This German Chocolate Cookies recipe makes cookies that are soft, chewy, and topped with a gooey caramel coconut pecan frosting. They’re easy to make and destined to become a family favorite during the holidays or any other time of year.
The soft chocolate cookies are made with brown sugar and high quality cocoa powder. Once they have baked, the hot cookies are gently pressed with the back of a spoon to create a little pocket to hold the caramel pecan coconut German chocolate frosting.
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Soft and Chewy German Chocolate Cookies Recipe
If German Chocolate Cake in cookie form sounds makes your mouth water, this recipe is for you. These soft and chewy chocolate cookies are covered in gooey German Chocolate Frosting made from caramel, coconut, and pecans.
This recipe for German Chocolate Cookies is an absolute favorite Christmas cookie of mine because everyone loves them and they are super simple to prep ahead of time. Both the cookie dough and frosting can be made in advance and then baked whenever you need. If you are a serious chocoholic, feel free to take it a step further and drizzle them with melted chocolate.
German Chocolate Cookie Ingredients
- Butter - I used salted butter so if you use unsalted butter, just increase your additional salt to 1 teaspoon for this recipe.
- Brown Sugar - I like to use light brown sugar for this recipe but if you want a stronger molasses flavor you could use dark brown sugar.
- Eggs - any kind of large eggs will work. It’s best if they are at room temperature so that they don’t “shock” the butter when you add them.
- Vanilla Extract - pure vanilla extract tastes best.
- Salt - I like to use sea salt.
- Baking Soda - this helps the cookies to rise and stay nice and soft.
- Flour - you can use all-purpose flour for this recipe.
- Cocoa Powder - to get the best flavor, try and find a better brand of cocoa powder such as Guittard or Ghirardelli. I recommend using Dutch process cocoa powder which is darker in color and will make darker colored cookies.
German Chocolate Topping Ingredients
- Egg Yolks - you only need the yolks so either save the whites for another use or discard.
- Evaporated Milk - make sure you use evaporated milk and not sweetened condensed milk.
- Sugar - you’ll need white granulated sugar to make the topping.
- Butter - you can use either salted or unsalted butter, depending on your personal preference.
- Salt - sea salt will work well.
- Coconut - sweetened shredded coconut works great. You can use unsweetened if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract - this gives the flavor a little boost.
- Coconut Extract - it’s not completely necessary, but coconut extract will really enhance the coconut flavor.
- Pecans - for the best flavor, be sure to toast the pecans before using. You will be chopping these so feel free to save a little money and buy pecan pieces rather than whole pecans.
How to Make German Chocolate Cookies
- Mix the cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the melted butter and brown sugar. Mix to combine, then add the eggs and vanilla. Mix on low just until combined. In a separate large bowl, add the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. Whisk, then add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined.
- Chill the cookie dough. Cover the dough in the bowl and transfer to the fridge for 30-60 minutes.
- Scoop the cookies. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and use an ice cream scoop to scoop approximately 1½ tablespoon dough balls onto a cookie sheet about 2" apart.
- Bake. Bake in your preheated oven for 8-11 minutes, or until the center of the cookie is set and the edges of the cookies are slightly firm.
- Cool the cookies. When the cookies are finished baking, remove from the oven and immediately gently press a rounded measuring spoon on top of each chocolate cookie to make an indentation. Allow to cool completely while you make the topping.
- Toast pecans. Heat a skillet over medium heat, then add the pecans to the dry skillet. Stir and toss them frequently, cooking for about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Once toasted, remove from heat to cool.
- Make the German Chocolate Frosting. In a medium sized pot, add the egg yolks, evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and salt and whisk. Heat over medium, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil and whisk for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the shredded coconut, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and pecans. (Note: if you aren't serving this right away, wait to add the pecans until you're ready to serve it) Let the German Chocolate Frosting cool to room temperature.
- Finish the cookies. When you're ready to serve, add a tablespoon of German Chocolate topping to the top of each cookie. Enjoy!
German Chocolate Cookie Recipe Variations
If you can't get enough German Chocolate dessert recipes, give one of these easy recipe variations a try:
- German Chocolate Sandwich Cookies: Make sandwich cookies by pairing two chocolate cookies with a layer of German chocolate frosting in the middle.
