Description
Decadent Chocolate Turtle Cookies combine rich cocoa-flavored cookie dough with a gooey caramel center and crunchy pecans, perfect for a delightful treat that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/4 c. (150 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 c. (60 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 tsp. baking soda
- 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 c. (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 c. (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Other Ingredients
- 3/4 c. finely chopped raw pecans
- 12 soft caramels
Instructions
- Prepare Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate large bowl, use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed to beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients and beat on medium-low speed just until a few dry streaks remain. Fold in the chopped pecans using a spatula. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough until cold, for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
- Shape Cookies with Caramel Center: Position oven racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Using a large cookie scoop (approximately 1/4 cup), scoop dough into twelve rounds. Press your finger into the center of each dough round to create a hole. Place one soft caramel into the indentation, then pinch the dough over the caramel and roll it back into a smooth ball. Arrange the cookie balls on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
- Bake and Cool: Bake the cookies for 16 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. They should be puffed up and the edges set. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely or serve.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted for the best cookie texture.
- You can substitute pecans with walnuts if desired.
- Use soft caramels for easier melting inside the cookies.
- Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing cookie spread and helps maintain the caramel center.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
