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!
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!
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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.
Notes
This post was originally published in 2013 and has been updated with new photos, weight measurements, and other recipe improvements. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
This is a Fabulous recipe- I have to make several batches as they go quickly when people know I make them. It’s definitely a family favorite for Christmas and actually anytime. Mine aren’t as pretty but they are Delicious ♥️
So happy to hear they’re a family favorite!
can u use caramel sauce directly
Hi Preethi! Caramel sauce might be a little too liquidy for this recipe! You want a caramel that will firm up a bit in the cookies as it cools.
Can I freeze these if made ahead of time?
Hi Sarah! Due to the caramel, we’ve found the best way to freeze these ahead of time is by freezing the cookie dough balls prior to baking/adding caramel. The dough balls are good in the freezer in an air-tight container for up to 6 weeks. Place the reserved egg white in a small freezer container and freeze as well 🙂 On the day you’re ready to bake, take the dough and egg white out 2 hours ahead of time to defrost at room temperature, line baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, and follow the remaining instructions to dip each ball in egg white, roll in pecans, then pressing the center of each ball down with your thumb. Follow the instruction to bake, make and place the caramel/chocolate drizzle, and you’ll be good to go 🙂 I hope that helps!
Could the dough just be refrigerated for several days before baking (instead of freezing)?
You can, but we don’t recommend refrigerating for more than 72 hours as the dough will dry out. Check out more details in this article here: https://handletheheat.com/the-1-reason-why-you-should-chill-your-cookie-dough/
Thank you! Any advice on shipping these cookies?
Unfortunately, I can’t help you there! Neither Tessa or I have experience shipping these cookies! Please let us know what you find if you give that a try 🙂
These were delicious! I love that they were not too sweet. I had some caramel left over and tried to make an ice cream sundae with it but the caramel becomes very firm when it’s cold. It’s not like caramel sauce at all. Next time I would use 10-12 caramels with 1 tbsp of heavy cream when I make these cookies again.
Glad you enjoyed these cookies, Esther! If you’re looking for a caramel sauce recipe, we’ve actually got a great one that would be a delicious topping for your sundae, click here for the link 🙂
Can I use Werthers orginal chewy caramels?
Rich and delicious!
Made these today to add to my Christmas cookie trays this year. They look just like the picture and taste as good as they look. Great recipe.
These cookies are delicious! I added these to my Christmas baking this year. Will definitely be making these again. I won’t be doing big batches next time as they are a bit time consuming for me.
Thank you Tessa for another great recipe with easy to follow directions.
So glad you enjoyed these cookies!
I made these last year. They were so delicious!!!
So happy to hear that, Tina!
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Does the caramel stay soft or get hard and chewy?
The caramel thickens slightly but it’s still gooey and delicious!
This was going to be my question as well – Do you think canned dulce de leche would work in place of the caramels and cream? These sound absolutely awesome!
I have made so many of your recipes and absolutely love them!!
For this one, can we make our own caramel or is it better to use the squares?
Thanks so much ☺