Description
These Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies are rich chocolate cookies with a crunchy pecan coating, filled with gooey salted caramel and drizzled with melted chocolate. A perfect sweet and salty treat that combines buttery chocolate dough, caramel, and nuts in every bite.
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, for sprinkling
- 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 flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside for later use.
- Cream butter and sugars: Using an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until slightly pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla: Mix in the egg yolk (reserve egg white in refrigerator) and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add buttermilk and dry ingredients: Blend in the buttermilk. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Chill the dough: Shape the dough into a ball, place it on plastic wrap, flatten into a 6-inch disk, then wrap tightly. Chill in the refrigerator for 45 minutes until slightly firm or up to 1 day. Allow the dough to rest at room temperature briefly before shaping if chilled longer.
- Preheat oven: Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare coating: Whisk the reserved egg white vigorously until frothy. Place chopped pecans in a separate bowl.
- Shape and coat dough balls: Form the dough into 1-inch balls (about 18 grams each). One at a time, dip each ball into the frothy egg white to coat, let excess drip off, then roll in chopped pecans to evenly coat. Gently press nuts if needed.
- Make thumbprint indentations: Place coated dough balls on parchment-lined baking sheets. Use your thumb to press a deep indentation in the center of each ball.
- Bake cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes until set. Remove from oven and gently press down the indentation again with the bottom of a rounded teaspoon for more space for the caramel filling.
- Cool cookies: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare caramel filling: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine caramels and heavy cream. Heat on high in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.
- Fill cookies: Spoon the melted caramel into each cookie indentation. Sprinkle lightly with flaky or coarse sea salt.
- Prepare chocolate drizzle: In a separate microwave-safe bowl, combine chopped chocolate and shortening. Heat at 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each until melted and smooth.
- Drizzle chocolate: Pour melted chocolate into a piping bag or a ziplock bag with corner cut off and drizzle over the caramel-filled cookies.
- Set and store: Allow the chocolate to set, then store the cookies in an airtight container.
Notes
- For best results, let dough rest at room temperature slightly before shaping if chilled longer than a few hours to prevent cracking.
- Use good quality caramels and chocolate for rich, smooth fillings and drizzles.
- If you don’t have shortening, you can substitute with coconut oil to help melt chocolate smoothly for drizzling.
- Flaky sea salt adds a nice crunch and contrast to the sweet caramel filling.
- Ensure not to overbake cookies; they should be set but still soft when removed from oven.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
