German Chocolate Cookies are made with a soft and chewy chocolate cookie base, a decadent homemade coconut pecan frosting on top, and a chocolate drizzle to finish!
They're perfect for any occasion, from movie night snacking to your Thanksgiving dessert table and everything in between.
German Chocolate Cake Cookies are German Chocolate Cake in cookie form. Which means you can hold it in your hand and enjoy every rich and tasty bite.
Richly decadent, super chocolatey, and made with the BEST chocolate cookie recipe and coconut topping, they are like mini German Chocolate Cake bites in a handy treat!
They're so easy to make from scratch and are still ready in less than 30 minutes.
These rich chocolate cookies are always a crowd-pleaser whenever I make them.
They disappear so quickly, you might want to make a double batch!
Try some of my other cookie versions of cakes like my Pineapple Upside Down Cake Cookies, Gideon's Coffee Cake Cookies, Oreo Cheesecake Cookies, and my Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies!
For more delicious recipes loaded with chocolate, check out my Chocolate Almond Joy Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie Cookies, these Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies, or my Texas Sheet Cake Cookies!
Shopping List
Wet Ingredients. Butter, Vanilla Extract, Eggs, Evaporated Milk
Dry Ingredients. All Purpose Flour, Granulated White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Baking Powder, Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
Additional Ingredients. Sweetened Shredded Coconut, Pecans, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
How to Make German Chocolate Cookies
Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350 Degrees F and line your Baking Sheets with Parchment Paper or Silicone Mats. Set them aside for later.
Gather the ingredients and measure them using a kitchen scale for more accurate and consistent measurements. Remember to leave your butter and eggs at room temperature for an hour before you start mixing. (See my Pro Tips below for more info.)
In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine softened Butter and Granulated Sugar. Cream them together until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure you're using all the ingredients.
Add Egg and Vanilla Extract and continue to cream together.
Mix the Brown Sugar into the butter mixture and cream for 2-3 minutes.
Add dry ingredients of All-Purpose Flour, Dutch Process Cocoa, and Baking Powder a little at a time until fully combined.
Use a #24 cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough. Place the cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated oven set to 350 Degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
Remove from oven when edges are set and the center is no longer glossy.
TIP: When the cookies are hot out of the oven use the back of a teaspoon and press a well into the hot cookies. This is where you will pile on the coconut pecan topping!
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Topping
In a saucepan, heat the White Sugar, Evaporated Milk, Butter, and Egg Yolk over medium heat.
Stir the mixture to combine the ingredients while bringing it to a boil. About 10-15 minutes. The mixture will thicken.
Add Coconut, Pecans, and Vanilla Extract and stir to combine.
Place a spoonful of the mixture on top of each of the cooled cookies.
TIP: Make sure your cookies are cool before adding the topping; otherwise, the topping will melt off!
Drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate on top and allow it to cool before storing.
FAQs
German chocolate was actually invented by an American baker named Samuel German back in the mid-1800s for the Baker's Chocolate Company, and it's been a popular baking chocolate ever since.
German Chocolate Cake is a decadent and rich chocolate cake that just uses melted chocolate for its chocolate flavor rather than cocoa powder. It's also typically topped with a rich coconut pecan topping. In these cookies, we use Dutch Process Cocoa Powder for the base to give us that rich flavor in a moist cookie, and we drizzle melted chocolate on top for an extra decadent finish!
Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 30 seconds in the microwave. Stir the chips, then heat them for additional 30 seconds. Stir the chips again until smooth. Heat further for 15-second intervals and stir as needed until all the chocolate is smooth. Be careful not to overheat the chocolate, or it will burn.
Place melted chocolate in a Ziploc bag and snip the corner off. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies for a garnish.
Storage & Freezing
Storage: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They are best enjoyed on the same day. You can make the cookie bases ahead of time and store them for up to 7 days. Then simply make the pecan frosting and top them the day before serving them, or on the day.
Freezing: German Chocolate Cookies can be stored for up to 3 months. Flash-freeze them in a single layer, then place parchment paper or plastic wrap between each cookie to prevent them from sticking together. Store them in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag in the freezer.
Substitutions & Variations
- Cookie Base. You can try any kind of chewy chocolate cookies as a base. Try this recipe with my Chocolate Pudding Cookies as a base!
- Sizes. If you want smaller cookies, you can use a medium #50 or small #60 cookie scoop. Bear in mind that you'll need to reduce the baking time.
- Nuts. Pecans are the choice to mirror the traditional cake, but you can use walnuts or a different kind of nut if you prefer. Candied pecans will add even more richness to these delicious cookies if you have them!
- Topping. You can use a different kind of topping for these cookies if you want a different flavor. Try this recipe for Almond Buttercream, a Cream Cheese Frosting, or this Creme Frosting, or simply try a white chocolate drizzle on top instead of semi-sweet.
- Cocoa Powder. Dutch Process Cocoa Powder instead of regular Cocoa Powder will take these rich chocolate cookies to the next level. You should be able to find it at the bigger grocery stores, otherwise, you can easily source it online. For a milder chocolate flavor, you can use regular cocoa powder.
- Butter. I use salted butter in my recipes. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the cookie dough.
