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Decadent Turtle Cookies with chocolate, caramel, and pecans, freshly baked.

Turtle Cookies

Rich and gooey turtle cookies featuring a soft chocolate base, a caramel center, and crunchy pecans, perfect for satisfying sweet cravings.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 180
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
Wet Ingredients
  • 1 cup Butter, softened
  • 1 cup Brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1 large Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Filling and Topping
  • 1 package Soft caramels (the unwrap kind) Plus a splash of heavy cream or milk
  • 1 cup Pecans, chopped Optional: Toast for added flavor
  • 1 cup Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate for melting

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, beat the softened butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy.
  4. Mix in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Scoop the dough into balls, about 1.5 tablespoons each, and place on the baking sheet with space between.
Baking
  1. Bake for around 8 to 10 minutes until the edges are set but the centers are still a little soft.
  2. As soon as they come out, gently press a small dent in the center of each cookie using the back of a teaspoon.
Filling
  1. Melt the caramels with a splash of cream or milk until smooth.
  2. Spoon the caramel into the dents of the cookies.
  3. Sprinkle chopped pecans over the caramel and drizzle melted chocolate on top.

Notes

For the best texture, avoid overbaking. Let cookies cool before adding the caramel to prevent it from sliding around. You can freeze the dough for later use.