Turtle cookies are rich, decadent cookies that combine all the flavors of the classic turtle candy: chocolate, caramel, and pecans. Chewy chocolate cookies are filled with caramel bits and rolled in chopped pecans.
Chocolate turtle cookies are a fantastic recipe any time you're looking for a rich, chocolatey treat. These soft chocolate cookies are filled with chewy caramel bits and rolled in crunchy chopped pecans.
To make turtle cookies, first you'll start with a chocolate cookie dough. Rich caramel bits are stirred in, then each dough ball is rolled in finely chopped pecans before baking to perfection in the oven.
Turtle cookies are perfect for the holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. Add them to your next holiday cookie tray!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Butter - Unsalted butter should be room temperature to easily cream together with other ingredients. Unsalted butter and the listed salt can be substituted with salted butter if needed.
- Sugars - We're using a combination of granulated and brown sugars today for best flavor and texture. Sugar not only sweetens your cookies but also helps them retain moisture after baking, so I don't recommend reducing the amounts of sugar listed.
- Eggs - Eggs should be room temperature before adding to your dough to incorporate seamlessly and smoothly. To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, fill a bowl with warm tap water. Add your eggs and wait 10 minutes.
- Vanilla extract - Adds flavor to the dough.
- All-purpose flour - Adds structure and balances with the wet ingredients in the recipe. I have not tested this recipe using other types of flour. If you'd like to use other types of flour, I highly recommend searching for a recipe that is developed specifically for the type of flour you have on hand.
- Cocoa - Natural cocoa powder is needed for this recipe to balance with the leavening agents. I do not recommend using Dutch cocoa powder, as it is less acidic than natural cocoa and can change the texture and rise of your cookies.
- Milk - Adds moisture to the dough. Any milk you have on hand, like whole milk, 2%, or almond milk will work.
- Leavening - Baking soda is necessary for this recipe, and cannot be substituted with baking powder.
- Salt - Enhances the flavor of the cookies.
- Caramel - I used Kraft caramel bits (pictured above), but caramel squares that have been cut into small pieces will also work.
- Pecans - Can be substituted with walnuts if desired.
Caramel bits
For this recipe, I used Kraft Caramel Bits, which can be found on Amazon or at Target, Walmart, and Kroger. Caramel bits are small, round, unwrapped caramel pieces that are ready to add to your cookie dough.
If you can’t find caramel bits at your local store, you can also use caramel squares and roll them into the middle of each dough ball. Or, slice the caramel squares into tiny pieces for the same effect as the caramel bits.
What are turtles?
Turtles are a candy made with pecans and caramel that's been dipped in chocolate. Their shape loosely resembles that of a turtle.
Cookie tips and tricks
Check out my full post, 10 tips for baking cookies, for my best tips on baking a perfect batch of cookies. Here are my favorites:
- Room temperature ingredients - Room temperature ingredients mix together evenly to create a perfectly mixed dough (without streaks of unmixed ingredients).
- Bring ingredients to room temperature quickly - Slice sticks of butter into small, ½ inch slivers. Small pieces warm up faster than a whole stick. Place eggs into a bowl and cover with very warm tap water. They'll come to room temperature in about ten minutes.
- Properly measure your flour - The most common issue I see in baking is the improper measuring of flour. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale and measuring using the gram measurements in the recipe card. If you don't have a scale, use the spoon and level method. Stir your flour, then spoon gently into a measuring cup and level off the top with a knife.
- What happens if you add extra flour - By scooping flour with a measuring cup, you're compacting the flour into the cup and adding up to 25% extra flour to the dough. Extra flour can cause cookies to turn out dry and have a bland/flour flavor, instead of allowing the other ingredients (like butter, sugar, and vanilla) to shine.
- Prevent spreading by lining your baking sheet - Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat instead of greasing your pan. Adding grease to a baking sheet causes cookies to spread more while baking.
- Cookie scoop - Use a cookie scoop (I used a medium OXO cookie scoop for this recipe) for perfectly sized, round cookies.
Storage
Turtle cookies will keep for 5 to 7 days in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. To help keep cookies fresh, place a slice of bread in the cookie container. Replace the bread slice as it dries out.
Freezing
Turtle cookies can be frozen for up to three months in a tightly sealed, freezer-safe container. To bring to room temperature, place cookies on the countertop to thaw for up to 1 hour.
Cookie dough can also be frozen for up to three months. Individual balls can be baked directly from the freezer - add 1 to 2 minutes to baking time if baking from frozen.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Turtle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup (160 g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all purpose flour
- ¾ cup (63 g) natural cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 11 ounces (312 g) caramel bits
- 1 ½ cups (171 g) pecans, chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add butter and sugars. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together until light and fluffy, about a minute. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Cream together until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, whisk (or sift) together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Gradually stir dry ingredients into butter mixture until just combined. Add caramel bits and stir until just combined.
- Cover bowl or wrap dough in wax paper. Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Refrigerating helps the flavors meld and also creates a firm dough that's easier to roll into balls.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove dough from refrigerator. Scoop dough using a 1.5 tablespoon (medium) cookie scoop or shape by hand into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in the chopped pecans.
- Place dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, or until tops have started to crack. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Cookies will keep for 5-7 days in a sealed container. To help keep cookies fresh, you can place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies. Replace the bread slice as needed.
- Raw cookie dough will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Cookie dough balls (and baked cookies) freeze well, up to 3 months in a sealed plastic container or freezer bag. Allow frozen balls to thaw for up to 10 minutes on the baking sheet before baking, or add 1-2 minutes to the baking time.
- If you can’t find caramel bits at your local store, you can also use caramel squares and roll them into the middle of the chocolate dough. Or, slice the caramel squares into pieces if you’d like the same effect as the caramel bits.
- Be sure to check out my 10 tips for baking cookies, based on reader comments and questions!
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