Pro Tips
Baking is a science, and adding too much or too little of any of the ingredients will alter the recipe. Weighing and measuring dry ingredients properly makes a world of difference. Investing in a kitchen scale is ideal. When a kitchen scale is not available, make sure to stir and lift ingredients before scooping them into a measuring cup.
What makes a good cookie? Does it have a soft center and crispy edges, and is it chewy? Each of these makes a great quality cookie. To make perfect cookies every time, here are some pro tips:
Room Temperature Ingredients.
Butter should be softened by allowing it to sit on the counter for 1 hour prior to mixing cookie dough. The Butter will still be chilled but will allow a finger impression when pressed. If your Butter is too soft, it'll be mushy and not mix well.
Baking with room-temperature eggs also helps when mixing cookie dough together. Ingredients will cream together more easily, creating a lighter cookie!
Mixer.
Use the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment in your mixer if you have one. Otherwise, use a large bowl and a hand mixer. If you don't have a mixer, you can use a spoon—that's how Grandma did it!
| Volume | Ounces | Grams | |
| All Purpose Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Bread Flour | 1 Cup | 4½ Ounces | 120 Grams |
| Granulated Sugar | 1 Cup | 7 Ounces | 200 Grams |
| Brown Sugar | 1 Cup | 7½ Ounces | 213 Grams |
| Confectionary Sugar | 1 Cup | 4 Ounces | 113 Grams |
Cookie Scoop.
Using a cookie scoop keeps each ball of cookie dough the same size, which is essential for ensuring even baking. We're using a larger size #24 cookie scoop for these cookies.
Cooling Rack.
Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a minute or two before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Kitchen Scale. I use this for accuracy in measuring, and it's a lifesaver when it comes to consistent baking.
- Wire Rack for cooling cookies. I like to have at least two cooling racks.
- Mixing Bowls. A Large Mixing Bowl for mixing ingredients and small and medium mixing bowls for other ingredients.
- Cookie Sheet. Most recipes will take two batches to bake. It's great to have multiple baking sheets available.
- Parchment Paper or Silicone Baking Mat. Line the Cookie Sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup and to prevent sticking.
- Cookie Scoop. A small #60 Cookie Scoop or a Medium Cookie Scoop #50 are great choices for uniform drops of cookie dough.
- Storage Container. An Airtight Container to store cookies or a Ziploc bag works great too.
- Additional supplies. Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons along with a silicone spatula, are all helpful.
To find out more, check out my Pro Tips Guide to make the best cookies every time!
Have you tried this German Chocolate Cookie recipe?
Let me know what you thought of this recipe! Tag @bestcookierecipes on social media so I can see how great your cookies turned out! I would also love to read your comments below. Let me know what you think of these cookies. It really does help!
More Chocolate Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Drop Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Chocolate Snowball Cookies
- Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
- Chocolate Oreo Sugar Cookies
- Peppermint Patties Cookies
- Grasshopper Chocolate Cookies
German Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
Chocolate Cookies
- ⅔ cup Butter Softened
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- ½ cup Brown Sugar 106g
- 1 Egg Large
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1½ cups All-Purpose Flour 180g
- ⅓ cup Dutch Process Cocoa 35g
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Topping
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1 Egg Yolk
- ½ cup Evaporated Milk
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¾ cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut
- ⅓ cup Pecans Chopped
- ¼ cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips 2-3 ounces, melted
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Line Baking Sheets with Parchment Paper or use Silicone Mats. Set aside.
- Gather the ingredients and measure them using a kitchen scale for more accurate and consistent measurements.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl, combine softened Butter and Granulated Sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Egg and Vanilla Extract and continue to cream.
- Mix the Brown Sugar into the butter mixture and cream for 2-3 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients of All-Purpose Flour, Dutch Process Cocoa, and Baking Powder a little at a time until fully combined.
- Use a size #24 cookie scoop to scoop cookie dough and place the cookie dough balls on a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in a preheated oven set to 350 Degrees F for 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from oven when edges are set and the center is no longer glossy.
- Tip: Use the back of a teaspoon and press a well into the hot cookies. This is where you will add the delicious topping once they have cooled completely.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack.
Topping
- In a saucepan, heat the White Sugar, Evaporated Milk, Butter, and Egg Yolk over medium heat.
- Stir the mixture to combine the ingredients while bringing it to a boil. About 10-15 minutes. The mixture will thicken.
- Add Coconut, Pecans, and Vanilla Extract and stir to combine.
- Place a spoonful of the mixture on top of each of the cooled cookies.
- TIP: Make sure your cookies are cool before adding the topping; otherwise, the topping will melt off!
- Drizzle melted semi-sweet chocolate on top and allow it to cool before storing.
Notes
- Make Ahead: As the frosting is best enjoyed on the same day, you can make the cookie bases ahead of time and store them for up to 7 days. Then simply make the pecan frosting and top them the day before serving them, or on the day.
- Storage: Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freezing: German Chocolate Cookies can be stored for up to 3 months. Flash-freeze them in a single layer, then place parchment paper or plastic wrap between each cookie to prevent them from sticking together. Store them in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag in the freezer.
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
Grace
German Chocolate Cake is wonderful and I loved these cookies just as much. Easy to make and the cookies were so soft.
Rebecca Johnston
Thanks for giving this recipe a try! Loved the review