Turtle Cookies

These Turtle Cookies are buttery, rich chocolate cookies inspired by the classic Turtles praline chocolates that we mainly see around the holidays. These slightly fudgy cookies are baked with an indent similar to thumbprint cookies so that you can fill the indent with salted caramel and toasted pecans, then seal it all in with pure dark chocolate. Classic "Turtles" are clusters of pecans and caramel all dipped in chocolate, so these cookies are all that and more! Once the dark chocolate shell sets, it creates a crunchy coating to give way to gooey caramel. If you love Turtles, check out my recipe for Turtle Brownies too!

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Tender thumbprint cookies - the chocolate cookie base is buttery and tender with a bit of a chew. It's a cross between shortbread and brownie.
• Rich chocolate cookies - this cookie recipe has pure dark chocolate AND cocoa powder to deliver intense cocoa flavor and balance the sweetness from the caramel.
• Salted caramel - once the cookies are cooled, you spoon some of my easy and delicious homemade salted caramel sauce right into the middle.
• Toasted pecans - it's not a Turtles brownie unless there are pecans. I like to toast them for extra flavor.
• Dark chocolate shell - this is the finishing touch and completes the Turtles look!

INGREDIENTS

• Salted butter - I like using salted butter in this recipe because it adds a nice richness with the cocoa powder. You can also use unsalted butter and add ¼ teaspoon salt to the recipe with the dry ingredients.
• Cocoa powder - I recommend getting some good quality cocoa powder! It's the main flavor and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cocoa mix.
• Egg - 1 whole egg yolk will provide a little bit of structure to hold up the caramel and gives these a slightly chewy texture.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar blends easily with the soft butter and adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is great for enhancing the flavor of chocolate. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.

• All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make cookies. I use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.
• Salt - salt is important in any baking dessert recipe, but especially here when baking with chocolate! It totally enhances the chocolate and balances the sweetness of the caramel.
• Pecans - to get the most flavor from any nuts when you're baking, always toast them. You can roast them in a moderate oven for 7-10 minutes or toast them in a dry frying pan until they smell fragrant.
• Salted caramel - I use my homemade Salted Caramel Sauce to fill the cookies because it is nice and thick so it holds up well.
• Dark chocolate - you will need to melt some dark chocolate at the end to cover and enclose the salted caramel filling.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Melt chocolate. In a large bowl over a pot with ½-inch of simmering water, melt the chocolate until smooth and glossy. You can also use the microwave with frequent stirring.
• STEP 2). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• STEP 3). Cream butter and sugar. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until light and fluffy. Mix in yolk and vanilla extract.
• STEP 4). Add melted chocolate. Stir through melted chocolate. Add flour mixture and fold it in until just incorporated.
• STEP 5). Chill the dough. Form the dough into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• STEP 6). Shape the dough. Slice the chilled log into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion of dough into smooth balls and place onto prepared baking sheets spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use your thumb or a dowel (such as the back end of a wooden spoon) or the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon to create a well in the center of each cookie. Once you've made the impression with the dowel, move it around inside the well to open up the space to make room for lots of filling.
• STEP 7). Bake for 10-12 minutes, then remove from the oven and transfer trays to a wire rack and reinforce the indents again. Let cool completely on trays as these cookies are delicate when warm.
• STEP 8). Fill the cookies. Spoon some chilled caramel sauce into the wells of each cookie, place a roasted pecan on top and then drizzle melted chocolate over top.
• STEP 9.) Cover with chocolate. Spread the chocolate out around the edges to cover and enclose the caramel. Top with chopped pecans or more whole pecans for decorating then refrigerate until chocolate is set before storing and serving.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Measure flour accurately. Too much flour will make these cookies dry and crumbly.
• Use dark chocolate with 70% cocoa solids or more. If you use a sweeter chocolate to make the cookie dough, then the cookies can spread more during baking. I prefer this bittersweet chocolate.
• Watch the baking time. It's hard to tell when chocolate cookies are finished baking because they are dark already, so it's easy to over-bake them. When these are ready, they will look dry and a bit cracked, but they will still be soft. They will continue to set as they cool.
• Cool on the tray. Since these cookies are very buttery with less sugar, they are very delicate while warm, so allow them to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring them.

RECIPE FAQ

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Turtle Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

Rich buttery chocolate thumbprint cookies filled with salted caramel, roasted pecans and covered in a dark chocolate shell. These are BETTER than Turtles chocolates themselves - promise!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Servings 16 cookies

Ingredients

  

Cookie dough:

• 2 oz 56g bittersweet chocolate (min 70% cocoa) melted and cooled
• 1 cup 142g all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup 21g cocoa powder
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup 113g unsalted butter softened
• ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the filling:

1 x small batch Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

• 15 roasted pecan halves plus more for decorating
• 5 oz 142g dark chocolate melted
• ¼ cup chopped roasted pecans for decorating

Instructions

 

• Make the cookie dough. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until light and fluffy. Mix in yolk and vanilla extract. Stir through melted chocolate. Add flour mixture and fold it in until just incorporated.
• Form the dough into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice the chilled log into 16 equal portions. Roll each portion of dough into smooth balls and place onto prepared baking sheets spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use your thumb or a dowel (such as the back end of a wooden spoon) or the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon to create a well in the center of each cookie. Once you've made the impression with the dowel, move it around inside the well to open up the space to make room for lots of filling.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes, then remove from the oven and transfer trays to a wire rack and reinforce the indents again. Let cool completely on trays as these cookies are delicate when warm.
• Make the caramel sauce and let it cool completely. You can do this weeks in advance! Spoon some chilled caramel sauce into the wells of each cookie, place a roasted pecan on top and then drizzle melted chocolate over top. Spread the chocolate out around the edges to cover and enclose the caramel. Top with chopped pecans or more whole pecans for decorating then refrigerate until chocolate is set before storing and serving.