- German Chocolate Cookie Cups: Press German chocolate cookie dough into mini muffin tins to create cups. Fill each cup with a spoonful of German chocolate frosting and bake until the edges are golden brown. These bite-sized treats are perfect for parties.
- German Chocolate Whoopie Pies: Sandwich German chocolate frosting between two homemade Oreo chocolate cookies to create delicious whoopie pies. These handheld treats are perfect for packing in lunches or enjoying as an afternoon snack.
- German Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches: Sandwich a scoop of coconut or chocolate ice cream between two German chocolate cookies for a cool and refreshing dessert. Roll the edges in chopped pecans or shredded coconut for added texture.
- German Chocolate Cookie Bars: Press German chocolate cookie dough into a baking pan to create a cookie bar base. Top with a layer of German chocolate frosting and bake until set. Once cooled, cut into squares for easy serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This frosting has an amazing shelf life and can be made pretty far in advance. It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge or even 2 months in the freezer.
Yup! You can actually freeze both the cookies and the German Chocolate Frosting. The frosting can be frozen for up to 2 months and then pulled out to room temperature until it is spreadable once you are ready to use it. The cookie dough can be scooped and stored frozen for up to 2 months. Once you are ready to bake, just transfer directly to baking sheets and bake in a preheated oven as directed, adding a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Despite the name, German Chocolate Cake (which is where we got the inspiration for these cookies from) doesn’t come from Germany at all. German Chocolate Cake actually started in the United States where a home baker from Texas. She made a special cake with a pecan and coconut frosting using “German Chocolate,” a special blend of ultra dark chocolate created by another American named Samuel German - also not from Germany!
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- Room Temperature: store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: you can make the cookie dough up to 5 days in advance, then bake when you are ready. You can also store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer- to freeze cookie dough, it's best to scoop them first, then lined baking sheets with parchment and freeze until solid. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and place in freezer bags where you can store for up to 2 months.
- To bake from frozen: pull frozen dough balls from the freezer and transfer to a baking sheet while you preheat the oven. You don't need to let the dough thaw completely, you just may need to add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
German Chocolate Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Salted Butter melted
- 1¾ cups Brown Sugar
- 2 large Eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ⅓ cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
German Chocolate Topping
- 2 large Egg Yolks
- ½ cup Evaporated Milk
- ½ cup Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Shredded Coconut
- ⅓ cup Pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the melted butter and brown sugar. Mix to combine, then add the eggs and vanilla. Mix on low just until combined.
- In a separate large bowl, add the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and flour. Whisk, then add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until combined.
- Cover the dough in the bowl and transfer to the fridge for 30-60 minutes. (This will produce a very thick and fudgy cookie dough)
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Remove the cookie dough from the fridge and use an ice cream scoop to scoop approximately 1½ tablespoon dough balls onto a cookie sheet about 2" apart.
- Bake in your preheated oven for 8-11 minutes, or until the center of the cookie is set and the edges of the cookies are slightly firm.
- When the cookies are finished baking, remove from the oven and immediately gently press a rounded measuring spoon on top of each chocolate cookie to make an indentation. Allow to cool completely while you make the topping.
How to Make the German Chocolate Topping
- Heat a skillet over medium heat, then add the pecans to the dry skillet. Stir and toss them frequently, cooking for about 1-2 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. You need to watch them closely so they do not burn. Once toasted, remove from heat to cool.
- In a medium sized pot, add the egg yolks, evaporated milk, sugar, butter, and salt. Whisk to combine. Heat over medium, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil and whisk for 2 minutes.
- After 2 minutes, remove from the heat and add the shredded coconut, vanilla extract, coconut extract, and pecans. (Note: if you aren't serving this right away, wait to add the pecans until you're ready to serve it) Let the German Chocolate Frosting cool to room temperature.
- When you're ready to serve, add a tablespoon of German Chocolate topping to the top of each cookie. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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These irresistible German Chocolate Cookies are covered with our gooey German Chocolate Frosting. They are a soft and chewy chocolate cookie that is easy to make and a perfect addition to your holiday baking list.
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