GERMAN CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies are all of the things you love about German Chocolate Cake in a cute little thumbprint cookie!  A rich, chocolate shortbread with a coconut pecan frosting and drizzled in chocolate!

They have that classic combination of chocolate, coconut and pecan flavors baked up into soft, rich and chocolatey shortbread cookies.

The best part for me will always be that gooey coconut pecan frosting. I mean seriously, that amazing frosting gets me every time! You can top it on just about anything and I would be in heaven! Plus that melty chocolate drizzle is just the perfect way to tie everything together.

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons milk
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1¼ - 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

For the frosting

• ½ cup heavy cream
• ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup shredded, sweetened coconut
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate drizzle

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt, just until the mixture is smooth. (do not overbeat). Add the egg and milk and mix until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer to low and slowly mix in the cornstarch, baking powder, cocoa powder and 1¼ cups of the flour, scraping down the bowl as needed. Continue adding flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough gathers itself into a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. (You may not need all the flour.)
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb or a ¼ teaspoon.
4. Bake 9-10 minutes or until the edges are just dry. (do not overbake as the cookies will continue cooking while cooling). Remove from oven and allow cookies to sit for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are baking, make the frosting:

1. Combine the cream, brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to bubble and thicken into a caramel (about 6-7 minutes - do not continuously stir or mixture will not thicken). Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the coconut and pecans. Let cool slightly.
2. Fill each center of cookie with about 1 teaspoon of frosting. Melt chocolate chips and drizzle on top of the cookies. Allow to set.

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