These German chocolate cookies are a delightful treat for any occasion. With deep chocolate flavor and a traditional flavor and texture from the sweet coconut frosting, these rich chocolate cookies are a must-try — especially if you are a fan of German chocolate cake! Don’t forget the melted chocolate drizzle at the end; it takes these cookies to the next level.
Be sure to use sweetened shredded coconut and finely chopped pecans for the frosting to achieve the perfect consistency. It should have a lot of texture but should not be overly chunky and difficult to spread on the cookies. For more chocolate cookie recipes, try my rocky road cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, and brownie cookies.
Ingredients
Flour — you need all-purpose flour for these cookies.
Cocoa powder — Dutch-process cocoa powder adds an incredibly deep, chocolatey flavor. Unsweetened natural cocoa powder can be used instead.
Baking soda — baking soda is a must for chewy chocolate cookies.
Salt — salt rounds out the flavors in German chocolate cookies.
Butter — since the cookies already have salt added, use unsalted butter so the cookies do not turn out salty.
Sugar — white sugar adds sweetness, and light brown sugar also adds moisture and light molasses notes. The blend of both creates a crispy-edge cookie with a delightfully chewy center.
Egg — an egg helps to bind the cookie dough.
Vanilla — use good quality vanilla extract for the best cookies.
Chocolate — semi-sweet chocolate chips and chopped German chocolate ensure you have little pockets of melty chocolatey in every bite.
Frosting — for the decadent frosting, you need a few extra ingredients, including evaporated milk, an egg yolk, sweetened shredded coconut, and finely chopped toasted pecans.
How To Make German Chocolate Cookies
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set the flour mixture aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer), cream the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until lightened in color and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on low speed just until combined.
2. With the mixer still on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients a few tablespoonfuls at a time. Mix just until combined between each addition.
3. Add the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate and mix on low speed just until combined.
4. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a triggered cookie scoop, scoop cookies to be about 1½ tablespoons in size onto the prepared cookie sheets. Leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie to give them room to spread. Bake at 350°F for about 9 minutes.
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and tap the cookies on the counter once to flatten the tops of the cookies so you have a flat surface for the frosting. Let the German chocolate cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
5. To make the frosting, whisk together the sugar, evaporated milk, and egg yolk in a small saucepan. Add the butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently with a silicone or rubber spatula, for about 5 minutes, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a low boil. Cook until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove the mixture from the heat.
6. To the butter mixture, add the coconut, chopped pecans, and vanilla extract. Let the frosting cool completely, stirring occasionally.
7. Once the German chocolate cookies and frosting have cooled down, dollop about 1 tablespoon onto each cookie and spread almost to the edges.
8. Prepare the melted chocolate drizzle by heating the chocolate chips in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Then, drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cookies.
What Type Of Cocoa Powder Should I Use?
Dutch-processed cocoa powder is the best choice for this German chocolate cookie recipe. It has the richest chocolate flavor and a deeper brown color than natural cocoa powder, and I think it takes these cookies to the next level. If you don’t have Dutch-process cocoa powder, you can use unsweetened natural cocoa powder as well. Your cookies will likely turn out a lighter shade of brown.
Choosing The Right Coconut
Make sure you use shredded sweetened coconut for the right consistency and sweetness level in the frosting. This type of shredded coconut is essential to achieve the traditional German chocolate cake-style frosting you know and love.
Avoid desiccated coconut, which is too fine, and large flaked coconut, which will make the frosting way too chunky.
How To Store
German chocolate cookies hold nicely in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Weigh the flour. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour so you don’t accidentally use too much, which will cause the cookies to dry out. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Set the egg and butter out in advance so they are easier to incorporate into the cookie dough. See my tutorial for how to soften butter quickly if you forget to set it out.
- Chocolate substitution: You can use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (180g) in place of the ½ cup of chocolate chips and 4 ounces of chopped German chocolate bar.
- Use a triggered cookie scoop: This will ensure all the cookies are the same size.
- To cool the frosting faster: Transfer the frosting to a bowl and pop it into the refrigerator. Stir occasionally.
- Use a piping bag for the chocolate drizzle. The melted chocolate can be a bit finicky to drizzle neatly without one. You can also put it in a Ziplock bag and snip off one corner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Store the cookie dough balls in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then let it come to room temperature before baking as directed.
You can make the coconut pecan frosting up to 3 days in advance. Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Set it out on the counter to come to room temperature, or microwave it for 30 seconds and stir well before frosting the cookies.
The frosting does firm up some when it cools, but it does not harden like icing or a classic buttercream does.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this German chocolate cookies recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
German Chocolate Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
- 2 large baking sheets or cookie sheets
- 1½ tablespoon-sized cookie scoop
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour (200g)
- ½ cup cocoa powder (50g)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened (170g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar (110g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (90g)
- 4 ounces german chocolate chopped (113g)
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ½ cup evaporated milk (120mL)
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cubed (56g)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (95g)
- ½ cup pecans toasted and finely chopped (50g)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (180g)
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer), cream the butter, light brown, and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until lightened in color and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix on low speed for 30 seconds, just until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture a few tablespoonfuls at a time, mixing just until combined between each addition. Add the chocolate chips and chopped chocolate and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Scoop cookies to be about 1½ tablespoons in size (about 35g each) with a triggered cookie scoop or two spoons, onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake for about 9 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the cookies on the counter once to flatten the tops (this gives a flat surface for the frosting.) Let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- In a small saucepan, whisk to combine the sugar, milk, and egg yolk. Add the butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently with a silicone or rubber spatula for about 5 minutes, until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a low boil. Once at a low boil, cook for 1 more minute, stirring frequently until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the coconut, chopped pecans and vanilla extract. Let the frosting cool completely, stirring occasionally. (To cool faster, transfer the mixture to a bowl and place in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.)
- Dollop about 1 tablespoon on each cooled cookie and spread almost to the edges.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate on on high heat in 30 seconds, then stir (if possible). Continue to heat in 15 second increments, stirring in between each, until melted. Drizzle the chocolate over top of the cookies.
Notes
- Weigh the flour. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour so you don’t accidentally use too much, which will cause the cookies to dry out. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour in its container, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Set the egg and butter out in advance so they are easier to incorporate into the cookie dough. See my tutorial for how to soften butter quickly if you forget to set it out.
- Chocolate substitution: You can use 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (180g) in place of the ½ cup of chocolate chips and 4 ounces of chopped German chocolate bar.
- Use a triggered cookie scoop: This will ensure all the cookies are the same size.
- To cool the frosting faster: Transfer the frosting to a bowl and pop it into the refrigerator. Stir occasionally.
- Use a piping bag for the chocolate drizzle. The melted chocolate can be a bit finicky to drizzle neatly without one. You can also put it in a Ziplock bag and snip off one corner.
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