It was my husband’s birthday this week. I had high hopes of making him a layer cake of his favorite German chocolate cake, but with a new baby in the house, time slipped away from me. Since cookies are my husband’s favorite baked-good, I opted to turn his favorite cake into cookies instead.

Although cookies don’t hold candles very well and they don’t have the grandiose presentation of a layer cake, these cookies were still a welcomed birthday treat. They are quick and easy to make, the chocolate is rich, and the coconut and pecans add interesting texture. The cookies are so yummy that even people who said they don’t like coconut came back for more. You can find all of the recipe details below.

German Chocolate Cake Cookies

Adapted from Sunny Anderson

Ingredients

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

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, both sugars, 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. Stir in the chocolate chips, coconut and pecans.

Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, 12 cookies per sheet, and bake 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on a baking rack.

Cook’s Note: To make bars, press the dough into a buttered 8 by 8-inch square baking pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into squares when cooled.