German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

06 Nov 2017

I have mentioned before that I don't have a large repertoire of "my" recipes because I like to experiment a lot, although this has changed slightly. This quest became more important when I neared motherhood as cooking for others is one way I show love and also food is a tangible way to transport you home or somewhere pleasant throughout life. I want those memories for Hen and one area that I need to focus are Christmas cookies, mostly because this is still a fond memory that I have with my grandma.

She had her staples, but also tried new recipes that she would find. Each type was placed in a special round Christmas tin and I would peck away at them for my after school snacks well before the holiday arrived. We have someone in our family that holds the place of "cookie master," so I have lazily counted on those as our cookies for the season, but as Henry gets older I need to figure out some of my own staples.

I will admit, I do not like making cutouts, which seem to be the most kid-friendly. If I am making multiple cookie recipes, I want some (if not all) to be easy and this latest creation is a contender because it has few ingredients and requires nothing fussy. I have been craving German Chocolate cake, but could not justify making one because no one in this house needs that temptation, so this recipe was a nice consolation.

German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Recipe for German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
By Marysmaking

Prep time: 30 minutes - Cook time: 00:15 - Total time: 00:45
Yield: About 20 CookiesS

Ingredients

Cookie Dough
- 20 T (2.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup + 2.5 T brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 + 2T dutch processed cocoa
- 1/2 t salt
- 2.5 t vanilla
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups chopped pecans (for rolling)

Coconut Filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 t vanilla
- 3 1/4 cups flaked coconut

Optional
- 5 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (for drizzling)

Directions

Cookie Dough

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare cookie sheets with slipmats or parchment.

Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, cocoa and salt until smooth.

Add vanilla, then switch to low and add flour. Mix until dough forms (about 1 minute).

Scoop about 1 T of dough into balls and press bottom half of ball into chopped pecans.

Place ball on cookie sheet and press the bottom of your teaspoon (or other comprable object) into dough to flatten and make "thumbprint."

Bake cookies for 14-16 minutes and allow to cool.

Coconut Filling

In a medium saucepan, heat sugar, evaporated milk, butter, egg yolk and vanilla over medium-low until mixture thickens.

Remove from heat and stir in coconut, then set aside to cool.

Final Assembly

Fill cooled cookie centers with coconut filling.

Melt chocolate in microwave - start with 30 seconds, stir, then reduce time by half and repeat until melted.

Drizzle chocolate over cookies and enjoy. Enjoy!