This copycat Crumbl cookie recipe makes the best German chocolate cookies, covered in a rich ganache frosting. It’s the perfect cookie to make if you have a serious sweet tooth!
German Chocolate Cake Cookies
These German chocolate cookies are the best because they are sweet and delicious—full of rich chocolate flavor! If you love a nice, chewy cookie, then this is the perfect cookie for you. This is also the best copycat because it’s simple to make and tastes like the real deal too.
Why You’ll Love this Crumbl Cookie Copycat Recipe:
- Easy: This Crumbl copycat recipe is super easy to make. These simple ingredients come together to make the most delicious cookies!
- Decadent: These decadent German chocolate cookies are rich and fudgy—perfect if you’re yearning for a sweet treat.
Trademark Note: In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that this is a copycat recipe for an existing product. Crumbl is a proprietary brand that I want to acknowledge and give credit to.
How to Make German Chocolate Cookies
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Combine the ingredients to make the cookie dough, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Drop dough into cookies on the baking sheet, bake, and let them cool.
- Toast the coconut and pecans.
- Heat frosting ingredients, then stir in the coconut and pecans.
- Frost the cookies then finish with chocolate drizzle.
German chocolate cookies are sweet, mild-tasting chocolate cookies topped with a thick, egg-based icing made with pecans and coconut. They are a riff on the classic German chocolate cake.
German chocolate is a type of chocolate (invented by an American baker named Samuel German) that is sweeter than semisweet chocolate and contains more sugar, but less cacao. This leads to a sweeter, milder chocolate taste.
Despite the name, you do not need to get special German cocoa powder to make these cookies. These German chocolate cookies can be made with any type of unsweetened cocoa powder. I recommend Dutch-process for this recipe.
No! These cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. If stored in the refrigerator, they will last for up to 1 week.
It’d be a shame to waste e perfectly good egg whites, so plan to make meringue cookies or macarons!
German Chocolate Cookies
If you love german chocolate cake, you’ll love the taste of these delicious cookies because it’s like that but in a cookie version! The rich coconut and chocolate flavors are the best combinations!
Make Ahead Instructions
German chocolate cookies can be made up to 2 days in advance of when you plan to serve them. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature until ready to serve.
Storage Instructions
Store German chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Enjoy at room temperature.
Freezing Instructions
Freeze German chocolate cookies in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Transfer to an airtight container or Ziplock bag with parchment paper between the cookies to prevent the icing from sticking for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Substitutions
- Granulated sugar can be used in place of the brown sugar.
- For gluten-free German chocolate cookies, use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
- You can use natural cocoa powder in place of Dutch-process.
- If using kosher salt instead of sea salt, increase the amount to 1 teaspoon.
- Feel free to use your favorite kind of chocolate, such as milk or dark, in place of the semisweet in both the cookies and the drizzle
- Feel free to use walnuts in place of the pecans in the icing.
- You can use whole or 2% milk in place of the evaporated milk.
Tips for the Best German Chocolate Cookies
- You can refrigerate the cookie dough for an hour before making the cookie dough balls. This will help keep them from spreading too much.
- Don’t over bake the cookies. To keep them soft and chewy, bake for 10 minutes.
- If your cookies aren’t round, as soon as they come out of the oven, grab a glass that is larger than the cookie. Place the cup upside down over the cookie and do a little swirl and you will have a more uniform round cookie!
Want more Crumbl Cookies recipes? Try Confetti Cake Cookies, Frosted Gingerbread Cookies, and Cosmic Brownie Cookies.
I hope you enjoy these copycat Crumbl german chocolate cake cookies. Let me know how your batch turns out in the comments below!
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
German Chocolate Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams (1 stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
- ½ cup brown sugar 107 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 150 grams
- ⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder 28 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
- ½ teaspoon sea salt 3 grams
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 170 grams
For the German Chocolate Icing
- 1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut 128 grams
- 1¼ cups chopped pecans 143 grams
- 1 cup evaporated milk 227 grams (⅔ can)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 3 large egg yolks 42 grams
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips 85 grams
- 1 teaspoon heavy cream 5 grams
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Add the flour to the wet ingredients and beat just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Make large cookies using two tablespoons of dough. Make sure they are separated enough so they won’t touch as they bake.
- Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 5 minutes. Then remove and cool on a wire rack.
For the German Chocolate Icing
- Toast the coconut and pecans in a large pan, over medium heat, stirring often. When the coconut and pecans are lightly toasted, remove from the pan immediately.1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut, 1¼ cups chopped pecans
- In a small saucepan, combine the evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, and butter. Heat over medium heat. Once it starts boiling, boil for approximately 10 minutes, or until the syrup coats the back of the spoon.1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 large egg yolks, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Stir in the toasted coconut and pecans and vanilla.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Spread the frosting over the cookies.
- Heat the chocolate chips and heavy cream for 10 seconds in the microwave, stir, repeat until the chocolate chips are melted. It is very important not to heat longer than 10 seconds at a time or the chocolate can burn.½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon heavy cream
- Drizzle the chocolate over the icing.
Notes
- Granulated sugar can be used in place of the brown sugar.
- For gluten-free German chocolate cookies, use gluten-free 1:1 baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
- You can use natural cocoa powder in place of Dutch-process.
- If using kosher salt instead of sea salt, increase the amount to 1 teaspoon.
- Feel free to use your favorite kind of chocolate, such as milk or dark, in place of the semisweet in both the cookies and the drizzle
- Feel free to use walnuts in place of the pecans in the icing.
- You can use whole or 2% milk in place of the evaporated milk.
- You can refrigerate the cookie dough for an hour before making the cookie dough balls. This will help keep them from spreading too much.
- Don’t over bake the cookies. To keep them soft and chewy, bake for 10 minutes.
- If your cookies aren’t round, as soon as they come out of the oven, grab a glass that is larger than the cookie. Place the cup upside down over the cookie and do a little swirl and you will have a more uniform round cookie!
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