Turtle cookies are delicious chocolate cookies, rolled in pecans, filled with melted caramel and drizzled with melted chocolate.
Turtle cookies
I know I’m a nerd when it comes to anything food related, but I look forward to Christmas Cookie Exchanges as much as I look forward to Christmas morning!
My mom has attended one with her friends for years, and it’s a tradition I want to carry on each year with my friends! My mom would always come home with a huge tub of different cookies. She’d put them in the freezer so that we could take some out each night throughout the holidays and enjoy them for longer.
I usually make mint brownies for my cookie exchanges, but I’ve made these turtle cookies several times and they’re always a huge hit. They’re basically like a brownie bite with a caramel center, coated in pecans! YUM.
They look beautiful and impressive but they’re really easy to make!
How to make Turtle Cookies:
To make easy turtle cookies, start by make the cookie dough and letting it chill in the refrigerator. Chilling the dough is mandatory because it will yield a chewier cookie, and help the cookies hold together better as your roll them.
After chilling the dough, dip the cookie dough balls into whisked egg white, and then roll them in chopped pecans.
Use the back of a measuring spoon (I used a 1/2 tablespoon measurer) to press an indentation into each cookie dough ball.
Bake the cookies. When they come out of the oven, re-press the indentation with the back of the measuring spoon, and fill it with melted caramel.
Allow the caramel to set, and then drizzle the cookies with melted chocolate. You could also skip the melted chocoalte and sprinkle them with sea salt.
To make this recipe even easier, you could make the cookie dough one day in advance. Wrap it really well and refrigerate it.
Can I freeze turtle cookies?
You have two options for freezing these turtle cookies. The first option is to make the cookie dough, freeze it, and use it to make the cookies. The second option for freezing thumbprint cookies is to follow the recipe completely and make all cookies, allow them to cool completely, and then place them in a gallon freezer bag. When you are ready to eat them, allow them to come to room temperature on your counter top.
CONSIDER TRYING THESE POPULAR HOLIDAY TREATS:
- Homemade Caramels
- Caramel Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods
- Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies
- Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cake
- Caramel Hot Chocolate
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Turtle Cookies
Turtle thumbprint cookies are delicious chocolate cookies, rolled in pecans, filled with melted caramel and drizzled with melted chocolate.
Prep Time1 hr 15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 20 cookies
Calories: 140kcal
Recipe Video
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter 1 stick
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg , separated
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pecans , finely chopped
For the Caramel:
- 2/3 cup Kraft Caramel Bits or regular caramels, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon water
Instructions
- Combine flour, cocoa and salt. In a separate bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, just until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator for one hour.
- Whisk egg whites in a bowl until frothy. Place chopped pecans in another shallow bowl. Remove dough from fridge and roll into small balls (however many cookies you want--I made 20 small ones).
- Roll each dough ball in the frothy egg whites, and then roll and press in the chopped pecans. Place on a greased baking sheet.
- Use the back of a small measuring spoon to make an indentation in the center of each dough ball.
- Bake at 350 Degrees F for about 10-12 minutes, or just until set. Don't over-bake as cookies will harden as they cool.
- As the cookies come out of the oven, gently re-press the indentations with a small spoon.
- In a microwavable bowl mix the caramel bits and water. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until caramel is melted (1-2 minutes). Pour small spoonfuls of caramel into the indented cookies. *Optional: Drizzle with melted chocolate (or sprinkle with sea salt)!
Notes
Adapted from The Kitchen is My Playground
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 58mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE this recipe and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I originally shared this recipe December 2013. I updated in November 2017 with new photos and clearer instructions.
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Dani says
My husband is all about his cookies and he said these are Thē BEST cookies he has ever had. I had to make extra so he could had everyone at work try them. Thanks for sharing!!!!!
Rachel says
My 9 yr old daughter found this recipe, originally to make for 4-H baking project. It’s now a family favorite and have been making this for 4 years now!
Dylan Slemons says
I made these as my first cookie recipe ever, and they turned out great!!! I suggest buying caramel from Chick-Fil-A to use on the cookies! They come with the catering food trays but you can buy some for only $2 and it makes the cookie heavenly!
Sali says
The caramel hardened a lot. Is it ok to microwave them before serving to get it a bit softer? I put them in the freezer as suggested for 15 mins and now they are really hard.
Lauren Allen says
This sounds like the caramel was heated too much and that’s why it was so hard. I would not heat them in the microwave!
Linda says
What kind of chocalate to drizzle over. Can you use morsels
Lauren Allen says
Any chocolate that melts well. If using chocolate chips, just make sure it’s a high quality brand that will melt 🙂
Rhonda says
This is a old Betty Crocker Holliday cookbook that my grandmother had! I have been making these for 20 + years . Everybody who has had them, LOVES them!!?