Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! You can bake the cookies a day in advance and add the frosting right before serving.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Absolutely! You can freeze the baked cookies without frosting. Just thaw and frost them before serving.

You can substitute with all-purpose flour. For every cup of cake flour, use 1 cup of all-purpose flour minus two tablespoons.

Berger cookies are a delightful treat that pair soft chocolate cake with creamy frosting, perfect for gatherings or satisfying a sweet tooth.

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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Combine unsalted butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.
Add the egg, milk, and imitation vanilla extract, stirring until completely combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until combined.
Scoop dough onto baking sheets, spacing at least 2 inches apart. Flatten each cookie lightly.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. Cool cookies.
For frosting, combine salted butter and corn syrup in a bowl and beat until creamy.
Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until combined.
Add natural cocoa powder, Dutch-process cocoa powder, stirring until smooth.
Skim over low-speed, drizzle in heavy cream and imitation vanilla until combined.
Melt frosting over a double boiler until smooth.
Frost cooled cookies, allowing to set before serving.

Unsalted and salted butter: Using both gave the best flavor in testing. If you only have salted butter, reduce the salt in the cookie dough to 1/4 teaspoon. If you only have unsalted butter, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the frosting (stir it in after the cocoa).
Vanilla extract: Berger cookies have a distinctly artificial flavor; imitation vanilla extract helps mimic the classic taste. You can use pure vanilla if you prefer, but the flavor will be less like the original.
Cake flour: Strongly recommended for the closest imitation of the classic Berger cookie crumb. All-purpose flour does not behave the same here.
Storing: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.