Dessert

Chocolate Turtle Cookies Recipe

ByAiden Wells November 29, 2025November 29, 2025

Introduction

These Chocolate Turtle Cookies combine rich cocoa, gooey caramel, and crunchy pecans in one delicious treat. Perfectly soft with a decadent caramel drizzle, they’re a wonderful twist on classic chocolate cookies that will delight any sweet tooth.

The image shows a close-up of a chocolate cookie broken in half on a piece of white parchment paper, sitting on a wooden table with whole pecans nearby. The cookie is thick, dark brown, and soft, with melted chocolate oozing from the broken center. On top, there are toasted pecans and a drizzle of creamy caramel sauce, which adds a glossy golden layer over the dark cookie bits. In the background, some caramel pieces and more cookies blur softly, keeping focus on the rich, textured cookie in front. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter (softened)
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
14 baking caramels (unwrapped)
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Step 2: Cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar using a stand mixer or hand mixer until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.
Step 4: Beat in the unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
Step 5: Using a spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the all-purpose flour until just combined. Fold in the milk chocolate chips and chopped pecans.
Step 6: Scoop about two tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Repeat until you have 24 cookies. Freeze the dough balls for 30 minutes.
Step 7: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.
Step 8: While the cookies bake, place the unwrapped caramels and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, then continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until the caramel is completely melted and smooth.
Step 9: After removing the cookies from the oven, drizzle each with the melted caramel. Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.

Tips & Variations

For extra chewiness, add an additional egg yolk to the dough.
Swap pecans for walnuts or almonds if preferred.
If you don’t have baking caramels, use soft caramel candies or dulce de leche for the drizzle.
Chill the dough longer if you want thicker cookies with a soft center.

Storage

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To keep the caramel drizzle soft, avoid refrigerating. Reheat briefly in a microwave if desired to warm the caramel before serving.