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Turtle Cookies are a baked, bite-size brownie loaded with pecans, then filled with a creamy caramel center for a rich, decadent holiday cookie! These turtle cookies are always a huge hit and are gone in minutes.

Overhead shot of turtle cookies on a cooling rack.

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Beautiful: Not only are these cookies absolutely delicious, but they are stunning to look at! Wow, your guests with these beauties for your next party or get-together.
  • Neighbor Gift: These decadent cookies are a great neighbor gift during the holidays. Your friends will love you for making these for them.
  • Flavor Combination: The flavor combination of chocolate, caramel, and nuts is amazing! If you love this combination, try these Rolo Pretzel Turtle Recipe, Turtle Brownie, Turtle Pecan Bars, and Frosted Turtle Brownies.

Ingredients Needed For Turtle Cookies

This list of ingredients is full of pantry staples. You could literally make these right now! Ok, I don’t always have pecans and caramels on hand but I could use what I do have for a fun variation. Scroll to the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Cookies

  • All Purpose Flour: The base of the cookie dough.
  • Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Makes the cookie rich and chocolatey.
  • Salt: Super important to enhance the flavor of the chocolate.
  • Unsalted Butter: Adds a soft depth of flavor to the cookies.
  • Granulated Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness.
  • Egg: Separated, it binds the ingredients together.
  • Egg White: Used to roll the cookie dough balls in so the pecans will stick.
  • Milk: Makes the dough smooth and creamy.
  • Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm flavor that enhances the rest of the ingredients.
  • Finely Chopped Pecans: Finely chopped and prepared to add around the rim of the cookie.
Overhead shot of labeled cookie ingredients.

Topping

  • Soft Caramel Candies: Unwrapped and melted in the middle of the cookie.
  • Heavy Cream: Combined with the caramels to make it smooth and creamy.
  • Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Creates a beautiful drizzle across the top of the cookie.
  • Shortening: Added to the chocolate to make it easier to drizzle.
Overhead shot of topping ingredients.

How to Make Turtle Cookies

This turtle cookie recipe is easy to follow and will be the best decision you will make this holiday season. Your friends and family will be so happy you made them!

  1. Combine: Whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  2. Beat: Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar together on high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
  3. Chill: Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and cocoa mixture to the butter and sugar mixture until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour. When the dough is nearly finished chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
  4. Roll and Whisk: Scoop and roll the dough into one-inch balls. In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Roll the cookie dough balls in the egg white until fully coated.
Overhead shot of cocoa and flower in a mixing bowl.
Overhead shot of creamed butter and sugar in bowl with vanilla, milk and egg yolk.
Overhead shot of flour and cocoa mixture with the wet ingredients.
Overhead shot of a turtle cookie dough ball in the bowl of whipped egg whites.

Finish Cookies

  1. Coat: After coating the balls in egg white, roll them in the chopped pecans until the outside is coated. I like to press the pecans into the dough gently.
  2. Indent: Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving two inches between them. Use a teaspoon to press an indentation into each ball. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set.
  3. Melt: While the cookies are baking, melt the caramel and heavy cream in the microwave in 30-second increments. Stir between each increment until it is fully melted.
  4. Fill: Once the cookies are baked, use the teaspoon to press the indentation again since the cookies will puff in the oven. Fill each indentation with the warm caramel, about one scant teaspoon.
  5. Drizzle: Melt the chocolate and shortening in the microwave in 20-second increments, then pour the melted chocolate into a sandwich bag. Barely snip the corner and drizzle the chocolate over the turtle cookies.
Angle shot of egg white coated dough ball in chopped pecans.
Angle shot of someone making indents in the cookie dough balls with pecans.
Overhead shot of melted caramels and cream.
Angle shot of someone pouring the melted caramel into the indents in the baked cookies.
Close up shot of someone drizzling chocolate over the turtle cookies.

Making these turtle cookies is easier than you think. Here are some ideas to make sure they turn out perfect every time!

  • Cake Box Cookies: Instead of making your cookies from scratch, you can use a shortcut by making the chocolate cookie base by mixing one box of chocolate cake mix with two eggs and ½ cup of vegetable oil. Cover and chill the dough, then resume the instructions in step 4. 
  • Indent Cookies Twice: Remember to use a teaspoon twice to make the indentation on the cookies. Once right after rolling them in the pecans. And the second time when they are fresh out of the oven. This gives a nice little well for your caramel sauce to sit in.
  • Don’t Skip the Chilling! Chilling cookie dough allows the fat in it to solidify, helping to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. If you’d like, you can scoop and roll the dough into balls before chilling it. This can speed up chill time, though I wouldn’t chill them for less than 40 minutes. 
  • Use Soft Caramels: I prefer Werther’s brand soft caramels for the centers of these cookies, but you can use any soft caramel.
  • Reheat Caramel as Needed: When your final batch of turtle cookies comes out of the oven, your caramel may need 10-15 seconds more in the microwave. Heat it in small increments as needed through the filling process.
Close up shot of turtle cookies.

How to Make Ahead and Store Leftover Turtle Cookies

  • How to store turtle cookies: Store turtle cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag placed at room temperature or in the fridge. I recommend that you layer the cookies with parchment paper to prevent the turtle cookies from sticking together. These will last about one week at room temperature and 2 weeks in the fridge.
  • Can you make turtle cookies ahead of time? Yes, these are great cookies to make ahead of time. They can be stored at room temperature in the refrigerator or freezer.
  • Can you freeze turtle cookie dough? Yes! This is a great idea to get ahead of your holiday baking schedule. Simply make your turtle cookie dough and roll into balls, then place on a baking sheet. Freeze for about one hour. Place your turtle cookie dough balls in an airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready, simply bake from frozen and continue with the recipe. Add a few minutes to your baking time since they are frozen. When baking the cookie dough from frozen, the indentation will only be made once RIGHT after the cookies come out of the oven.
  • Can you freeze turtle cookies? Once the cookies are completely cooled, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. If you are layering your turtle cookies, add a layer of parchment paper or foil wrap to avoid them from sticking together. When ready to share your turtle cookies, simply take them out and thaw at room temperature. Enjoy!
Close up shot of a stack of turtle cookies.

Variations For Turtle Cookies

  • Salt: Add extra sea salt or coarse salt for a salty and sweet treat!
  • Chocolate: Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate are fun ways to add some different flavors of sweetness.
  • Nuts: Try chopped walnuts, almonds, or even macadamia nuts. If you are not a fan of nuts, go ahead and leave them out.
  • Caramel: Don’t have caramels on hand? Using my Homemade Caramel recipe will give you even better results!
  • Extract: Switch out vanilla extract for almond extract.

More Turtle-Inspired Desserts to Try

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Turtle Cookies

4.34 from 3 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
Turtle Cookies are bite-size brownies loaded with pecans, then filled with a creamy caramel center for a rich, decadent holiday cookie! They are always a huge hit and are gone in minutes.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
chill: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 37 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients 

Cookies

Topping

  • 14 soft caramel candies
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  • 1 teaspoon shortening

Instructions 

  • Whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Use a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar together on high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
  • Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture until combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
  • When the dough is nearly finished chilling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, line two baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.
  • Scoop and roll the dough into one-inch balls. In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy.
  • Roll the cookie dough balls in the egg white until fully coated, then roll them in the chopped pecans until the outside is coated. I like to press the pecans into the dough gently.
  • Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2-inch between them. Use a teaspoon to press an indentation into each ball.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set.
  • While the cookies are baking, melt the caramel and heavy cream in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each increment until it is fully melted.
  • Once the cookies are baked, use the teaspoon to press the indentation again since the cookies will puff in the oven. Fill each indentation with the warm caramel, about one scant teaspoon.
  • Melt the chocolate and shortening in the microwave in 20-second increments, then pour the melted chocolate into a sandwich bag. Barely snip the corner and drizzle the chocolate over the cookies.

Notes

Updated on Number 27, 2024
Updated on November 30, 2019
Original Post on December 15, 2013

Nutrition

Calories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 43mgPotassium: 78mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 154IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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79 Comments

  3. Ingredients list 1 egg separated + 1 egg white, but instructions say add egg “yolk” – so I’m left with the egg white already to roll the cookies in. What’s the extra egg white for? Was a whole egg supposed to go into the batter? Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Yolk goes in the batter. The two egg whites are used to coat the outside of the roll first before rolling into the pecans – its like a adhesive so the pecans will stick to the cookies.

      Reply

  4. Pecans are nuts and heavy cream is whipping cream. Nuts lightly toasted add a lot of flavor to the nuts, this is true for pretty much any nut.

    Reply

  5. how much cocoa powder and sugar do you use in this cookie recipe the is no amount just a square for the amount

    Reply

    3. I made these and I found the dough to be very messy. Stuck to my hands & was hard to roll. I found out you have to make them small to get 2 doz out of this recipe.

      Reply

  11. Hellooo , I’ve visited for first time your blog and saw your recipes are amazing delicious, but I was wondering , I didn’t understand what are ” pecans ” , and can I use something else instead ” heavy cream” ’cause I don’t know what are those two things … Thank you again if you’ll answer to my comment…. I wish you all the best in the future ….. .

    Reply

    1. Pecan is a type of nut. Heavy cream is a tick cream like nestle cream/all purpose cream. The latter can be used as whipped cream.

      Reply

  14. These cookies look incredible Alyssa! I love turtles and can’t wait to try these in cookie form, thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply

    1. I am reading your recipe and I am wondering what does the T mean for the milk and caramel.
      Is it tbs (tablespoon)? I tought maybe it was translated from French to English since T=Tasse un French, Cup in English.

      I do want to prepare these for Christmas gifts.

      Thank you
      Ginette

      Reply