Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: There’s a reason that turtle treats are so popular! The combination of pecans, caramel, and chocolate is heavenly.
Texture: The cookie is rich and soft, the pecans are crunchy, and the caramel is thick and gooey.
Ease: Definitely not as quick and simple as regular drop cookies, but these are well worth the extra effort!
Pros: Delicious and fun cookies – the perfect addition to your Christmas cookie box!
Cons: A little messy and requires hands-on time.
Would I make this again? Yes, definitely!
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If you love the turtle flavor combination of chocolate, pecans, and caramel, these Turtle Thumbprint Cookies are for you!
I’m so excited that the Christmas cookie baking season is in full swing.
There’s nothing I love more than baking cookies while listening to Christmas music!
Struggling with Flat or Dry Cookies?
My free guide shows you how to fix texture problems and bake cookies you’ll love.
These cookies are the ultimate turtle treat and are crunchy, gooey, and rich without being cloyingly sweet.
Perfect for your Christmas parties and potlucks, and so cute and unusual for your Christmas cookie platters, your friends and family will be asking you to make these Turtle Thumbprint Cookies again and again.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
What Type of Cocoa Powder is Best For Turtle Thumbprint Cookies?
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder in these cookies (also known as natural cocoa powder).
- I recommend using high-quality cocoa because most grocery store brands only contain a low percentage of fat.
- Higher fat content in cocoa is what lends a rich, decadent chocolate flavor, with the best texture.
- You can learn more about Natural vs Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder here.
- Read more about Fat in Cocoa Powder here.
Flaky Salt on Your Caramel
If you’re into the salty-sweet flavor combination, sprinkle cookies with a little flaky sea salt right after filling with caramel. I love the way the salt elevates the turtle flavors, and it also helps cut the sweetness of the caramel! You can usually find Fleur de Sel at your grocery store, or you can grab it on Amazon here.
If you don’t prefer the salty-sweet combo, feel free to skip this step.
What Baking Sheet is Best for Thumbprint Cookies?
A light-colored aluminum half-sheet pan is my favorite for baking cookies. Avoid dark nonstick pans, as they brown too much and may burn the bottoms of your cookies. This is particularly important for dark-colored cookies like these Turtle Thumbprint Cookies, as it can be harder to tell visually when they are done baking.
Check out my Baking Pans 101 post for all the surprising details. Or, just click here to score my favorite baking pans for cookies (and everything else!)
Can I Make This Turtle Thumbprint Cookie Recipe With a Hand Mixer?
Yes! A hand mixer will work just as well as a stand mixer.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Sure! Double each ingredient to make about 48 cookies.
How to Store Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
Store Turtle Thumbprint Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Store cookies with a tortilla to keep them soft a little longer.
Can I Freeze Turtle Thumbprint Cookies?
If you need to freeze these ahead of time, I recommend freezing the cookie dough balls prior to baking and adding the caramel. Here’s how:
- Freeze the portioned cookie dough balls inside an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.
- Place the reserved egg white in a small airtight container and freeze separately.
- Allow both the cookies and the egg white to thaw overnight in the fridge before following the rest of the recipe as instructed below.
More Christmas Recipes You’ll Love:
Be sure to check out my Christmas Recipe Headquarters page for more holiday baking recipes!
Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
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Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 2/3 cup (133 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, separated
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (127 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (28 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup (113 grams) pecans, finely chopped
For the Caramel Thumbprint:
- 16 unwrapped caramel squares
- 3 tablespoons whipping cream
Fleur de sel , or other flaked sea salt, for sprinkling, optional
For the Chocolate Drizzle:
- 1/2 cup (85 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil or shortening
Instructions
For the cookies:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until well combined and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla extract. Reserve the egg white in a separate container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight, or until the dough is chilled and firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly beat the reserved egg white. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Dip each ball in the egg white, then roll in the pecans, pressing lightly to coat well. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly press down the center of each ball with your thumb.
- Bake for 12 to 13 minutes, or until set. Set the baking sheet on a cooling rack and let cool until just warm. While the cookies are still warm, press down the center of each cookie again with your thumb or the opposite end of a wooden spoon.
For the caramel:
- While the cookies are baking, combine the caramel squares and cream in a small saucepan set over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Spoon about a 1/2 teaspoon of caramel into each thumbprint. Sprinkle the caramel with Fleur de sel to taste. Let cool completely.
For the chocolate drizzle:
- In a small heat-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and oil in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Remove the chocolate to a small zip-top baggie and cut a small hole in one corner. Pipe the chocolate over the cookies. Let the chocolate set before serving or storing in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
Learn the sweet SCIENCE of cookie baking in a fun, visual way to customize your own recipes frustration-free. Plus, my best 50+ homemade cookies!
This post was originally published in 2013 and has been updated with new photos, weight measurements, and other recipe improvements. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Can these be frozen?
Yes!
Made these at Christmas, they were the first to go! Will make double next year.
Absolutely tasty. And yes, you were right it’s quite messy but it’s worth it.
Can I freeze these if made ahead
I tried it was amazing but I didnt use eggs so was a little hard , I guess. Is there any other alternative if we dont want to use eggs
looks and sounds delicious !!!!!!
Wowwie! These look AMAZE.
This recipe is AMAZING!!!! Turtle Thumbprint cookies is now my favorite Christmas cookie recipe.
Thank you for sharing…these look amazing. I can’t wait to get started! Happy feasting!
I’m absolutely going to make these this year, they look delicious, and so interesting! Just wanted to share a tip I learned with a different recipe that uses those little wrapped caramels – they are much easier to peel if you toss them in the freezer for a bit first. Not as sticky 🙂
For the caramel, can you use whole milk instead of whipping cream.
Can u make Carmel sauce instead of Carmel squares?
Will it work as well?