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These Turtle Cookies are my absolute favorite way to doctor my chocolate chip cookie recipe! You just add a Rolo and a pecan and you have cookies inspired by Turtle Candy – the perfect easy recipe!
My mom loves Turtles – the candy, that is. Turtle candy is a chocolate and caramel confection with pecans. They get their name because their shape resembles a turtle: chocolate coated caramel “shell” with pecans sticking out around the edges. She’d get a box every so often and it would be gone in a day!
I originally made this cookie as a semi-homemade one using store bought cookie dough, but then I decided I needed to make it from scratch with my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe! You could also use my double chocolate chip cookies for an even more turtle-like flavor.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: My favorite cookies start with melted butter.
- Sugars: Both granulated suigar and packed brown sugar for the cookies.
- Egg: Buy large eggs
- Chocolate Chips: You can use your favorite! Semi-sweet chocolate chips from Trader Joe’s are my fav, but you can also use milk chocolate chips.
- Rolos: You could also use Dove brand, or any chocolate caramel candy. I prefer Rolos and use them in lots of things (like Cookie Cups or Rolo Stuffed Oatmeal Cookies).
- Pecans: I use pecan halves to make these the best turtle cookies!
How to Make Chocolate Turtle Cookies
- Make the cookie dough by stirring the melted butter with sugars, then mix in egg, salt, vanilla, and baking soda. Stir in all-purpose flour then mix in chocolate chips. Use a cookie scoop to scoop 2-tablespoon size cookie dough balls. Chill at least 30 minutes.
- Bake cold cookies until almost done (will still be a bit glossy on top). Place a Rolo on top of each cookie. Bake 1-2 additional minutes, or until the candy is starting to be melty.
- Press a pecan on top the melting Rolo immediately after removing from oven. Let them chill to set on a baking sheet or wire rack.
Expert Tips
- You can use pre-made cookie dough (like Pillsbury refrigerated dough) if you want.
- Once you’ve made the cookies give them some time to set up. The melted Rolo needs to harden before you stack the cookies.
- This method works with any flavor cookie – I’ve also made peanut butter turtle cookies!
Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies Recipe
You might never go back to regular chocolate chip cookies after you try these turtle cookies! It’s one of my favorite ways to dress up store-bought cookie dough and no one will guess they’re not made from scratch! All that caramel, chocolate and pecans takes them to a whole new level.
Recipe Video
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- ⅓ cup (66g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (186g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)
- 24 Rolos unwrapped
- 24 Pecan halves
Instructions
- Place melted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer or stirring by hand). Add granulated and brown sugars and mix on low speed until the mixture is smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until combined.
- Mix in baking soda and salt, then slowly mix in flour and mix just until the batter is smooth and comes together. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during mixing. Slowly mix in chocolate chips.
- Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough onto the cookie sheet. Spacing doesn’t matter because you will be chilling the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a second cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Remove the chilled cookie dough balls from the refrigerator and space them 2-inches apart on the cookie sheets. Bake (2 tablespoon sized cookies) for 10-13 minutes (at this point they’re under done still but they will keep baking while the Rolo heats up). They should be almost done around the edges and just slightly glossy in the center.
- Remove the pans from the oven and place an unwrapped Rolo in the center of each cookie. Return to the oven for 2-3 additional minutes, until the Rolo looks melty and the cookies are done. Immediately press a pecan on top the Rolo after removing pans from the oven.
- Cool completely before removing from cookie sheets. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for several days or freeze for a few months.
Recipe Notes
You can use my chocolate chip cookie recipe OR use store bought OR a refrigerated cookie dough you’ve baked and cooled.
Recipe Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 57mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 136IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
I just found ypur blog, and I am so glad I did, all of your recipes are amazing, and I love your header too 🙂 I loce caramel + pecans, so I will definetely try these cookies!
Thank you! 🙂 Welcome!
Seriously? Turtle cookies? I want some right now!
Are your cookies stuffed with something? The little square shape on the top makes me think there is something in the middle.
No, nothing in the middle. They’re the break-apart refrigerator cookies, the ones that start as squares, and mine never seem to totally loose the square. Possibly because I like half raw cookies so I always underbake. 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Those look fantastic!
Thank you!
Love this cookie idea, I think I’ll have the kids make some for me!
Many a time I’ve dropped the kids off at school in my slippers then decided to make a quick run into the grocery store on the way back forgetting I’m wearing my slippers. No one’s ever commented to me but wonder what they were all thinking? Hopefully, lucky girl, she gets to go back home!
haha! I am just giggling thinking about the collared shirts and bunny slippers. I take my kids to school in my pjs, then come home and stay in them until I workout, and then finally I get into real clothes. You have me wanting to go slurp from the caramel jar in my fridge:-) Awesome cookie idea!!!
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