Brown Sugar Brownies with Candied Macadamia Nuts and Toasted Coconut. Brownies feature dark chocolate, brown sugar, and vanilla bean paste. The rich, deep-dish dessert bars are loaded with candied macadamia nut pieces and toasted coconut. Served slightly warm with a scoop of chocolate ice cream.
Like our fresh cherry brownies, today were baking some deep-dish, cakey brownies featuring candied macadamia nuts and toasted coconut inside and on top. The brownies are decadent enough for dessert or for a grab and go snack.
I love fudgy brownies. I love cakey brownies. I love chocolate. Period.
The brownie base for these brownies is perfect for adding your favorite flavor combinations, swapping out the macadamia nuts and toasted coconut for something more traditional, or something more inventive.
These brownie bars enjoy the extra moisture from the molasses infused brown sugar, giving them a wonderful texture and amazing flavor. Light brown sugar or dark brown sugar both work here.
Why You Should Make These Brownies
- rich, decadent bars are perfect for snacking or dessert.
- chocolate + candied macadamia nuts + toasted coconut is delicious.
- in the oven in a matter of minutes.
- the brownie base works wonderfully with your favorite add-ins.
- brown sugar brownies store very well.
How To Make These Brown Sugar Brownies
I start this dessert by making the candied macadamias and toasting sweetened coconut flakes. At the same time, I get two sticks of butter and four eggs out of the refrigerator to come up to room temperature.
Candied Macadamia Nuts
Raw, unsalted macadamias can be a little bitter, so I candy the nuts to make them a little more dessert like. It’s an optional step.
The oven is preheated to 250 degrees F. An egg white, a splash of water and vanilla bean paste are beaten with a whisk until frothy. The macadamia nut pieces are tossed in the egg mixture and left to soak for a few minutes.
Sugar and a little sea salt are combined in a small bowl and stirred to combine. Half the sugar mix goes into the bowl with the nuts to dissolve and start to adhere to the nuts.
The nuts are tossed in the remaining sugar mixture and laid out on a cookie or baking sheet in a single layer but close to one another. The nuts are baked for 15 minutes, stirred and baked another 15 minutes. A close eye during the final 15 minutes is advised so they turn golden but do not over brown.
Toasted Coconut
Sweetened coconut flakes are spread evenly on a baking sheet and toasted for about 5 minutes in a preheated 250 degrees F. oven. Just looking to take some of the moisture and chewiness out of the coconut flakes and add a bit of golden color.
Brown Sugar Brownies
While I’m melting the unsweetened chocolate in a small saucepan at the lowest heat possible, I add slightly chilled unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to a stand mixer and cream it at medium speed for 3 minutes.
As soon as the chocolate has melted, the saucepan is removed from the heat and set aside.
Eggs are added to the sugar mixture in the stand mixer, one at a time, and beaten on low speed until fully incorporated. Vanilla bean paste is added to sugar mixture the and beaten on low a few seconds to incorporate. The stand mixer bowl is removed from the stand mixer.
The chocolate is added to brownie batter and folded in using a large spatula. Most of the macadamia nuts and toasted coconut are folded in to the brownie batter. A handful or each is reserved to garnish the top.
The brownie batter is spread evenly into all corners of the prepared pan. The brownies are baked 45 minutes, or until set. The brownies are removed from the oven and cooled on a wire rack.
The parchment handle is used to remove the brownies easily from the pan. Reserved candied macadamia nut pieces and toasted coconut are sprinkled over the top.
Other Dessert Bar Recipes You Might Enjoy
Some of our most popular dessert bar recipes include apple pie bars, chocolate pecan pie bars, fresh cherry brownies with almonds, blondies, and raspberry chocolate bars with pistachio and coconut crust.
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Brown Sugar Browines
Ingredients
Candied Macadamia Nuts:
- 30 grams egg white (1 large)
- 15 grams water (1 tablespoon)
- 3 grams vanilla bean paste (1/2 teaspoon)
- 180 grams macadamia nut pieces (3/4 cup)
- 50 grams granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
- 1 gram fine sea salt (1/4 teaspoon)
Toasted Coconut:
- 90 grams sweetened coconut flakes (3/4 cup)
Brown Sugar Brownies:
- 113 grams unsweetened chocolate (4 ounces)
- 226 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks OR 8 ounces), room temperature
- 100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
- 300 grams light brown sugar (1-1/2 cups)
- 200 grams egg (4 large), room temperature
- 10 grams vanilla bean paste (2 teaspoons)
- 160 grams all-purpose flour (1-1/4 cups)
Instructions
Candied Macadamia Nuts:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
- Add egg white, water, and vanilla bean paste to small mixing bowl. Whisk until frothy. Add macadamia nut pieces to egg white mixture. Toss to coat. Set aside for several minutes.
- Add granulated sugar, and fine sea salt to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Add half the sugar mixture to the macadamia nuts. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the nuts to the remaining sugar mixture. Toss to coat.
- Spread the macadamia nuts in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Stir and bake additional 15 minutes.
- Remove baking sheet from oven and cool on wire rack.
Toasted Coconut:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
- Spread sweetened coconut flakes in single layer on cookie or baking sheet. Heat in oven until the coconut has dried and begins to brown along the outer edges, about 5 minutes.
Brown Sugar Brownies:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line bottom of an 8-inch baking pan with parchment with enough parchment going up two opposite sides to create handles.
- Add unsweetened chocolate to a small saucepan. Heat over very low heat until melted. Remove from heat and set aside to cool down.
- Add unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar to stand mixer. Beat on low for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula, if necessary.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition.
- Add the melted chocolate and vanilla bean paste to the stand mixer bowl. Beat on low until incorporated. Remove stand mixer bowl from mixer.
- Add the all-purpose flour to the chocolate mixture. Fold flour in with large spatula. Do not over mix.
- Add candied macadamia nuts and toasted coconut to the brownie batter, reserving a hand full of each to sprinkle over the top for visual appeal.
- Spread the batter evenly into the parchment lined pan. Bake 45 minutes in preheated oven. If center is still soft, bake 5 additional minutes. Repeat until the center is firm. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack. Remove brownies from pan with parchment paper handles.
- Sprinkle reserved candied macadamia nut pieces and toasted coconut over the top.
