Servings
Font
Back
German Chocolate Cookies
4.8 from 12 votes

German Chocolate Cookies

German Chocolate Cookies — An EASY recipe for soft, chewy, fudgy chocolate cookies that are topped with a rich and creamy pecan coconut frosting! If you love German chocolate cake but don’t want to deal with layering and frosting an entire cake, these cookies are PERFECT! Great for holiday cookie platters, Valentine's Day, or 'just because'! They're a Crumbl Cookies copycat and I promise that this homemade version is BETTER!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 24
Calories: 344 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: International

Ingredients

Cookies
  • ¾ cup butter softened (1 1/2 sticks, unsalted
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 egg large
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • instant chocolate pudding mix not sugar-free and not ‘cook & serve’, 3.9-ounce package
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 cup chocolate chips semi-sweet
German Chocolate Frosting
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 egg discard or use white for another purpose, yolk from large eggs
  • ½ cup butter softened, unsalted
  • 1 ½ cups coconut toasted if desired, sweetened shredded
  • 1 ¼ cups pecans salted or unsalted, based on preference, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate Ganache, optional
  • ½ cup chocolate chips semi-sweet
  • 1 teaspoon heavy cream half-and-half may be substituted

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cookies - To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the butter, sugars, egg, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
  2. Add the vanilla and beat to incorporate, about 30 seconds.
  3. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the pudding mix, cocoa powder, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
  4. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, baking soda, salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
  5. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the chocolate chips and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.
  6. Using a medium cookie scoop, make the cookie dough balls using about 2-3 tablespoons of dough per cookie dough ball, which makes approximately 20 to 24 equal-sized mounds of dough. Roll between your palms to form smooth balls, and flatten slightly.
  7. Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 3 days. Tip - Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
  8. Baking - When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F.
  9. Line two baking sheets with Silpat Baking Mats (or parchment paper; or spray the baking sheets with cooking spray) and place about 8 to 10 cookie dough balls per sheet, evenly spaced; do not crowd.
  10. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just set, even if slightly undercooked and glossy in the center. Don’t overbake which is easy to do with dark cookies. Cookies firm up as they cool. Tips - Bake the cookies until they're done and the baking time could range from 8 to 13 minutes or so, depending on how big or small the dough balls are, your oven, your climate, your baking sheet material, etc. Watch your cookies and not the clock when determining doneness.
  11. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet while you make the German Chocolate Frosting.
  12. German Chocolate Frosting - As a timesaving tip, feel free to use one or two tubs of store bought Chocolate Pecan Frosting. Frost the cooled cookies as desired.
  13. However, if you're making the frosting from scratch, to a small saucepan add the evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and heat over medium heat. Tip - Make sure not to confuse evaporated milk with sweetened condensed milk; select the former not the later. Regular milk should not be substituted.
  14. Once it begins to boil, boil it a medium boil for approximately 10 minutes, or until the syrup coats the back of a spoon.
  15. Add the coconut, pecans, vanilla, and stir to combine. Tips - If you're toasting the coconut, do so in a dry skillet for a minute or two, or as long as it's necessary for it to lightly toast before adding it here. Be careful though because coconut burns fast due to the high sugar content. I personally don't bother toasting it, but you can if desired.
  16. Evenly spread the frosting, as desired, over each cookie. Tip - Make sure cookies are sufficiently cooled before you add the warm frosting so it doesn't just melt more and slide right off.
  17. Chocolate Ganache, optional - To a medium microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and heat in 10 to 15-second bursts, or until chocolate can be stirred smooth. Tip - Don't try to do it too quickly or the chips won't melt and will simply burn.
  18. Using a small spoon, evenly drizzle a bit of chocolate over the top of each cookie before serving.
  19. Cookie base adapted from my own Quadruple Soft Fudge Pudding Cookies

Notes

  • Storage
  • In the Refrigerator: These cookies will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days, noting that they'll dry out over time. I'm fine keeping them at room temp, but choose whichever method is best for you.
  • In the Freezer: These cookies will keep airtight in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can freeze the fully assembled cookies, or freeze the raw cookie dough, baked cookies, and / or frosting separately. if baking cookie dough from frozen, you don't need to thaw the dough balls first and can bake straight from frozen, just add a couple minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 344kcal (17%) Carbohydrates 38g (13%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 21g (32%) Saturated Fat 11g (55%) Polyunsaturated Fat 9g (53%) Cholesterol 75mg (25%) Sodium 158mg (7%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 25g (50%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 344

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 344kcal 17%
Carbohydrates 38g 13%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 21g 32%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Polyunsaturated Fat 9g 53%
Cholesterol 75mg 25%
Sodium 158mg 7%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 25g 50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.