Turtle Thumbprint Cookies

Pecans, chocolate, and caramel are a winning combination in these cookies. Buttery, crisp, not too sweet, and almost impossible to stop at just one—these cookies deserve a spot on your holiday cookie trays!

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Turtle Thumbprint Cookies

Soft pecan shortbread cookies filled with homemade caramel and topped with chocolate. So flavorful, addictive and perfect for holiday gifting or a special treat. They also hold up well to shipping!

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Assembly 15 minutes mins

Servings: 40 Cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients

  

Turtles Thumbprint Cookies

• 200 g raw unsalted pecans Broken pecans are fine
• 45 intact pecan halves approx. For topping the cookies.
• 280 g all-purpose flour
• 85 g raw unsalted pecans Broken pecans are fine, these will be ground into flour
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 225 g unsalted butter room temperature
• 140 g granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Caramel

• 100 g granulated sugar
• 30 g unsalted butter cut into 1" (2.5 cm) pieces
• 40 g heavy cream AKA whipping cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch fine sea salt

Chocolate Drizzle

• 100 g chocolate milk or dark
• 1 teaspoon neutral-tasting oil i.e. grapeseed, canola, or corn oil

Method

 

Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 300˚F (150˚C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Place 200 g raw unsalted pecans and 45 intact pecan halves on one of the baking sheets, keeping them separate. Bake until the pecans are fragrant, about 8–10 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, transfer the pecan halves to a bowl. Chop the remaining toasted pecans into tiny pieces and transfer to a small bowl.
2. Place 280 g all-purpose flour, 85 g raw unsalted pecans, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt in a food processor and grind until the pecans are like breadcrumbs.
3. Beat together 225 g unsalted butter and 140 g granulated sugar on low speed until combined. These need to keep their shape as much as possible in the oven, so you don't want to beat until light and fluffy as you would with most cookie recipes. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix until combined. Add the flour and ground pecan mixture and mix on low just until combined.
4. Beat 1 egg in a small bowl. Take a small scoop of the dough and roll it into a ball in your hands, then flatten it into a log or fat disc shape. Roll the sides of the log in the beaten egg white, then in the chopped pecans. Place on a baking sheet and use your thumb to press an indent in the center. Repeat with the remaining dough, leaving 1–2 inches (2.5 – 5 cm) of space between each cookie.
5. Bake until puffed and lightly golden brown, about 25–30 minutes. The indentations in the center most likely puffed up in the oven. Use a round measuring teaspoon to gently press the indentations back in while the cookies are still warm. Leave to cool completely.

Make Caramel

1. Add 100 g granulated sugar to a small saucepan and heat on medium while stirring carefully until all of it has turned an amber colour. I like to add the sugar about a quarter at a time, stirring it into the caramel already in the pan and waiting until the newly added sugar has melted and turned an amber colour before adding more—doing this can help heat and melt the sugar more evenly and prevent burning.
2. Take the pan off the heat, and very carefully stir in 30 g unsalted butter (cut into pieces). It will bubble and sputter! Once the caramel settles down, carefully stir in 40 g heavy cream (it will still bubble), followed by ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and pinch fine sea salt. Transfer the caramel to a heatproof bowl or container and cover. Leave it to cool down at room temperature until it's soft enough to pipe but able to hold its shape without running off, about an hour.
3. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip about ¼" (6 mm) in diameter, or ziploc bag with an opening of about ¼" (6 mm) cut in the corner.

Make Chocolate Drizzle

1. Make the drizzle right before you're ready to use it. Add 100 g chocolate and 1 teaspoon neutral-tasting oil to a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat it in 15-30 second increments until the chocolate is smooth and melted, stirring between each one to prevent scorching and ensure the chocolate heats evenly.
2. For a cleaner finish you can transfer the chocolate to a piping bag fitted with a very small round tip about ⅛' (3 mm) in diameter, or a ziploc bag with a small opening cut in the corner. But if you prefer you can simply use a spoon to drizzle lines of chocolate over the cookies.

Assemble the Cookies

1. Pipe a dollop of caramel in the indent of a cookie. Press a whole toasted pecan over the caramel. Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet and refrigerate or freeze until the caramel sets firm, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Drizzle lines of chocolate over the cookies, and return to the fridge or freezer until the chocolate sets.

Video