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German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies Recipe

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4.3 from 8 reviews

Delight in these classic German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies, featuring rich chocolate dough with a luscious coconut-pecan filling inspired by traditional German chocolate cake flavors. Perfectly soft and chewy with a gooey, nutty center, these cookies are a decadent treat for any occasion.

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

  • ½ cup salted butter (at cool room temperature)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 ounces German's sweet baking chocolate (melted)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Filling

  • 1 egg yolk
  • ⅓ cup evaporated milk
  • ½ cup light brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • ½ cup finely chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line cookie sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy cleanup.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat together the cooled butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  3. Add Egg: Mix in the large egg thoroughly until incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture.
  4. Incorporate Chocolate and Vanilla: Stir in the melted German's sweet baking chocolate and vanilla extract until evenly blended with the dough base.
  5. Add Dry Ingredients: Sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, then mix these dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined, avoiding overmixing.
  6. Shape Dough Balls: Using a level tablespoon, scoop out dough portions and roll them into balls with your hands.
  7. Create Thumbprints: Press the center of each dough ball gently with your thumb to create an indentation for the filling.
  8. Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 11 minutes, or until the edges set. If the centers puff up during baking, press them again gently with the back of a measuring spoon to maintain the thumbprint shape.
  9. Prepare Filling Base: While cookies bake, start the filling by whisking egg yolks, evaporated milk, and brown sugar together in a medium saucepan until smooth.
  10. Add Butter to Filling: Stir in salted butter into the mixture in the saucepan.
  11. Cook Filling Mixture: Heat the saucepan over low heat, cooking the filling for about 10 minutes while whisking regularly until thickened. Then, remove from heat.
  12. Finish Filling: Whisk in the vanilla extract, then fold in the shredded coconut and chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
  13. Cool Filling: Let the filling cool for approximately 15 minutes to thicken slightly before using.
  14. Fill Cookies: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the cooled coconut-pecan filling into the center of each baked cookie's thumbprint indentation.
  15. Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature before serving to let the filling set perfectly.

Notes

  • For measuring flour accurately, lightly spoon it into your measuring cup and level with a knife instead of scooping directly from the bag to avoid dense cookies.
  • Use good-quality German's sweet baking chocolate to enhance the chocolate flavor.
  • If you don’t have German's sweet baking chocolate, you can substitute with a mixture of semi-sweet and milk chocolate, though flavor may vary.
  • Finger press the cookie centers again if they puff up to keep the indentations for the filling.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Find it online: https://simpleplatter.com/german-chocolate-thumbprint-cookies-recipe/