Turtle Thumbprint Cookies

Print Recipe

Servings: cookies

Calories: 109cal

Equipment

Stand mixer or hand mixer
Baking sheets
Measuring spoons
Cookie scoop 1 Tablespoon scoop

Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter softened
½ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar packed
1 egg at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon sea salt a pinch
1 ½ cups pecans finely chopped

Caramel Filling

20 Kraft baking caramels
2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Optional Garnish

flaked sea salt for sprinkling on top
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted for drizzling

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, granulated and brown sugars together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the sides as needed.
3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup light brown sugar
Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix again until smooth. Set aside.
1 egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Then add to the stand mixer bowl and run until a thick dough starts to form. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before forming the cookies.
TIP - The longer you refrigerate the less they will spread, but this will make a thicker cookie and may require more caramel in the center. For this recipe we chilled for 1 hour.
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop, roll a ball of dough into the chopped pecans and place the cookie onto a baking sheet. Repeat for the remaining cookies, placing them at least 1 1/2 inches apart.
1 1/2 cups pecans
Press the middle of the cookies down with the back of a 1/4 teaspoon measuring spoon. Bake for 10 minutes.
When the cookies are out of the oven and still hot, reform the center with a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon as the cookies will have risen in the oven. Repeat the baking process with the remaining dough.
While the cookies are cooling, start melting your caramel. Add a small amount of water to a pot and place a heat-safe bowl on top, ensuring the bowl will not get wet once boiling. Place caramels and heavy cream in the bowl and melt them down on low, stirring constantly.
TIP - To speed up this process you can bring the water to boil on high, reduce to low, then add the bowl on top.
20 Kraft baking caramels, 2 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Quickly fill the center of each cookie with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaked sea salt if desired.
flaked sea salt
To add a chocolate drizzle, melt 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl over the stove top, similarly to the caramel (this will not require heavy cream). Add to a piping bag or drizzle over with a spoon. This amount will make enough for the full batch.
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Video

Author: Amanda Davis

5 from 13 votes

Notes

It’s important to have your butter at room temperature (softened) and to always measure your flour correctly when it comes to cookie doughs. Too much flour will produce a crumbly, dry cookie dough. First, aerate your flour with a spoon by gently mixing the flour, ridding of any clumps or packed down areas. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup, lightly. Do not tap or pack the flour into the measuring cup. Level the measuring cup with a straight edge, something like the back end of a butter knife. Use the same process to measure your cocoa powder.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Chill Time1

Total Time1 30

Nutrition