Chocolate Turtle Cookies Recipe

This Chocolate Turtle Cookies Recipe is a fudgy and indulgent recipe, which calls for pecans and salted caramel. It’s a classic, foolproof recipe, ready in about 3 hours 45 minutes.

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Chocolate Turtle Cookies Recipe Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 2/3 cup (55g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk (any kind, dairy or non)
• 3/4 cup (105g) finely chopped pecans
• homemade salted caramel

How To Make Chocolate Turtle Cookies

1. Beat the butter and sugars: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer, start by beating your softened butter with both the granulated and brown sugars. You want to keep the mixer on medium-high speed for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture looks pale, light, and incredibly fluffy. Once you’ve reached that texture, add in the egg and vanilla extract, and beat again on high speed until everything is fully combined. Be sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl so no pockets of butter are left behind.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients: Grab a separate medium bowl to combine your dry base. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. It’s important to whisk these thoroughly so the cocoa powder is aerated and the baking soda is evenly distributed throughout the flour.
3. Combine the batter and chill: Set your mixer to its lowest speed and slowly pour the dry ingredients into the wet butter mixture. Beat only until the flour disappears—the dough will be quite thick at this point. Switch the mixer to high speed and pour in the tablespoon of milk to help bind everything; the dough will become very sticky and tacky. Cover the bowl tightly and slide it into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. This chilling step is absolutely mandatory; without it, the sticky dough will be impossible to handle and will spread too thin in the oven.
4. Prep the dough for rolling: When you’re ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge and let it sit on the counter for about 10-20 minutes. This short rest makes the cold, hard dough just pliable enough to scoop and roll without losing its chill. While it rests, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
5. Scoop and coat in pecans: Scoop out about 1.5 tablespoons of dough at a time and roll them into neat balls between your palms. Immediately roll each ball in the finely chopped pecans, pressing the nuts gently into the dough so they stick. Arrange the balls about 2-3 inches apart on your trays. Since the dough is quite tacky, it helps to wipe your hands clean every few cookies to keep the balls looking professional.
6. Bake to fudgy perfection: Slide the trays into the oven and bake for 11-12 minutes. You are looking for the edges to appear set while the centers still look a bit soft and underdone. If you notice the cookies aren’t spreading much by the 9-minute mark, carefully pull the tray out and give it a firm “bang” on the counter a few times to encourage that beautiful crinkle look before finishing the bake.
7. Cool and drizzle with caramel: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will naturally deflate a bit as they sit, creating a perfect crater for the topping. Once they are cold, generously drizzle each cookie with your salted caramel for that signature turtle finish.

Recipe Tips

• How to get thicker cookies: Always chill your dough for at least 3 hours, or even overnight. The colder the butter stays when it hits the oven, the slower it melts, resulting in a much thicker and fudgier cookie.
• Why the “pan bang” works: If your cookies look like round balls halfway through baking, a quick tap on the counter breaks the surface tension, helping them spread into a classic, chewy cookie shape.
• Can I use store-bought caramel: You can, but make sure it is a thick “dessert sauce” or melted caramel chews. Thin, watery ice cream toppings will simply run off the sides of the cookie.
• How to keep the pecans crunchy: Toasting your chopped pecans in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes before rolling the dough in them will intensify the nutty flavor and keep them extra crunchy.

What To Serve With Chocolate Turtle Cookies?

This Chocolate Turtle Cookies Recipe is a fudgy, indulgent dessert that needs a cold or creamy pairing! A tall glass of Ice Cold Milk is the quintessential choice for balancing the rich cocoa and salty caramel notes. For a balanced dessert spread, a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream adds a lovely temperature contrast that pairs perfectly with the chewy pecans! A steaming Cup of Black Coffee or a small glass of Salted Caramel Liqueur pairs wonderfully with the deep, dark chocolate base of these cookies.

How To Store Chocolate Turtle Cookies

• Refrigerate: Cover any leftover cookies tightly and store them at room temperature for up to 1 week. They stay incredibly soft thanks to the brown sugar and cocoa.
• Freeze: You can freeze the baked cookies (with or without caramel) for up to 3 months. If freezing the dough, roll it into balls first, freeze them on a tray, and then transfer to a bag; just remember to roll them in pecans right before baking.

Chocolate Turtle Cookies Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 190
• Total Fat: 10g
• Cholesterol: 25mg
• Sodium: 160mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 24g
• Dietary Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 2g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

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