Only three words are needed to describe the pure bliss that accompanies each bite of these cookies: Chocolate. Caramel. Pecans. In addition, these cookies are infused with some Mexican flavors that really takes them over the edge! Yes, these Mexican Turtle Cookies are guaranteed to be a hit!
I partnered with Nielsen-Massey Vanillas to bring you this post.
What happens when your favorite chocolate candy meets a cookie? They get married and produce a winning new generation of treats: Chocolate Turtle Cookies!
These turtle cookies are further infused some Mexican flavors that will really make your taste buds sing!
These turtle cookies are spiked with the delicately intoxicating flavor of Mexican cinnamon, the warm spiciness of Mexican vanilla beans and the subtle heat of ground red chilies while the chocolate flavor is accentuated by some quality chocolate extract.
Mexican vanilla a wonderfully rich sweet, woody and spicy flavor profile. It pairs especially well with chocolate and warm spices like the cinnamon in these cookies. (Here’s a helpful guide about the different kinds of vanilla extracts and how to use them.)
Pure chocolate extract is crafted from top quality cocoa beans and is the ultimate secret to punching up the chocolate flavor in any chocolate baked goods.
Combine those flavors with rich chocolate, toasted pecans and oozing chewy caramel and you have these deliciously unforgettable Mexican Chocolate Caramel Pecan Cookies!
No Summer barbecue or picnic is complete without dessert and for any outdoor eating occasion mess-less finger foods are always welcome.
A fuss-free sweet treat, the cookie dough can be made way advance so all you have to do is pop them in the oven for 10 minutes just before serving. For some heightened eating pleasure set out a tub of vanilla ice cream with some bowls and your guests can enjoy the two in combination – irresistible!
Ready to bake some Mexican Turtle Cookies?
Mexican Turtle Cookies Recipe
Let’s get started!
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs and beat until combined.
Add the Mexican Vanilla Extract and the Pure Chocolate Extract and beat to combine.
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and chili.
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in thirds, beating between additions just until combined.
Add the chopped pecans, caramel and chocolate chips and stir until combined.
Place a rounded spoonful of cookie dough on a lined cookie sheet.
To make the cookies look extra pretty, have some extra chopped pecans, caramels and chocolate chips on hand to place on the top of the cookies before you bake them.
Place a piece of pecan, caramel and a couple of chocolate chips on the unbaked cookies.
Bake the cookies in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Let them cool on the rack for 2-3 minutes before removing them to a wire rack.
Enjoy!
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For more delicious cookie recipes be sure to try our:
- White Chocolate Cherry Pistachio Cookies
- Coconut Sunflower Seed Cookies
- Speculoos Cookies (Biscoff)
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Butterscotch Coconut Cookies
- ANZAC Biscuits
- Whole Grain Molasses Cookies
Mexican Turtle Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter , room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons quality pure Mexican vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoons quality pure chocolate extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup quality cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground Mexican ceylon (or substitute regular cinnamon)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
- 1/2 cup chopped caramels
- Extra chopped pecans caramels and pecans for topping the unbaked cookies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs and beat until combined. Add the vanilla and chocolate extracts and beat to combine.In a separate bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon and cayenne. Beat the dry mixture into the wet mixture in three parts, beating after each addition just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, toasted pecans and caramels.Place rounded spoonfuls of cookie dough onto a lined cookie sheet. Place a pecan, caramel and a couple of chocolate chips on each mound. Bake for 8-10 minutes.Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutrition
I teamed up with Nielsen-Massey to bring you this post. All opinions are entirely my own.
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet on June 13, 2016
Cheryl Caterham says
I followed the directions exactly. My results were disappointing. The caramel pieces melted into runny goo making it difficult to get the cookies off the sheet. I even cooked them 12 minutes and the centers were still not done. The flavors were good but the cookies looked terrible. I would suggest just drizzling caramel syrup on them after taking them out of the oven instead of the actual caramels. I
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Cheryl, that is so odd. Clearly the issue was the caramels themselves. What brand did you use? I use the regular Kraft caramels which are standard in baking recipes.
Katy says
Hi Kimberly, Turtles are my mother’s favorites and I am so happy to have found them as cookies.
The links you provide to particular ingredients in every recipe are so greatly appreciated – it is worth the wait for them to arrive to fully savor the flavors you’ve been working on.
My questions are: How do you store these cookies? and How long will they stay fresh?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Katy! Store these like any other cookie (e.g., glass jar or plastic container with a lid at room temperature) and they store for the same amount of time as well (I normally eat cookies within 3 days for the best texture – but some people store them for much longer). Happy baking! :)
Jan Rines says
I made a half recipe to try it out. No chocolate extract, but I did have N-M coffee extract, so I added that at half-level. No caramel, so I substituted diced dried apricots, moistened with a little kirsch. I’ve been baking one tray fresh each day, and keeping the remaining dough in the fridge. My husband is eating half a dozen in a single sitting each day, so I think you can rate this A+
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds fabulous, Jan, thanks for the feedback!
Anonymous says
I’m a Mexican 10 year old and when I made these, DELISH!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, thank you so much! :)
Chris again says
When you say caramels, what exactly do you mean? Presumably not toffee as that’s too hard. Like a fudge? Do you have a make you can name? Something maybe getting lost in translation to to the UK candy buyer!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Chris, I’m trying to think what might be the equivalent in the UK (I lived there 7 years) but am drawing blank. No, it’s not toffee (though you can certainly use toffee – it will just be crunchy instead of chewy). What you’ll need to look for is some kind of chewy caramel candy that you can chop up. If you can’t find anything like that you may need to just go with the toffee (nothing wrong with a little crunch, right?).
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says
I’m not ready to make some…but I’m past ready to eat some. Wow, they look beyond amazing with all of those amazing mix-ins. And oh my gosh, I’ve never seen chocolate extract, I have to try that!
Katerina @ Diethood says
I love their vanilla, but I MUCHO LOVE your cookies! :-D Seriously, SO GOOD!
Amelie Moore says
These are so delicious! Super simple to make. I’ve made these twice now. They are great for snacking…but don’t last long! Thanks for sharing.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wow, Amelie, you are QUICK! :) So glad you enjoyed these and I really appreciate the feedback, thanks!!