German Chocolate Cake Cookies (with some adaptations for high-altitude)
1 cube butter (1/2 cup)
1/3 cup butter flavored shortening (not pictured)
3/4 cup white sugar (granulated)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp. baking soda
pinch salt ( I omitted the salt since the butter was salted) (not pictured)
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream together butter, shortening, and sugars. Blend in vanilla and eggs. In a separate container sift together flour, cocoa, soda, and salt (if using). Blend flour mixture into creamed mixture just until mixed. Stir in chips, coconut and pecans. It should be a thick, slightly sticky dough. I formed golf-ball-sized chunks and put 12 per large cookie sheet because they spread as they bake. Bake for about 8-10 minutes. I needed the 10 minutes and cooked them until the tops were dry but they still looked underdone. Let cool for several minutes on the cookie sheet or they'll fall apart when you try to put them on a cooling rack. These were gooey and rich right out of the oven and soft and chewy a couple of days later but I don't think they'd store well or mail well because they were somewhat crumbly. The flavor is incredible.
