Years ago Disney theme parks sold some unusual big, fat, crumbly cookies marketed under the name Minnie’s Bake Shop. The cookies were made by Selma’s and there were several different flavors including German Chocolate Chip. It seems there’s been some renewed interest the cookies, so I pulled up the old Disney inspired German Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe.
Disney Inspired Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe was given to me by a reader named Janice who after trying the cookies at Disney, came home and got to work on her own version. Her German Chocolate Chip Cookies weren’t quite the same. They spread more and were darker, but they were (are!) very good. I’ve been making them on and off for years, but have changed a few things to curb the spreading. So here’s the latest version of the cookies with Janice’s coconut pecan topping.
German Chocolate Coconut Pecan Topping
The coconut pecan topping looks like a lot of work, but it’s easy if you have all the ingredients. Unlike the usual German chocolate coconut pecan icing made with evaporated milk, this one is made with heavy cream. It thickens slightly as you cook it, then the rest of the thickening happens as it cools. You can let it cool at room temperature, or chill it to the point it’s so thick you can shape it into circles and just drop the circles onto the hot cookies. This depends on the time frame you are working with. If you make the full batch you’ll have more than enough and if you halve it you’ll have just barely enough. One compromise is to halve the topping and put it on most of the cookies, then leave the others as plain chocolate chip. The cookies are very good without the coconut topping, too.
Thick Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chilling the dough overnight improves your chances of getting thick, round, cookies. However, if you need to bake the cookies right away you can. They just might spread more, which is okay. If they are spreading, at about the 15 minute mark, push them into squares using the edge of a spatula, then nudge the squares into rounds. But you shouldn’t have to do this in most cases.
Also know that these aren’t supposed to be as thick as Levain type cookies. They are soft, dense and chewy and they’ll still be good if you bake them longer than the directions say because the pudding keeps the inside chewy.
Recipe
Giant German Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cookies modeled after some cookies they used to sell at Disney World. These are thick cookies which can be made with vanilla or chocolate fudge pudding mix.
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened* (114 grams)
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (150 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65-70 grams)
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg, room temperature (48-52 grams)
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature (18 grams)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix (26 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅜ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (210 grams)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (make it a generou cups)
Coconut Pecan Icing
- 2 large egg yolks (36 grams)
- ⅔ cup heavy cream (150 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (70 grams)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (84 grams)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (or as needed) packed cup, measured before toasting
- ⅔ cup chopped pecans (feel free to use more) toasted
Chocolate Coconut Drizzle
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ to 1 teaspoon unrefined coconut oil
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, both sugars, vanilla and molasses, scraping the side of the bowl often. Add the pudding mix and beat until fully blended, then stir in the baking soda and salt. Add flour to make a soft dough.
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Stir in the chocolate chips.
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Using a large cookie scoop or a ¼ cup measure, scoop 10 large gobs of dough onto a plastic wrap lined dinner plate. Cover and chill while you make the coconut pecan topping.
Coconut Pecan Topping
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Whisk the egg yolks, cream, both sugars and salt together in a medium size bowl.
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In a 1 ½ to 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cream mixture to the saucepan and whisk over medium heat for about 2 ½ minutes or until it starts to boil and thicken.
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Remove from heat and transfer to a clean bowl. Stir in vanilla, coconut and pecans. Feel free to add more coconut or pecans to your liking. Let cool to room temperature or cool slightly and refrigerate to speed up the process. It should not be runny once it thickens. Alternatively, you can scoop the icing into 10 large gobs, chill until they set, then just set the pre-formed gobs of icing on the cookies.
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
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Arrange dough balls a few inches apart on a parchment lined baking. Stack that sheet on a second baking sheet if your sheets are thin. This shouldn’t be necessary in all situations.
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Bake at 375 degrees F. for about 15 to 18 minutes. Check at 15. In my oven they take 18 minutes, but it will vary from kitchen to kitchen.
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Put a spoonful of coconut mixture (or one of your pre-formed circles of coconut mixture) on a cookie. Repeat. Set aside and let cool, then make the chocolate drizzle. When cookies are cool, spoon or pipe chocolate drizzle over the cookies.
Chocolate Drizzle
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Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a heavy duty freezer bag. Heat at 50% power, checking every 40 seconds or so and massaging bag to melt the chips. Snip off bottom corner of the bag and and pipe chocolate of the cookies.
Notes
The butter needs to be soft enough to run a spoon through. To soften butter perfectly, stand the stick of butter on its end on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 6 seconds. Turn the butter and stand on its other end, then microwave again for 6 seconds. The butter should be perfectly soft throughout.
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