Salty Chocolate and Caramel Turtle Cookies

Salty Chocolate-Caramel Turtle Cookies.

July 12, 2010

I don’t like nuts in my desserts.

I like nuts on their own – almonds, peanuts, walnuts and more. But when they are mixed into my cookies or brownies or ice cream or bacon, it’s a no-go. Not a fan. And yes, I just said bacon.

But that all flies out the window when it comes to these cookies.

I have never liked nuts in chocolate, so it came as a surprise to me when I found out that I loved turtles – the candy, not the animal.

I think it is the sweet and salty combo. It never fails me.

I have decided that nuts taste good in desserts if I expect them. If I am expecting a soft and chewy brownie and bite down on a walnut, all bets are off.

I just couldn’t stop thinking about salty pecans in these chocolate cookies. It’s no secret that I love this cookie recipe – I’ve made a form of it almost every single week.

So I added more sea salt than usual, added some salty pecans, and large chunks of caramel.

Perfect doesn’t even begin to describe them.

Salty Chocolate-Caramel Turtle Cookies

Makes approximately 24 cookies

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon course sea salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

8 caramels, chopped into fours

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until combined.

Fold in pecans, caramel pieces and chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 4-6 hours (or more). When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350, roll into balls and set on baking sheet. (Note: refrigerating is the most important part. If you don’t refrigerate, when the cookies go into the oven, the caramel pieces will sink to the bottom and stick to the cookie sheet.)

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Let cool completely, and drizzle with caramel sauce if desired.