Turtle Thumbprint Cookies with Pecans
These cookies are like everyone’s favorite turtle candies in cookie form. Soft, chewy cookies with a center of caramel & a drizzle of chocolate are so decadent and delicious you might not want to share.
Servings: 30 cookies
Calories: 102kcal
Ingredients
Cookie
- 1 cup flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 large egg, separated
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg white plus egg white from separated egg above
- 1-¼ cup pecans, chopped fine
Caramel Filling
- 14 soft caramel candies
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream
Chocolate Drizzle
- 1 teaspoon shortening
- 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate (about ⅓ cup chips)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Add egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Reduce speed on mixer to low and add dry ingredients. Mix well.
- Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to firm up for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To assemble cookies for baking, first whisk the 2 eggs whites until frothy. In another bowl, place the finely chopped pecans.
- Remove dough from refrigerator and form small balls using the palms of your hands. Dip first into egg whites and then roll in pecans.
- Place cookie balls 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets and make a small indentation in the center of each with the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon.
- Bake for 12 minutes.
- While cookies are baking, melt caramels and cream in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave one more minute or until melted.
- Remove cookies from the oven and place baking sheets on wire racks. Immediately repress the indentation in each cookie.
- Fill indentations with a small amount of melted caramel mixture. Let cool for another 10-15 minutes on cookie sheets then remove to wire racks to finish cooling.
- Once cooled, prepare chocolate drizzle by melting shortening and chocolate together in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted. Do not overcook.
- Place melted chocolate in small resealable bag, snip corner, and drizzle back and forth over the top of the cookies.
Video
Notes
STORE/FREEZE
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3-4 days or refrigerate them for up to a week.
Freeze the dough prior to baking or freeze cooled cookies after baking. Before serving them, allow them to sit on the counter until they reach room temperature.
Nutrition
Calories: 102kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
