coconut and pecan in frosting. My kids licked up the entire batch as is. It came out super nice.
Tayler Ross says
I've made several german chocolate cake frostings, but this one is by far my favorite!
Jovita says
Amazing! A delicious frosting and an easy to follow recipe. Family loved it. Thanks 🙂
Claire says
Delicious. First time making coconut and pecan frosting and we all loved it!
Katherine says
This frosting is exactly like the one on then German Chocolate Cake that I get at restaurants!
Aimee Mars says
The frosting is one of the best parts of a German Chocolate cake and this one looks like the ultimate indulgence. I'm going to bookmark this recipe!
Amanda Wren-Grimwood says
This frosting would be great on cupcakes and loaf cakes too. I think I could just eat it with a spoon!
Savita says
This turned out soo well, loved the recipe so easy to make and follow too.
Elisa says
Love this Coconut Pecan Frosting recipe, never seen this before, I will make it soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Kechi says
I love everything coconut and am interested to try this one. Thanks for sharing!
shashi at savory spin says
Oh my lawd- forget the cake, I can eat this with a spoon!
Ned says
After living in the south when I was young, I developed a love of everything pecan. This frosting was delicious! Thank you!
Anjali says
This frosting was perfectly sweet, delicious and decadent! I actually used it as a topping for chocolate cupcakes and it worked out great!
Ava M says
How decadent! Looks absolutely delicious, can't wait to try it.
Beth says
This is amazing! I will be slathering this frosting on everything in sight!
Sandy says
Perfect amount of frosting. The instructions were awesome. The frosting has great flavor and texture. This recipe is a keeper for sure!