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Turtle Cookies
These playful cookies are shaped like tiny turtles, featuring a soft brown sugar dough baked directly onto a cluster of toasted pecans. The clever arrangement of pecan halves creates the head and legs, while a dollop of frosting forms the shell. They are perfect for holiday baking, cookie exchanges, or a fun weekend project with kids. The mix of buttery dough, crunchy nuts, and sweet frosting creates a highly satisfying texture.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg, separated
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 2½ cups pecan halves (about 120)
Instructions
- 1Cream the softened butter and light brown sugar in a large mixing bowl on high speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, taking about 3 to 4 minutes.
- 2Lower the mixer speed to medium-high. Beat in the whole egg, the single egg yolk, and the vanilla extract for about 1 minute until everything is just incorporated. Set the remaining egg white aside for later use.
- 3Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt together in a separate medium bowl.
- 4Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly incorporate the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Mix for about 1 minute until a dough forms, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 5Cover the bowl tightly and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
- 6Set the oven to 350°F and arrange the baking racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 7Place the pecan halves onto the lined baking sheets in clusters of five. Arrange them in a star pattern so they look like the head and four legs of a turtle.
- 8Roll the chilled dough into 24 balls, using about 1 tablespoon per cookie. Lightly beat the reserved egg white in a small bowl, dip the bottom of each dough ball into the egg white, and press it firmly onto the center of a pecan cluster to form the body.
- 9Arrange the assembled cookies evenly across the baking sheets, leaving enough space between each one to allow for spreading.
- 10Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges turn lightly golden. Swap the pans between the top and bottom racks halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning.
- 11Remove the pans from the oven and carefully move the baked cookies to wire cooling racks. Allow them to cool completely for about 15 minutes.
- 12Spread your prepared frosting over the top of each cooled cookie to create the look of a turtle shell. Leave the cookies undisturbed for about 2 hours until the topping sets completely.
- 13Transfer the finished cookies to a serving platter, or prepare them for storage by layering them between sheets of parchment paper.