Turtle Thumbprint Cookies feature an irresistible trio of chocolate, pecans, and caramel. These buttery chocolate thumbprint cookies are dusted with pecans and filled with a big dollop of soft, ooey-gooey caramel! Planning for the holidays? These Turtle Thumbprint Cookies need a spot on your cookie tray!
These Turtle Thumbprint Cookies were on my blogging to-do list for at least two years now. The list of recipes that I want to make and share is always SO long. The wait is over for these Turtle Thumbprint Cookies to have their moment in the spotlight.
I’m skipping around between Christmas cookie ideas and Thanksgiving ideas, even though it’s only October, and Halloween hasn’t even happened yet.
See, I don’t have any new Halloween recipes this year. I had recipes mapped out, and I’ve even purchased the ingredients (mostly lots of mini and snack-size candy bars to make ‘leftover’ Halloween candy recipes!), but I just didn’t get them made.
Instead, I’m blasting past Halloween, and jumping straight to Christmas for a sec. I mean, you can make these Turtle Thumbprint Cookies anytime, there’s nothing particularly Christmas-y about them. However, I went crazy with cookies this year and I want to start sharing them sooner than later so that you can plan for the holidays.
Who doesn’t love to bake up a cookie storm for Christmas? Turtle Thumbprint Cookies are now on your radar!
If you’re a sucker for turtle candies, you’ll love these Turtle Thumbprint Cookies. They’re like turtle candies in cookie form. Chocolate, pecans, and caramel together are a power trio.
These buttery chocolate cookies are strong on cocoa and boast wonderful texture. With slightly crunchy edges and soft, tender middles, they’re sturdy enough to hold a heap of ooey-gooey caramel in the center. Pecans add nuttiness and texture!
If you’re interested in other turtle desserts, I recently posted this Turtle Pumpkin Cheesecake. It’s my favorite pumpkin cheesecake recipe, draped in chocolate ganache, a thick layer of caramel, and a smattering of pecans. So over-the-top!
I’ve also previously shared this Turtle Ice Cream Pie and this Pecan Turtle Tart. Both are super quick & easy!
Thumbprint cookies are a favorite cookie of mine – the possibilities and variations are so limitless. They’re always really pretty on a cookie tray too.
I have a host of other thumbprint cookies, so I’ll direct you to a few faves, though this is not all of them!
- Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints with Kahlua Ganache
- Snickerdoodle Thumbprints with Cookie Butter Buttercream
- Dark Chocolate Peppermint Patty Thumbprints
- White Chocolate Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Thumbprints
- Coconut Macadamia Key Lime Thumbprints
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Thumbprints
Oh, and a few more are forthcoming soon. 🙂
Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
For cookies:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp. milk or cream
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup baking cocoa
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
For filling & garnish:
- 11 oz. package caramels unwrapped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate
Instructions
For cookies:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar. Cream until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the mixing bowl, and beat until just combined.
- Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or until dough is firm, and easily forms into a ball.
- Shape into 1-inch balls, and roll in pecans.
- Arrange 2 inches apart on parchment paper or silicone mat-lined baking sheets.
- Press an indentation in the center of each cookie using your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until set when you lightly touch an edge (carefully).
- Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
For filling & garnish:
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels and heavy cream.
- Heat at 30-second intervals, stirring in-between, until melted and smooth.
- Spoon a rounded teaspoonful of caramel into the center of each cookie.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate at 15-second intervals, stirring in-between, until melted and smooth.
- Drizzle over cookies. Allow to set.
