We love rich, fudgy chocolate desserts! Some of our other favorites are Oatmeal Fudge Bars, Burnt Almond Fudge Ice Cream, and Creamy Easy Chocolate Fudge. I have been having so much fun making some of the most well-known foods from the state of Maryland as part of my American Eats series! I always like to include a dessert to represent each state, but I couldn’t decide between French Silk Pie or these much more local berger cookies that aren’t as well known unless you have spent time in Maryland, so I decided to go ahead and include both! A berger falls somewhere between a French madeleine, shortbread, and vanilla wafer for its soft, almost crumbly but not quite base that serves the function of supporting an almost absurd layer of chocolate that you can really sink your teeth into. These cookies are actually best the second day when the chocolate fudge (because let’s admit that it’s way more akin to its candy cousin than any actual frosting) has had a chance to set up. Don’t get me wrong – they are still good when they are fresh and the chocolate is gooey – but it’s the soft, fudgy nature of the chocolate on Day 2 that really makes these special. The chocolate is piled on so thick that it’s a full half-inch tall! You can even order a pack of 6 bergers to be shipped to your home by the DeFrau bakery that makes them! But when a cookie craving strikes, sometimes you just have to do what you have to do and make a homemade version to satisfy your sweettooth. One thing I do know from extensive googling research, is that true berger cookies have rounded bottoms when they are finished. It’s the flat part that actually gets dipped in the chocolate. Dipping them was easier said than done for me, and I resorted to just going back over each cookie and spooning extra chocolate on top to build it up, which worked just fine in the end and gave them a rustic appearance. These aren’t refined or beautiful in a conventional way, but bergers have a casual, homemade charm to them that is more enticing to me than a carefully decorated dessert anyway. I know you’re going to love them.
Ingredients
Flour: This provides most of the structure for the cookies. I tested the recipe using regular unbleached all-purpose white flour. Sugar: You will use both granulated and powdered sugar in this recipe. The granulated sugar goes into the cookie base, while the powdered sugar is used in the thick chocolate icing. If your powdered sugar has settled or looks lumpy, you might want to sift it first to break up clumps. Butter: I always use salted butter in my recipes because it’s what I keep on hand. I’ve tried unsalted occasionally, and honestly never noticed much of a difference until we accidentally grabbed a stick of unsalted butter and used it on toast. Never again. Egg: Just one egg acts as a binder that holds the other ingredients together and gives the cookies their texture. Milk: I like using whole milk best when baking, but you could even go with lowfat milk if that’s what you have on hand. Vanilla: I love using my homemade vanilla extract, especially in vanilla based cookies like these! Baking powder: This provides lift and helps the cookies puff up and out and bit for their soft, almost cake-like quality. Salt: Gotta balance out the other flavors with a little salt! It keeps the cookies from being overly sweet. Chocolate chips: Use good quality semisweet chocolate chips to make the chocolate icing because chocolate will be the predominant flavor in these cookies. Corn syrup: This gives a nice sheen to the chocolate and near as I can tell gets the flavor as close to the original as possible. Heavy cream: This is one of my very favorite ingredients and I always keep it on hand in the fridge.
How to Make Berger Cookies
Can you freeze berger cookies?
Yes, you can freeze berger cookies so you always have a stash on hand! Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet for 2-3 hours first, then transfer them to an airtight container or ziploc bag for longer term storage. They will be good for 2-3 months if kept in the freezer. Just thaw on the counter for a few hours before enjoying.
More Cookie Recipes
Double Chocolate Nutella Sandwich Cookies Whoopie Pies (Gobs) Chocolate Marshmallow Almond Rocky Road Cookies Easy Copycat Levain Chocolate Chip Cookies Best Fudgy Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies Chocolate Chip S’mores Cookies
Recipe adapted slightly from King Arthur Flour. Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin
