Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies with Caramel
Chewy Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies with Caramel aka Turtle Cookies are a delicious combination of salty and sweet and soft and crunchy.
Servings: 24 Cookies
Calories: 234kcal
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups bread flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter room-temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg room-temperature
- 1 egg yolk room-temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 12 unwrapped caramels
- flakey sea salt for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the 2 ¼ cups bread flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the 1 cup unsalted butter and ¾ cup brown sugar with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth.
- Lower the mixer speed to stir and add in the 1 egg , 1 egg yolk, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in the 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips and ½ cup chopped pecans with a spatula.
- Wrap the dough in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours.
- While the dough is chilling, unwrap the twelve caramels and cut each one in half.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Divide the dough into 24 equal-sized pieces and roll them into balls. Break each dough ball in half and sandwich a piece of caramel between the two haves. Smooth the two halves together by rolling the dough between your hands to make a smooth ball. Make sure the caramels are completely sealed inside.
- Break each dough ball in half and sandwich a piece of caramel between the two haves. Smooth the two halves together by rolling the dough between your hands to make a smooth ball. Make sure the caramels are completely sealed inside. Place the balls on the baking sheet leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie. Flatten the balls slightly with your hand to help them spread and sprinkle each one with sea salt.
- Place the balls on the baking sheet leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie. Flatten the balls slightly with your hand to help them spread and sprinkle each one with sea salt.
- Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Allow the cookies to cool for at least 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. This ensures the ingredients mix evenly and will give you the best final texture. To quickly bring the eggs to room temperature, place the whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10-15 minutes.
Salt: For all of my recipes, I use Morton Kosher Salt which packs more densely than Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you are using Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt you will want to double the amount of salt you add.
Chocolate Chips: You could use regular chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate, but I found mini chocolate chips easier to use when wrapping dough around pieces of caramel.
Refrigerate the dough for 2-3 hours to allow the flour to fully hydrate and the butter to solidify which will keep the cookies from spreading too much.
Line your baking pan with parchment paper. In case some of the caramel does ooze out clean-up will be much easier.
Use a cookie scoop for evenly portioned cookies. Take the guesswork out of portioning cookies by using a cookie scoop to make sure each cookie is the same size.
Bake Time: For crispier cookies increase the bake time by 2-3 minutes.
Storage: Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing Cookie Dough: Unbaked cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, remove from the baking sheet and place in a zip-top bag. Label with the date and contents.
When you are ready to bake cookies, remove the cookie balls from the freezer, let them sit at room temperature while the oven preheats, and then bake. You may need to add a minute or two to the baking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 0.05mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg