Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies Recipe
Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies are good any time of the year. These are not your regular chocolate chip cookies.
My Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies recipe is made from scratch and loaded with the perfect combination of chocolate chips, pecans, and caramel bits.
If you have chocolate chip cookie lovers in your family, you need this recipe. These chewy morsel-filled cookies will make you a winner at the annual cookie exchange party too.
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Table of Contents
- What is a turtle cookie?
- Ingredients
- Optional Ingredients for decorating the cookies
- Directions
- Step 5
- Step 6
- Bake The Cookies
- Optional Decorating
- More Delicious Cookie Recipes
What is a turtle cookie?
Turtle cookies usually contain chocolate chips, caramel, and pecans. Doesn’t that sound simply delicious? Some turtle cookie recipes will also be drizzled with melted caramel on top. These chewy turtle cookies are simply delicious.
Don’t faint but I am not a big fan of chocolate chip cookies. I do however love a good turtle cookie with caramel and pecans tossed in, like these.
Ingredients
You should be able to find all of these simple ingredients at your local grocery store. I have included (affiliate) Amazon links for shopping ease.
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed, buy on Amazon
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, buy on Amazon
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, buy Watkins Vanilla on Amazon
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, buy on Amazon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda, buy on Amazon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, buy on Amazon
- 1 cup caramel bits, buy on Amazon
- ½ cup chopped pecans, buy on Amazon
Optional Ingredients for decorating the cookies
- 1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips, melted
- A handful of semisweet chocolate chips, to press on the top of each cookie before baking
- A handful of caramel bits, to press on the top of each cookie before baking
- Pecan halves
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350° and prepare a large baking sheet. Cover your baking pans with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, like this one from Amazon.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, and salt then set aside.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and both the brown and white sugars until light and fluffy. A stand mixer is perfect for this but you can use a handheld mixer also.
Step 4
Now add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Step 5
Add the flour while the mixer is on medium, a small amount at a time so it does not come flying out of the bowl. Keep adding the flour and scraping down the sides of the bowl until it is all added. Add the vanilla and blend well.
Step 6
Fold in the chocolate chips, caramel bits, and pecans using a spatula. Be sure to fold well so these goodies are distributed well through the cookie dough.
Bake The Cookies
Step 1
Use a medium cookie dough scoop to portion the dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Space the dough balls about 2 inches apart, do not press down.
Then press a pecan half onto the top of each cookie dough ball.
You can also add a few of the chocolate chips or caramel bits to the top of the cookie at this time, right before baking.
Step 2
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 8 to 10 minutes per pan. Cooking times may vary as oven temperatures vary. Some ovens cook faster than others.
Step 3
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 to 7 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Optional Decorating
Drizzle with melted caramel or chocolate if desired.
Store in an airtight container or cookie jar that seals until ready to serve.
These decadent cookies are one of Santa’s favorite cookies. Be sure to make these for the office holiday party if you are taking Christmas cookies. They are always a crowd favorite.
Chocolate Chip Turtle cookies make a great gift from the kitchen. They are the perfect cookies to leave out for Santa, great for holiday parties, and let’s not forget to make them for the family at home.
All you need is a tall glass of cold milk or a cup of hot coffee to enjoy these cookies fresh from your kitchen.
Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room remperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup caramel bits
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Optiona Ingredients for Decoration
- 1 cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips, melted
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup caramel bits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° and prepare a large baking sheet. Cover your baking pans with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, and salt then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and both the brown and white sugars until light and fluffy. A stand mixer is perfect for this but you can use a handheld mixer also.
- Now add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the flour while the mixer is on medium, a small amount at a time so it does not come flying out of the bowl. Keep adding the flour and scraping down the sides of the bowl until it is all added. Add the vanilla and blend well.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, caramel bits, and pecans using a spatula. Be sure to fold well so these goodies are distributed well through the cookie dough.
Baking the cookies
- Use a medium cookie dough scoop to portion the dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Space the dough balls about 2 inches apart, do not press down. Then press a pecan half onto the top of each cookie dough ball.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for about 8 to 10 minutes per pan. Cooking times may vary as oven temperatures vary. Some ovens cook faster than others.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 to 7 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Optional Decorating
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, stirring every 10 to 15 seconds.
- Pour the melted chocolate into a decorator bag or use a spoon to drizzle over the cooled cookies.
Storing Cookies
- Store freshly baked cookies after they are completely cooled in an air-tight container. If you have drizzled melted chocolate on top of the cookies, you will want to store them in a single layer.
Notes
If it’s cookies you love, my friend Rita at Harbour Breeze Home made these delicious Cranberry Lemon Bars. You simply must check out her recipe.
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