These soft brownie-like chocolate turtle thumbprint cookies are filled with a thumbprint of caramel, pecans and sea salt. The cookies are made with cream cheese which makes them extra soft and moist!
Quick Tips
- Make sure that both the cream cheese and butter have softened to room temperature before assembling your cookie dough (set them out for 2-3 hours or microwave them for 15 seconds increments)
- Use a cookie dough scoop to place the dough on the pan. The dough will be wet and sticky, so do not use your hands
Equipment
- Hand or stand mixer
- 2-3 mixing bowls (one should be microwave safe)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cookie sheet – this Good Cook 13×9-inch pan is my favorite!
- Silicone spatula
- Mixing spoons
- Whisk
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Small cookie dough scoop (optional)
Ingredient Notes
- Cream cheese: this helps make the cookies extra soft and moist!
- Unsalted butter: if using salted butter, reduce added salt to 1/4 teaspoon
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt: reduce added salt to 1/4 teaspoon if using salted butter
- Baking caramels: I prefer to use Kraft baking caramels
- Milk: this helps soften the caramel
- Chopped pecans: substitute for any other chopped nut if desired
- Coarse sea salt: optional, but recommended!
Try these other cookie recipes!
- Chocolate Truffle Filled Cookies
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Thumbprint Cookies
- Andes Mint Thumbprint Cookies
How to make Chocolate Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
These chocolate turtle thumbprint cookies are very easy to make and can be broken down into two simple steps.
- Make the chocolate cookie dough
- Bake and assemble the cookies
How to make the chocolate cookie dough
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use the convection bake setting on your oven if you have it.
Add the softened cream cheese and softened butter to a medium or large mixing bowl and beat on medium to high speed until they are well combined.
Add the sugar and beat until combined, then scrape down the bowl once complete.
Next, add in the eggs and mix the batter until the eggs are just combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt).
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2-3 portions, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
Use a small cookie dough scoop to spoon the cookie dough on to a greased cookie sheet (or lined with parchment paper). Place the cookie dough 2-3 inches apart to allow for spreading. You will need to use a spoon or cookie dough scoop for this since the dough will be wet and sticky.
How to bake and assemble the cookies
Bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes or until they just begin to crack.
Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use the back of a tablespoon measuring spoon (or a regular spoon) to make indents in the center of all of the cookies. Allow the cookies to continue to cool on the cookie sheets while you make the caramel thumbprint filling.
To make the caramel topping, place the caramels and milk in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl. Heat them in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each one, until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth.
Spoon the caramel into the indents on the cookies, then add chopped pecans and coarse sea salt on top of the caramel.
Allow the cookies to cool before removing them from the cookie sheets.
Love these Chocolate Turtle Thumbprint Cookies? Try these other caramel recipes!
- Chocolate Caramel Toffee Cookies
- Cake Mix Chocolate Caramel Bars
- Brownie Bottom Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars
Chocolate Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- silicone spatula
- 1-2 Cookie sheets
- cookie dough scoop (optional, but recommended)
Ingredients
For the chocolate cookie dough
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the caramel topping
- 12-15 Kraft baking caramels or 1 cup Kraft caramel baking bits
- ¼ cup milk or heavy cream
Additional toppings
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- coarse sea salt
Instructions
To make the chocolate cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (use convection bake if you have it).
- Add the softened cream cheese and softened butter to a medium or large mixing bowl and beat on medium to high speed until they are well combined.
- Add the sugar and beat until combined. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
- Add in eggs and mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in 2-3 portions, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl once complete.
- Use a small cookie dough scoop to spoon the cookie dough on to a greased cookie sheet (or lined with parchment paper). Place the cookie dough 2-3 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes or until they just begin to crack.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately use the back of a tablespoon measuring spoon (or a regular spoon) to make indents in the center of all of the cookies.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheets while you make the caramel thumbprint filling.
To make the caramel topping.
- Place the caramels and milk in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl. Heat them in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each one, until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Spoon the caramel into the indents on the cookies.
- Immediately sprinkle chopped pecans and coarse sea salt over the caramel. Allow the cookies to cool for 15 minutes total on the cookie sheets before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
How should these be stored and how long are they good for?
They are good frozen for 6-8 weeks! They can sit out at room temperature for a few days, otherwise will be good in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Best enjoyed at room temperature