German Chocolate Cake Cookies
A delightful cookie that captures the classic German chocolate cake flavors with rich cocoa, chewy coconut, toasted pecans, and melty chocolate chips, perfect for sharing and easy baking.
Ingredients
For the cookie dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Make sure butter is softened, not melted.
- 2 cups brown sugar Light or dark works; can use a mix of brown and granulated sugar for less moisture.
- 2 large eggs Use pasteurized eggs if tasting raw dough.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed will give a deeper flavor.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt Use unsalted butter to control salt level.
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut Unsweetened coconut will make cookies less sweet.
- 1 cup chopped pecans Toasted if possible, swap for walnuts if desired.
- 1 cup chocolate chips Semisweet or dark chocolate chips can be used.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and stir in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the shredded coconut, chopped pecans, and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
Baking
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, looking for set edges and slightly soft centers.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3–5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For freezing, store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Chilling the dough can yield thicker cookies.