Irresistible Mississippi Mud Brownies

Mississippi Mud Brownies are loaded with gooey marshmallows, coconut, toasty pecans and fudge frosting. Stop what you are doing and go make these now!

If I was to choose an all-time favorite chocolate dessert, these Mississippi Mud Brownies are definitely in the top 5.

This Mississippi mud brownies recipe is like a regular brownie except it gets loaded with pecans and coconut, then topped with a marshmallow layer, more chopped pecans, and a soft, gooey fudge frosting. They are so rich and wonderful and they will make you famous with all of your friends and co-workers if you take them a batch. Some folks call it Mississippi mud cake but I feel like the texture is more similar to a brownie, hence the name. You can call it whatever you want!

Getting brownie batter just right is really a matter of having a good ratio of eggs to butter to flour. Too much flour and they turn out cakey. Too few eggs and they just aren’t rich and fudgy enough. This Mississippi mud brownie recipe gets it just right so you end up with a deliciously chewy brownie.

What really makes this brownie batter special, in my opinion, is adding just enough coconut for a chewier brownie than you might be used to. The texture is just so surprisingly perfect without it being all “coconutty” for people who aren’t into that.

These are guaranteed to vanish at any bake sale, potluck, or dessert table at a party or gathering. The rich chocolate layers of moist brownies, gooey marshmallow, and frosting are irresistible!

What You’ll Need

• Butter – I use salted butter in almost all of my baking. You could use oil instead, but it doesn’t give the richness of butter.
• Granulated sugar
• Large eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – Cocoa powder is essential for chocolate brownies, but relies on sugar to bring in the sweetness.
• All-purpose flour
• Baking Powder
• Salt
• Coconut – This is an integral part of what makes these brownies “Mississippi Mud” brownies. It adds a subtle coconut flavor, plus great texture.
• Pecans – A staple in many Southern dishes, chopped pecans add great flavor and texture to these brownies!
• Mini marshmallows
• Milk
• Powdered sugar

How to Make Mississippi Mud Brownies

Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, then add the melted butter to the sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy and light. Add the eggs and vanilla, then beat again until smooth.

Next come the dry ingredients of cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt, coconut, and 1 cup of the chopped pecans, then stir to combine.

Pour the brownie batter into a 9×13-inch pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or lined with a parchment paper sling. Bake for 30-40 minutes in a 350°F oven until a toothpick or sharp knife inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with just a few crumbs on it.

While the brownies are baking, mix all of the frosting ingredients together and beat until smooth. Set aside.

Remove the pan of brownies from the oven and immediately sprinkle the marshmallows on top of the brownies. Wait 5 minutes for the marshmallows to soften and expand a bit from the heat of the hot brownies. Sprinkle the remaining chopped pecans on top.

To frost, scoop dollops of the chocolate icing over the soft marshmallows while the brownies are still hot and then gently spread or nudge the dollops of frosting around to touch each other. It won’t be perfect because the soft marshmallows make it tricky to truly “frost” the brownies, but it will be okay if marshmallow pokes through in places.

Frosting these brownies while they are still warm helps because the frosting will melt just a bit and make for extra gooey yumminess.

Cool, then cut into squares and serve.

Tips for Success

• Don’t overbake. The secret to success with most brownie recipes is to underbake slightly so they stay super moist and fudgy.
• Try adding 1 cup of chocolate chips if you want even more chocolate flavor!
• Cutting brownies into squares with a plastic knife really does work! Once they have cooled completely, you will usually get cleaner cuts with a plastic knife than a metal one.

FAQ’s

How to Store

You can store these brownies on the counter in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for a day or two longer than that. If refrigerated, we suggest pulling them out and letting them sit out on the counter for an hour to come to room temperature before serving.

If you love Mississippi mud brownies, you might also love Mississippi mud cookies, mud pie ice cream cake, or Mississippi mud pie!

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Print Pin Rate

Mississippi Mud Brownies

5 from 27 votes

Amy Nash

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18 brownies

Gooey, and irresistible Mississippi Mud Brownies are loaded with marshmallows, coconut, pecans and fudge frosting. Stop what you are doing and go make these now!

Ingredients

  

123

Brownie base

• ▢ 1 cup salted butter melted
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g)
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 cup shredded sweetened coconut
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans divided
• ▢ 1/2 (10-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows

Fudge frosting

• ▢ 1/4 cup salted butter melted
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons milk
• ▢ 2 cups powdered sugar

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with a parchment paper sling or spray with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add cocoa, flour, baking powder, salt, coconut, and 1 cup of the chopped pecans and stir to combine.
  1 cup salted butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, 4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ cup shredded sweetened coconut, 1 ½ cups coarsely chopped pecans
• Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick or sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• While the brownies are baking, mix all of the frosting ingredients together and beat until smooth. Set aside.
  ¼ cup salted butter, 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 Tablespoons milk, 2 cups powdered sugar
• Remove the brownies from the oven and Immediately top with the marshmallows. Wait 5 minutes, then sprinkle remaining chopped pecans on top.
  ½ (10-ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
• To frost, scoop dollops of frosting over the soft marshmallows while the brownies are still hot and then gently spread or nudge the dollops of frosting around to touch each other. It won't be perfect because the soft marshmallows make it tricky to truly "frost" the brownies, but it will be okay if marshmallow pokes through in places. Frosting these brownies while they are still warm helps because the frosting will melt just a bit and make for extra gooey yumminess.
• Cool, then cut into squares and serve.

Notes

• Storage: Keep leftover brownies covered in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• Pecans: You can skip the pecans if someone in your family has allergies or you just don’t like them. This would make it more of a marshmallow brownies recipe, but they are still delicious! If you can’t have pecans but still want a similar crunch, try replacing them with an equal amount of coarsely broken up pretzels.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 213mg | Potassium: 138mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

This post was originally published in November, 2016. The photos and content were updated in October, 2022.