Go Back
+ servings
Chocolate thumbprint turtle cookies randomly strewn about on a white background.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Thumbprint Turtle Cookies

These chocolate thumbprint turtle cookies are a rich chocolate cookie rolled in chopped pecans, filled with caramel, and drizzled with melted chocolate. They've got the perfect flavors of a turtle candy all in a delicious bite sized cookie, perfect for the holidays.
Prep Time18 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Chilling Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories: 170kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Pecan Cookies:

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg (separated)
  • 2 TBS milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 cup pecans (finely chopped)

For the Caramel:

  • 1 cup soft caramels
  • 1 TBS heavy cream

For the Chocolate Drizzle:

  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 tsp coconut oil

Instructions

For the Chocolate Pecan Cookies:

  • Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and beat them together until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add in the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract and stir until combined. (Save the egg white for later in a small bowl, and put it in the fridge)
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir them together to make a really soft cookie dough.
  • Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Whisk the egg white until it's nice and frothy.
  • Chop up the pecans really finely and add them to a small bowl.
  • Scoop the cookie dough into small sections, and roll them into 1inch sized balls.
  • Dip the cookie dough balls into the egg whites, then roll them into the chopped pecans, making sure to cover them completely.
  • Place them on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Press the back of a 1 tsp measuring spoon into the cookie ball. Repeat with additional cookie dough, placing them each about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet.
  • Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes, or until the dough is set.
  • Press the cookie again with the back of the measuring spoon.
  • Add the caramels and heavy cream to a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth between each. (Mine usually takes 1 minute)
  • Carefully pour caramel into the indent on each of the cookies.
  • Let the cookies cool for about 10-20 minutes.
  • Add the semi sweet chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small microwave safe bow land microwave in 20 second increments, stirring well after each until melted. Don't overheat the chocolate.
  • Scoop the chocolate into a zip top bag and snip a small amount off of one corner.
  • Drizzle the chocolate over the top of the cookies. Let the chocolate set completely before enjoy the cookies.

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg