Description
Delight in these Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies, a perfect blend of rich cocoa, crunchy pecans, gooey caramel, and drizzled chocolate finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt. These bite-sized treats combine smooth caramel and melted chocolate atop a tender, nut-coated chocolate cookie base—ideal for gatherings and satisfying sweet cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1 large egg, yolk and white separated
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp buttermilk
- 1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans
Topping
- 15 caramels (such as Kraft)
- 2 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream
- Flaky or coarse sea salt
- 3 oz chopped milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
- 2 tsp shortening
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light-brown sugar on medium-high speed until slightly pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients. Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until combined, then blend in the buttermilk. Keep the egg white in the refrigerator for later use.
- Combine Dough. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients from step one until just combined to avoid overmixing.
- Chill Dough. Shape the dough into a ball, place it on plastic wrap, flatten it into a 6-inch disk, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes until slightly firm. You may chill up to 1 day but allow dough to rest at room temperature briefly if hardened.
- Preheat Oven and Prep Nuts. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the egg white from the refrigerator and whisk vigorously until frothy. Place finely chopped pecans in a separate bowl for coating.
- Shape and Coat Cookies. Shape the chilled dough into 1-inch balls weighing approximately 18 grams each. Dip each ball into the egg white and let excess drip off, then roll each in the chopped pecans and press gently to adhere as needed. Transfer coated dough balls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
- Create Thumbprints. Using your thumb, make a deep indentation in the center of each dough ball to form the cookie’s signature thumbprint.
- Bake Cookies. Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 12 minutes until the cookies are set. Remove from oven and use the rounded bottom of a teaspoon to gently press down the indentation again for extra room for caramel. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Caramel Topping. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the caramels and heavy cream. Heat on HIGH power in 30-second intervals, stirring thoroughly between intervals until the caramel mixture is melted and smooth.
- Fill Cookies with Caramel. Spoon the warm caramel into each cookie’s indentation and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt for the classic salted caramel flavor.
- Melt Chocolate Drizzle. Place chopped chocolate and shortening in another microwave-safe bowl. Heat on 50% power in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
- Decorate Cookies. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with a cut corner and drizzle over the caramel-filled cookies. Allow chocolate to set fully before storing the cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
- For best results, chill the dough thoroughly to help the cookies keep their shape and improve texture.
- If chilling dough for longer than a few hours, bring it to room temperature briefly before shaping to avoid cracks when making indentations.
- Use a rounded teaspoon bottom to gently press thumbprints deeper after baking for more caramel space without breaking cookies.
- Shortening helps smooth the melted chocolate and keep the drizzle glossy and stable when set.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
