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Best Loaded Turtle Cookies with Gooey Caramel

Loaded Turtle Cookies - featured image
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These Loaded Turtle Cookies are buttery, crunchy, chewy, and packed with rich caramel and chocolate in every bite. They come together in about 25 minutes with simple ingredients, making them perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
  • ½ cup caramel sauce or soft caramel candies
  • Flaky sea salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then add the vanilla and mix until combined.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain.
  6. Fold in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans using a rubber spatula until evenly distributed.
  7. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  8. Make a small indent in the center of each dough ball with your thumb or the back of a spoon. Drop about ½ teaspoon of caramel sauce or a few caramel bits into the indent.
  9. Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and set, but the centers will still look slightly soft and puffy.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. While the cookies are still warm, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top (optional).

Notes

Room temperature ingredients matter. Don’t overmix the dough. Watch the caramel placement. Baking in batches: let the sheet cool completely between batches. Timing is everything—start checking at the 10-minute mark. For consistent results, use a cookie scoop.

Nutrition

Keywords: turtle cookies, loaded cookies, caramel cookies, chocolate chip cookies, pecan cookies, easy cookie recipe

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