Hello again! It’s me. It’s been pretty fun to have a new recipe for you guys every day this month with my “25 Bakes of Christmas” series! So far we’ve had a lot of fun bakes to choose from, and today is no exception! I’ve been to so many cookie exchanges, and these turtle cookies are always one I get SO excited to bring home. But I had never made them before – so that needed to change! That’s when we put together The Best Turtle Cookies and never looked back.

BUT ARE THEY THE BEST?

I know that I already have a pretty killer turtle cookie recipe on my website here. But I wanted to make a smaller version that wasn’t a huge Levain Style cookie (although those huge cookies will always have my heart). These are the little sister version. Smaller, still mighty, and still packs quite a punch of chocolate/caramel/pecan flavor! So yes, they are still the best. Just a smaller version this time, haha.

INGREDIENTS FOR TURTLE COOKIES


The ingredients are pretty simple, but there is a process (chilling! I know that’s not everyone’s favorite step, but these cookies look so much better with that extra time in the fridge, trust me). So let’s go over our ingredients first:

  1. Flour – I used all purpose flour. Just make sure to measure it correctly so they aren’t rock hard or spread too flat. I usually stick with the spoon-the-flour-into-the-measuring-cup-and-level-it-off-with-a-knife method. 😊
  2. Cocoa powder – I LOVE this brute cocoa powder and use it in everything . It’s extra rich and a gorgeous deep red-ish brown color.
  3. Salt – you just need table salt for this one. Pretty simple.
  4. Butter – Make sure it’s not too warm when you start out, and not too cold either. You want to be able to have the butter cream together easily with the sugar.
  5. Granulated sugar – Make sure to give the butter and sugar enough time together to cream all the way. It should look creamy and less grainy about about 2 minutes of whipping on high speed.
  1. Eggs – You’re going to use the egg yolk for the inside of the cookies and egg whites for the outside. The egg whites are going to be used to help the pecans stick to the sides of the cookie dough balls, so make sure to separate them out!
  2. Milk – the dough is dry without this little extra step, so don’t forget to add it in. I used whole milk for this one.
  3. Vanilla – I love using this vanilla from Costco.
  4. Chopped Pecans – You can buy them prechopped, chop them up with a knife, or just pulse them in a food processor until they’re crumbly. You don’t want a powder – they should be like small pebble-sided pieces.
  5. Caramel – for this step, use any caramel you love. Homemade, store-bought, caramel bits, caramel filling, etc. I used Peters Caramel because it’s what I always have on hand. Just make sure it’s all melty (took about 1 minute in the microwave for mine, but the amount of time will depend on the type of caramel you use and how much of it you use). You’ll need about a cup for this recipe. Melt it up, pour it into a squeeze bottle (I love this one), then squeeze a little bit of that caramel into each cookie crater.
  6. Chocolate chips – I used dark chocolate chips for this one because the base of the cookie is a sweeter taste to me. The dark cuts right through. Melt the chips for about 30 seconds, give them a stir, then drizzle them on with either a squeeze bottle again, piping bag, spoon, or even a plastic baggie if that’s easiest for you.

HOW TO MAKE THE TURTLE COOKIES

The steps are as follows, and yes, it does require chilling. Don’t worry – empty your dishwasher, sweep the floor, prep dinner, and all the sudden your cookie dough has been chilled enough for you to do the next step. 😊

  1. Make the dough – Combine the flour, cocoa, and salt in a separate bowl. Set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar, then add in the egg yolk, vanilla, and milk. Add in the flour mixture.
  2. Chill for an hour. I just covered my bowl in plastic wrap and then placed it into the fridge.
  3. Scoop up the cookies with a cookie scoop (I love this one!), roll them out.
  4. Next, roll the cookie dough balls in the foamy egg whites, then the pecans.
  5. Hollow out a crater into the cookie dough balls with the back of a melon baller (I loved using this one).
  6. Bake, then create the crater again with the melon baller.
  7. Fill each crater with melted caramel.
  8. Drizzle on the melted chocolate

HOW TO STORE TURTLE COOKIES

I stored mine in a large Tupperware with a fitted lid. They have kept soft really well! I would say they can freeze easily, and kept up to a week in just the Tupperware in the pantry.

Aren’t they just gorgeous? They are about the size of a silver dollar, and about ¾ inch tall. They are the perfect addition to your treat plates to share with neighbors or even to bring to a fun cookie exchange!

HERE’S A VIDEO OF THE PROCESS:

I can’t wait for you to try these yummy cookies! If you do, I’d love to see it – make sure to tag me @bakingwithblondie on Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, or Facebook so I can join in on all the fun!

As always, happy baking!

Xo,

Mandy

Get the Recipe: Easy Turtle Cookies

Rich chocolate cookies rolled in pecans, topped with gooey caramel and a drizzle of chocolate. These Easy Turtle Cookies are the best!
Servings: 20 cookies
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Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (or 1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, separated
  • 2 Tablespoons whole milk
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1 cup caramel (I used Peter's Caramel, but you can use any caramel you have!). , melted
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips, melted

Instructions
 

  • Prep a cookie sheet with a sheet of parchment paper and set aside.
  • In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour/cocoa/salt mixture until just combined. Don’t overmix. Chill dough for an hour in the refrigerator.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a small bowl, whip up the egg whites until they’re bubbly and foamy.
  • In another separate bowl, add in the pecans.  
  • One by one, scoop up the chocolate cookie dough with a small cookie scoop, roll the dough into an even ball, roll the cookie dough ball in the foamy egg whites, then in the pecans until they stick. Set onto the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with all the dough.
  • Using the rounded end of a circle-shaped measuring spoon or a small round end of a melon baller, press the curve into the cookie to create a crater in each cookie dough ball.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, then use the back of the melon baller to create the crater again (cookies like to flatten a bit and creating the crater again will make space for our caramel pool in the middle).
  • Add the melted caramel to a squeeze bottle (likely used for ganache, etc) and squeeze in a pool of caramel once the cookies have cooled.
  • Add the melted chocolate to another squeeze bottle, piping bag, or plastic baggy, and drizzle on a bit of the melted chocolate chips. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes to set.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to a week for maximum freshness. Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe adapted from Better Than Scratch – Turtle Cookies