5 from 3 votes
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Turtle Cookies
Soft and chewy peanut butter chocolate cookies with a Turtle in the middle and drizzled with salted caramel. So darn good!
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Chill Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 25 mins
Servings:
11
l
Calories:
558 kcal
Course:
Baked Goods
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 1 egg large
- ¾ cup peanut butter SKIPPY brand creamy or roasted honey nut creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, unsalted
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso coffee granules optional but recommended
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt optional and to taste
- turtles candy Hershey’s Pot of Gold Pecan Caramel Clusters, or Russell Stover Pecan Delights, about 11; homemade or storebought; try Nestle Turtles
- caramel sauce for drizzling (homemade, salted
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large mixing bowl and electric mixer) combine the egg, peanut butter, butter, sugars, vanilla, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the flour, cocoa powder, optional but recommended instant espresso granules (doesn’t make the cookies taste like coffee; serves to intensify and bring out the chocolate flavor), baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.
- Using a large cookie scoop, 1/4-cup measure, or your hands, form approximately 11 equal-sized mounds of dough, roll into balls, and flatten slightly. Even though cookies will spread in the oven, make sure dough mounds are wider than the Turtles; eyeball a Turtle prior to forming dough mounds to make sure.
- Place mounds on a large plate or tray, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, up to 5 days. Do not bake with unchilled dough because cookies will bake thinner, flatter, and be more prone to spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 9 to 10 minutes (for super soft cookies, longer for more well-done cookies), or until edges have set and tops are just set; don’t overbake which is easy to do with dark-colored cookies (I baked one batch for 11 minutes and after cooling they were too dry for my liking).
- After removing cookies from oven, carefully add 1 Turtle to the center of each cookie, pressing it down slightly so it adheres. As you press down, cookies will likely develop a few cracks around the perimeter, this is okay.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet (I don’t use a rack) for about 10 minutes before drizzling with caramel sauce and serving.
- Adapted from Reese’s Pieces Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
Cup of Yum
Notes
- Storage: Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Alternatively, unbaked cookie dough can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Nutrition Information
Serving
1
Calories
558kcal
(28%)
Carbohydrates
62g
(21%)
Protein
10g
(20%)
Fat
33g
(51%)
Saturated Fat
15g
(75%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
10g
(59%)
Cholesterol
49mg
(16%)
Sodium
231mg
(10%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
44g
(88%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 11 l
Amount Per Serving
Calories 558
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 | |
| Calories | 558kcal | 28% |
| Carbohydrates | 62g | 21% |
| Protein | 10g | 20% |
| Fat | 33g | 51% |
| Saturated Fat | 15g | 75% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 10g | 59% |
| Cholesterol | 49mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 231mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 44g | 88% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.