The Ultimate German Chocolate Cookies

Soft & Fudgy Chocolate fudge cookies covered in a decadent creamy caramel coconut, pecan frosting finished with a chocolate ganache drizzle.

The holidays are here and I’m here to share a cookie that will, I think, make you the star of any cookie exchange you participate in. Now if you have that one Aunt that is the bee’s knees when it comes to cookie baking, I’m pretty sure you’re about to blow her mind. This cookie starts with my all-time favorite chocolate cookie base – soft, fudgy, chewy, and utterly addictive on its own.

Now I could have stopped right there but why? I mean why not take it above and beyond. Well, that’s where this caramelesque with coconut and pecan frosting comes into play. Oh, wait – did I mention that it’s finished with a chocolate ganache drizzle?! Yep, it’s the epitome of the best cookie you’ll ever eat.

Grab your ingredients

These cookies are super simple and are made with the best ingredients.

• Dry – all-purpose flour, Rodelle Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Salt, Sugars
• Eggs
• Butter
• Pecans
• Coconut
• Chocolate
• Extracts – vanilla and chocolate

Make the Dough

What I love about this cookie dough is that it doesn’t require any chilling either like most cookie doughs. These cookies don’t spread but rather puff up.

1.  To the bowl of a stand mixer (I use this Bosch Universal Plus Mixer!), add in the sugar and butter. Cream until smooth.
2. Add in the egg, egg yolk, and chocolate extract. Mix until combined.
3. Add in the flour mixture, mix just until combined then add in the chocolate chips mixing just to incorporate.

 

Scoop your cookies

I’m a cookie dough lover so I tend to always leave about a 1/2 scoop of raw dough for me to snack on. It’s a “me thing”.

1. Using a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), gather your cookie dough balls and place them on a parchment-lined cookie pan with about 2″ of space.
2. Bake for about 10 minutes or just until set.

Chef’s Tip about Baking German Chocolate Cookies

When you bake these cookies, to keep them soft and chewy, you only want to bake them just until they are set. They will be soft and your finger will indent but the dough should not stick to your finger.

3. When they are done, remove the pan from the oven and allow the soft cookies to rest on the pan for at least 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

German Chocolate Frosting

This to me is what makes the cookie. Don’t get me wrong. The cookies on their own are outstanding but this frosting just makes it so much more indulgent.

1. To a medium saucepan, add in the evaporated milk, sugar, and egg yolks. The butter needs to be very soft here.
2. Place the heat to medium and whisk until smooth and incorporated. You want to mix until the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes) and, when you do the spoon test, the mixture passes.

Chef’s Tip about the Spoon Test

You’ll know when your mixture is thick enough when you insert a spoon, pull it out, and then immediately track a line across the back of the spoon with your fingertip (be careful as it’ll be hot). If the line remains visible and the mixture doesn’t run back together, it’s thick enough.

3. Add in the vanilla, coconut, and vanilla and mix to combine.
4. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill until the mixture is cool but still spreadable.

Seriously, I could have just eaten this frosting with a spoon!

Make the ganache

1. In a glass bowl of a double boiler, heat the cream until bubbles form along the edges. Remove the bowl from the double boiler, add in the chocolate and allow to rest undisturbed for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, slowly start to whisk the chocolate and cream together until it is smooth and creamy. Set aside to cool.
2. Alternatively, you can add the cream to a glass bowl and microwave it in 30-second increments until it’s hot but not boiling. Add in the chocolate and allow it to rest before whisking to combine.

Frost the cookies

The rest of the steps are so fun and easy that I recommend getting the kids involved. It’s fun and seriously delicious.

1. To a cookie add a generous scoop of the frosting to the top and spread with an offset spatula. If you see the side views of my cookies I went for an equal amount cookie to frosting ratio. You can do more or less – totally up to you.

Drizzle & Rest

Now to make these truly a showstopper, the cookies needed something more; something that said “WOW!”

And that’s where the chocolate ganache drizzle came into play.

Add the ganache to a piping bag or plastic food storage bag and snip the tip. Drizzle the ganache over top and allow it to cool completely.

How to store these cookies

Once the cookies are completely cooled and the ganache has been set, store these in an air-tight container. My advice is if you’re stacking these, place parchment or wax paper but AFTER the ganache is cooled and hardened.

If you didn’t want to make the ganache, you could just use melted chocolate too.

 

Be the Star of The Cookie Exchange

One of my favorite thing about the holidays is to make cookies and do cookie exchanges. I’m hoping to do one this year. These cookies would be the hit of the exchange!

Plus I’m thinking about doing a Cookiecuterie board (a dessert board) and these cookies, albeit, in smaller versions will be on it.

Showing up to a holiday party with a tray of these will almost certainly score you an invite to the next party!

 

 

Recipe Additions or Substitutions

There’s not too much I’d suggest changing on this cookie as it’s kind of a classic HOWEVER I do have a few ideas:

• Nuts – trying toasted walnuts or macadamia nuts instead of pecans
• Coconut – go with toasted coconut for a nuttier taste
• Alcohol – try a few splashes of bourbon, whiskey, or rum to the frosting when you put the sugar and evaporated milk in the pan to give it a bit of a boozy kick

 

Equipment and Ingredients used

• Mixer – I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Bosch Universal Plus Mixer! It’s THE BEST mixer I’ve ever used as a Chef!

 

 

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