German Chocolate Cake Cookies – Soft, chewy chocolate cookies with rich caramel, coconut, and pecan frosting won’t last long on the cookie plate.

These German Chocolate Cake cookies are a delicious household staple. They make a perfect snack year-round but are an incredibly excellent holiday gift! They’re a great addition to any dessert table, but they won’t last long as they’re deliciously addictive!

close up photo of German Chocolate Cake Cookies with coconut pecan frosting and chocolate drizzle laid out on counter

Today, I am featuring one of the best cookies you will ever eat!  A cookie that will become so addictive you will make them in large quantities and freeze them to have them for a week or two.

Making one of the traditional cakes, German Chocolate cake, into a cookie was one of the best recipes I have ever made. How can you go wrong with caramel, pecans, and chocolate?

My favorite thing about this recipe is that everything is from scratch. This chocolate cookie is so chewy and moist, making it the best platform for the frosting. Bake them today, as they are hands down amazing, delicious, unbelievable, out of this world, and the best cookie ever, as quoted by my friends and family who tried them.

Recipe Tips

  • Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature; they will last about one week.
  • Freeze in an airtight freezer bag to extend the life of the cookies to one to two months.
  • Drizzle with melted chocolate and candy coating.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • Light brown sugar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Eggs beaten
  • All-purpose flour
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
close up photo of german chocolate cake cookie with coconut pecan frosting and chocolate drizzle

How do you make German Chocolate Cake Cookies?

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Blend the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend until combined.

Drop the dough by tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies per sheet, and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

Cool on a baking rack.

Add evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter, and vanilla to a large pan and place on the stovetop over medium heat to make the frosting. Stir so that it becomes well combined.

Continue stirring until thickened; this takes approximately 11-12 minutes.

Once thickened, remove from heat and add coconut and pecans. Beat until thick enough to spread.

Spread frosting over the tops of cooled cookies.

More German Chocolate Cake inspired recipes

What brings me the most joy when making this cookie is my husband. He loves these; had I made these when we were dating, I think we would have married even earlier. He loves them so much it would have created an instant proposal.

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german chocolate cake cookies on white background

German Chocolate Cake Cookies

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 176 kcal
German Chocolate Cake Cookies – Soft, chewy chocolate cookies with a rich caramel, coconut, pecan frosting – these won’t last long on the cookie plate.

Ingredients
 

Chocolate Cookies

  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch salt

Coconut Pecan Frosting

  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • Optional: ยผ cup chocolate candy coating melted for drizzle

Instructions
 

Chocolate Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a stand mixer or large bowl using a hand mixer, blend the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and eggs. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and blend until combined.
  • Drop the dough by tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies per sheet, and bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.

Coconut Pecan Frosting

  • Add evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, butter and vanilla to a large pan and place on stovetop over medium heat.
  • Stir so that it becomes well combined. Continue stirring until thickened, this takes approximately 11-12 minutes. I set my timer for 11 minutes and 30 seconds, this seems to work every time.
  • Once thickened remove from heat and add coconut and pecans. Beat until thick enough to spread.
  • Spread frosting over the tops of cooled cookies.
  • Optional: Drizzle with melted candy coating and let set up. Top with a white chocolate heart. See note.
  • Note: I melted some pink chocolate candy coating, put it into a Ziplock lunch baggie, snipped off a small corner. Then on some wax paper drew hearts with the chocolate. I let them harden, then gently placed them on top of the cookies. A great decoration for upcoming Valentineโ€™s Day.

Video

Serving: 1cookieCalories: 176kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 84mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 130IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 0.8mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know what you think!

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480 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    It’s now been TEN years since my best friend sent me this recipe and requested I make them. German chocolate cake is her favorite. I now try to make these cookies at least once a year, but it is an absolute labor of love because I have to make a double batch and cover every surface of my kitchen in cooling cookies so no one gets jealous. Everyone devours them and they never last longer than 2 days. The chocolate cookie itself is awesome too. Always have to sneak one or two while they’re still warm! Thank you so much for sharing the best cookies in history, or as we all say, “THE cookies!”