Turtle cookies are soft chocolate cookies packed with caramel bits and pecan pieces. Recipe includes step-by-step photos and tips to make perfect cookies.
Turtles are one of my favorite candies. The combination of chocolate, pecans, and caramel is also great in cookies. And these cookies are pretty fantastic (if I do say so!).
The cookies are soft, rich chocolate cookies full of buttery caramels and crunchy pecans pieces. If you like turtle flavored anything, they’re a must-make.
Don’t miss the step-by-step photos and tips below to help you make great cookies.
How to make turtle cookies
Step 1: In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening together until well-combined.
Step 2: Add sugars and beat until well-combined.
Step 3: Mix in eggs and vanilla. Scrape down bowl as needed.
Step 4: Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in just until combined.
Step 5: Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes. Scoop dough by 1.5 tablespoon scoops.
Step 6: Press pieces of caramel and pecans into the outside of the cookie dough.
Step 7: Place cookie dough scoops 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake.
Tips
- Butter: I like to use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer. The butter should be at room temperature (72F). This means that the butter should be soft enough to dent when pressed but shouldn’t lose shape when pressed. Overly warm butter can cause the cookies to bake out (spread too much).
- Flour: It’s important to properly measure the flour to avoid packing it in. To properly measure the flour, sift or stir the flour to break it up. Then lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level.
- Cocoa powder: I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe.
- Caramels: I use caramels in place of caramel bits. The caramels soften up nicely, and I’ve found that the caramel bits stay harder in the cookies.
- To cut the caramels, I either use kitchen scissors to cut them or spray a knife blade with nonstick cooking spray to chop them up.
- I press the caramels and nuts into the outside of the cookie dough because it makes for a prettier cookie.
How to store
These cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
More chocolate cookie recipes!
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Turtle Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie sheets
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 salt
- 11 ounce bag caramels in small pieces
- 2/3 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and shortening together until well-combined.
- Add sugars and beat until well-combined.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir in just until combined.
- Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes.
- Scoop dough by 1.5 tablespoon scoops.
- Press pieces of caramel and pecans into the outside of the cookie dough.
- Place cookie dough scoops 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8-11 minutes. The edges should be set but the middles should look soft and slightly underdone.
- Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling.
Notes
- Butter: I like to use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you prefer. The butter should be at room temperature (72F). This means that the butter should be soft enough to dent when pressed but shouldn’t lose shape when pressed. Overly warm butter can cause the cookies to bake out (spread too much).
- Flour: It’s important to properly measure the flour to avoid packing it in. To properly measure the flour, sift or stir the flour to break it up. Then lightly spoon into the measuring cup and level.
- Cocoa powder: I use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe.
- Caramels: I use caramels in place of caramel bits. The caramels soften up nicely, and I’ve found that the caramel bits stay harder in the cookies. To cut the caramels, I either use kitchen scissors to cut them or spray a knife blade with nonstick cooking spray to chop them up.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Carolyn Lease says
I made these wonderful cookies. I didn’t have quite enough cocoa powder, so I supplemented the difference with espresso powder. Also, I sprinkled the cookies with a little bit of sea salt flakes before baking. They were great!
Kate says
Thank you!
cep says
Hi Kate,
How about adding a photo of your featured recipe on the email that lands on our mailbox? Many of us tend to be drawn by beautiful photos of these delicious creations, pulling us to the website in which these goodies are in full display. Nothing tantalizes as a stunning photo and without it to tease our curiosity (and palate!), many readers simply don’t want to waste their time. Such a pity to miss that kind of draw in your recipe announcement. Surely, this will make your emails as attractive as your website…and as delicious as your creations. Show, rather than tell — isn’t that what they say? Or a picture says a thousand words, as cliche as it may sound? Thanks for your attention.
Kate says
Hi! Thank you for the suggestion! I’ve tested sending photos in emails and found that there were two issues. 1) Emails with photos often ended up spam folders, and people weren’t seeing the emails, which led to complaints. 2) Emails with photos took longer to load. This was creating issues for people with lower internet connectivity, and I received quite a few complaints about that as well. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to sign up for email, and I want the emails to be as user-friendly as possible. I hope that there will be a better solution in the future that will allow me to send photos in the emails without the above issues.
Teri Reitemeier says
These sound wonderful! Kraft has caramel bits available. Have you tried those in these cookies?
Kate says
Thank you! I’ve used Kraft caramel bits, but I found that they stayed firmer and didn’t soften up like the cut up caramels did.
Dean says
These are so good!!!
Kate says
Thank you so much!