Rich German chocolate cookies are soft and chewy chocolate cookies that are packed with sweet coconut, melty chocolate pieces, and pecans.
These cookies are the easiest way to enjoy the flavors of German chocolate cake without making a cake.
The recipe is based on the chocolate version of my chewy brown sugar chocolate chip cookies. They’re rich chocolate cookies packed with sweet shredded coconut, pecans, and chunks of melty chocolate.
Aside from tasting great, the cookies are also really easy to make! They can be made in one bowl, and there’s no mixer required to whip up these yummy cookies.
“Thank you for sharing this recipe. I made these cookies today and they are perfect! Definitely will be adding these to our “favourites” list. Pecans, chocolate and coconut- what’s not to love? Delicious 😋” – Keri
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Butter: I use salted butter int this recipe. You could use unsalted butter, but if using unsalted butter, I recommend increasing the salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
- Brown sugar: Either light brown sugar or dark brown sugar will work. Dark brown sugar will give you slightly richer flavor.
- Egg yolk: The fat from the extra yolk helps to make the cookies chewier.
- Flour: Correctly measuring the ingredients is key. I suggest either weighing the ingredients or aerating the flour (sifting or fluffing) and then scooping and leveling. Packing in too much flour will cause the cookies not to spread or to be dry and crumbly.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: I haven’t tried using Dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe.
- Kosher salt: Kosher salt isn’t as salty as table salt. Sea salt makes a good substitution. If you’d like to use table salt, just use a scant 1/2 teaspoon.
- Coconut: If you’d like, you can use unsweetened shredded coconut for cookies that are slightly less sweet.
- Pecans: Or use chopped walnuts if you prefer.
- Chocolate: German’s sweet chocolate is the traditional chocolate for German chocolate cake. However, semisweet chocolate will also work.
How to make German chocolate cookies
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe is given below.
Step 1: Begin by melting the butter.
Step 2: Add the brown sugar, and stir in. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.
Step 4: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in just until combined.
Step 5: Add the coconut, pecans, and chopped chocolate. Stir in just until incorporated.
Step 6: Scoop 1.5 tablespoons (medium cookie scoop) onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Step 7: Bake until the edges are just set but the cookies are soft in the middle, about 8-10 minutes Slightly underbaking will help to keep the cookies soft and chewy.
Recipe Tips!
- Melting the butter: Just barely melt the butter. Once it is mostly melted, I whisk until completely melted. Continuing to cook the butter after it has melted can throw off the ratios and leave you with a dry cookie or a cookie that doesn’t spread, and hot, sizzling butter can leave you with greasy cookies.
- Mixing: I recommend stirring this recipe together by hand rather than using a hand or stand mixer. Mixing by hand will help you avoid overworking the cookie dough.
- Measuring the flour: Be sure to measure the flour properly.
Either weigh the flour or measure properly. To measure properly, aerate the flour by stirring or sifting it. Spoon it into the measuring cup without packing and then level. - Soft cookies: For soft cookies, slightly underbake the cookies. Bake the cookies just until the edges are set and the center are soft. This will keep the cookies soft and a little chewy.
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. The cookies will keep for 3-4 days when properly stored.
More chocolate cookie recipes!
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German Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 2 ounces semisweet or German chocolate chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Large microwave-safe mixing bowl.
- Stir brown sugar into melted butter.
- Let stand 5 minutes.
- Add egg and egg yolk; stir to combine.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined.
- Stir in coconut, pecans, and chocolate chunks.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (1.5 tablespoon), drop scoops of dough 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for about 8-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are set.
- Let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
- Flour: Correctly measuring the ingredients is key. I suggest either weighing the ingredients or aerating the flour (sifting or fluffing) and then scooping and leveling. Packing in too much flour will cause the cookies not to spread or to be dry and crumbly.
- Kosher salt: Or scant 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- Mixing: I recommend stirring this recipe together by hand rather than using a hand or stand mixer. Mixing by hand will help you avoid overworking the cookie dough.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 2/8/2019.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Debbie says
Can the dough be frozen to make cookies later?
Kate says
It can! I recommend freezing the dough in scoops and then baking from frozen.
Pat Dea says
Sifting was the hardest part made them for my grandson he doesn’t care for coconut so I left that out my daughter and grandson loved them my grandson took most of them back to college with him
Kate says
I’m glad that the cookies were a hit!
Kathi says
Can the coconut be left out? I know, part of the recipe for frosting and filling forGerman Choc cake, but I always leave it out. No one here likes it.
Kate says
Yes, you can omit the coconut if you prefer.
BC says
These were excellent! I just found the weight of the brown sugar a bit off.
A keeper.
Kate says
Thank you!
Sam says
Easy to make. Fantastic. Just melt in your mouth. Thank you for sharing.
Kate says
Thank you!
Sarah says
These cookies are delicious! I will say that I didn’t read the tips and melted my butter a little too much. They are a little greasy, but sooooo good!!!
Kate says
Thanks! Yes, hot butter can give you greasy cookies, but it sounds like they still tasted good, which is great!
Tanya says
Super good, my husband LOVES them & made me write out the recipe so I wouldn’t lose the link🤣
Kate says
Yay! I’m so glad that the cookies were a hit!
Pam says
If I cut this recipe in half how much egg would I use?
Marji says
Because the whites and yolks perform different functions in a recipe (whites add aeration and fluffiness, yolks add fat and richness), you can’t skip out on one of them if you’re halving a recipe that calls for a whole egg. Your best bet is to lightly whisk the whole egg in a small bowl until incorporated and then measure out half the amount. Generally, half a large egg is 2 tablespoons (or if you have a scale, a vastly more accurate 25g).
Kate says
Thank you!
Jane says
How many cookies does this make?
Kate says
The recipe makes 36 cookies. As an FYI, you can find the servings for my recipes listed above the ingredients next to the “print”, “rate”, and “pin” buttons.
Lisha Wolf says
Can these cookies be frozen for make ahead?
Kate says
They can! You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 1 month.
Patricia Geisenheimer says
I was looking for a recipe last night on Pinterest, to make for a bake sale today. I found this German Chocolate Cookie recipe and I had all the ingredients for it, so I made them this morning. They are different than what most people make for our bake sales every month, so I figured they would probably go well. They did~!!! Even my friend who said she didn’t much care for German chocolate cake tried one and she loved it. Thank you for a great recipe. This one is definitely a keeper!!
Kate says
Thank you!
Patricia Geisenheimer says
Sorry, I came back to rate your recipe. I overlooked it when I wrote my first comment. :)