Soft vanilla cookies are topped with a rich fudge-like frosting that will take your breath away; a copycat recipe of the famous Bergers Cookies from Baltimore.

A recreation of Bergers cookies - soft vanilla cookies topped with fudge frosting.

When I opened up my latest issue of Cook’s Country magazine, one recipe immediately jumped out at me – these Bergers-style cookies. I had never heard of them before, but after reading through the article, I learned that they are famous in the Baltimore area, hailing from a Bakery that was opened in 1800’s by German immigrants.

Aside from their storied history, I couldn’t get the picture out of my mind! A soft vanilla cookie topped with a full HALF INCH of chocolate fudge frosting. This was definitely a cookie with my name written all over it, and I wasted no time in whipping up a batch.

A big stack of homemade Bergers cookies!

These cookies are basically a chocolate lover’s dream come true.

The base cookie is a super soft, yet sturdy, vanilla sugar cookie. But not like a cut-out sugar cookie, more like a bakery or store plain soft sugar cookie. The dough is super easy to mix together and require no chill time.

Baking up the base cookies for Bergers cookies

And then the frosting. OH, THE FROSTING.

It mixes up like brownie batter (I double dare you not to swipe a few tastes!), then sets like fudge. The addition of Dutch cocoa powder gives the frosting such a fantastic flavor, versus using just milk chocolate alone.

The frosting for Bergers cookies is like brownie batter when you put it on the cookies!

Since I’ve never had actual Bergers cookies, I can’t tell you how close these come to the original, but they are seriously amazing. The next time I’m in the Baltimore area, I’m definitely going to seek them out.

If you’ve had Bergers cookies, I’d love to hear from you about how these stack up!

BIG bite taken out of homemade Bergers cookies.

One year ago: Game Day Dip
Six years ago: Pumpkin Fudge

A recreation of Bergers cookies - soft vanilla cookies topped with fudge frosting.

Bergers-Style Cookies

Soft vanilla sugar cookies topped with a rich fudge-like frosting; a copycat recipe of the famous Bergers Cookies from Baltimore.
4.45 (99 ratings)

Ingredients

For the Cookies

  • 2 cups (250 g) cake flour
  • teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
  • ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 egg white
  • tablespoons (1.5 tablespoons) heavy cream
  • teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract

For the Frosting

  • 3 cups (540 g) milk chocolate chips
  • cups (297.5 ml) heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
  • 1⅔ cups (143.33 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • cups (150 g) powdered sugar
  • teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract

Instructions 

  • Make the Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg white, heavy cream, and vanilla, and beat until combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, mixing until incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  • Working with 1 heaping tablespoon of dough at a time (my small cookie scoop was the perfect size), roll into balls and space 2 inches a part on the prepared baking sheets, 12 per sheet. Using moistened fingers, press dough balls to form disks about ¼-inch thick and 2 inches in diameter.
  • Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
  • Make the Frosting: Once the cookies have cooled, combine the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and salt in a large bowl. Microwave the chocolate mixture at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, 1 to 3 minutes. Whisk the cocoa powder, powdered sugar, and vanilla into the chocolate mixture until smooth. (The frosting should the texture of thick brownie batter and register about 95 degrees.)
  • Turn the cookies over on the baking sheets. Spoon 2 tablespoons of frosting over the flat side of each cookie to form a mound. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the frosting is set, about 3 hours. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • The temperature and consistency of the frosting are important. It should register between 90 and 100 degrees and should resemble thick brownie batter when you spoon it onto the cookie. It should mound and slowly spread over the cookies. It's okay if some of the frosting drips down the sides of the cookies. If the frosting is too thick, that means it is too cool. To make it spreadable, microwave it in 5-second intervals, whisking after each interval, until it registers between 90 and 100 degrees. If it gets too hot, it will thin and run off the cookies; in this case, simply let it cool a bit.
  • I use the Thermapen instant digital thermometer.
  • I used Ghiradelli milk chocolate chips.
Nutritional values are based on one serving
Calories: 294kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 73mg, Potassium: 138mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 26g, Vitamin A: 365IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 1.2mg

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!