Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies (Date Caramel)

Chocolate cookie, gooey caramel, toasted pecan and a drizzle of dark chocolate: everything you love about turtles, in a cookie. The caramel is made from blended Medjool dates, so it’s thick, glossy and free of refined sugar.

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Like every Sweetchemy recipe, these use no refined sugar and no white flour, and the macros are listed in the recipe card below. If you’re new to healthy baking, chill the dough, pull the cookies when the edges are golden, and let them cool on the pan. They firm up as they cool.

Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprints

Chocolate cookie, gooey date caramel, toasted pecan and flaky salt. The caramel is made from dates.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 37 minutes mins

Servings: 18 cookies

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 141

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Date Caramel

• 8 soft Medjool dates (about 160g) pitted
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 2–4 tbsp warm water or milk of choice
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Big pinch of salt

Cookies

• 1½ cups blanched almond flour 150g
• ¼ cup cocoa powder 22g
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup 60ml
• 3 tbsp coconut oil melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Topping

• 18 pecan halves toasted
• 1 oz dark chocolate 25g, melted
• Flaky sea salt

Method

 

1. Caramel: soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes, then drain. Blend them with the almond butter, vanilla, salt and 2 tbsp warm water until silky. Add more water a spoon at a time until it’s a thick caramel.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet.
3. Mix the cookie ingredients into a soft dough. Roll it into 18 balls and press a deep thumbprint into each.
4. Bake 10–12 minutes. Gently press the wells again while the cookies are warm. Cool completely.
5. Fill each well with caramel and top with a pecan.
6. Drizzle with melted chocolate and finish with flaky salt.

Notes

Macros are estimates per cookie based on the ingredients listed. Carbs are total carbs.