Turtle Shortbread Cookies
You’ll love how this buttery shortbread blends with a chewy caramel, pecan, and chocolate topping. Perfect for the holidays or any time at all.
Turtle Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Microwave-safe bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 30 pecan halves
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 11 ounce bag caramels, unwrapped or caramel bits
- 1 12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon shortening
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat your oven to 325° Fahrenheit with two racks. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Make dough. Cream butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups of flour and mix on low until the flour is mixed in. The cookie dough will appear very crumbly, but do not add any liquid. Turn it on onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining ¼ cup of flour by hand.
- Shape into a log and cut. Shape the cookie dough into a 2-inch wide log using your hands. You may find it easier to place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap before shaping, then unwrap. Cut into half-inch slices.
- Bake. Arrange the cookies on two baking sheets, spaced ½ inch apart in all directions. (They won't spread much.) Bake in preheated oven for 17-20 minutes, until the edges and bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. Let them cool completely before adding the caramel and chocolate.
- Top. Melt caramel and cream in the microwave on low for 30 seconds. Stir and repeat until it is completely smooth and melted. Drop Place a pecan half in the center of each cookie and let the caramel set up. Melt the chocolate and shortening and add a spoonful to the top of each cookie. You can smooth it out with a spoon if you'd like.
- Let set. Let the chocolate set until hardened. The time for this will vary depending on the temperature of your room. You can place the cookies in the fridge to speed it up. Once the chocolate has set, you can stack the cookies.
Notes
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- The cookie base is buttery and delicious. The perfect shortbread recipe, this one will replace all others in your recipe box.
- The pecans add a lovely crunch. Just the right amount of texture and a touch of saltiness.
- The chocolate and caramel topping is out of this world! Chewy, sweet, and perfect.
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
You’ll need the following to make these indulgent treats:
- salted butter
- brown sugar
- all-purpose flour
- pecan halves
- heavy cream or half and half
- semi-sweet chocolate chips or baking chocolate
- shortening
🥣 Equipment
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Microwave-safe bowls
🍴Instructions
Step One: make the dough
Preheat your oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Place two baking sheets on the oven’s middle and top racks. Then, line the baking sheets with parchment paper.
To make the cookie dough, cream together butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups of flour to the mixture and mix on low speed until the flour is mixed in. The cookie dough will appear very crumbly, but do not add any liquid. Turn it onto a floured surface and knead in the remaining ¼ cup of flour by hand.
Step Two: shape into a log
Shape the cookie dough into a log using your hands. You might find it easier to place the dough on a piece of plastic wrap before shaping, then unwrap.
Step three
Cut the dough into slices that are half an inch thick. Put the cookies on two baking sheets. The cookies will not spread much, so you can put them close together.
Step four: bake
Bake the cookies in a preheated oven for 17-20 minutes, until they are golden brown on the edges and bottom. Let them cool completely before adding the caramel and chocolate.
Step five: top
Put the caramel and cream in a bowl and microwave on low for 30 seconds. Stir it and then microwave for another 30 seconds. It should be melted by then. Put a pecan half in the center of each cookie. Then, let the caramel set up. Melt the chocolate and shortening and add it to each cookie. You can smooth it out with a spoon if you’d like.
Step six: let set
The chocolate will set and harden over time. This will depend on the temperature of your room. If you want it to set faster, you can put the cookies in the fridge. Once the chocolate has hardened, you can stack them.
🥫 Storage instructions
Make sure the cookies are completely cool before storing them. You can either store them in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge. If you choose to store them in the fridge, be sure to let them come back to room temperature before eating them so they don’t get too cold and hard.
If your kitchen is warm, the chocolate might melt a bit and get messy.
🔍 FAQs
Buttery and slightly crumbly with crisp edges
Yes! The fully baked and assembled cookies freeze well. You could also make the shortbread dough and freeze it.
Semi-sweet works best, but you could use milk chocolate if you like things on the sweeter side.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Don’t add any liquid to the dough! I know it looks impossibly dry and crumbly, but I promise it comes together when you turn it out on the counter
- If your chocolate or caramel cools too quickly while you’re working, just pop it back in the microwave.
- The shortening gives you smoother chocolate and more time to work, but it will take a bit longer to set up than you might be used to.
📘 Related Recipes
🍽 Serve it with
Having a cozy Christmas gathering? Try these recipes too:
- Spiked slow cooker apple cider
- Honey ham (already prepared!)
- Scalloped potatoes with white cheddar
- Texas-style canned green beans
By Katie Shaw
Katie lives in Virginia with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens. She loves creating simple tutorials for sourdough, bread, and soap. Her recipes, articles, and YouTube videos reach millions of people per year.