Description
Delight in these rich and gooey Chocolate Chip Turtle Pudding Cookies, featuring a unique blend of vanilla instant pudding, decadent caramel bits, crunchy pecans, and melty semi-sweet chocolate chips. These cookies offer a soft, chewy texture with a perfect balance of sweetness and a touch of nuttiness, making them an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 3.4 oz box vanilla instant pudding mix
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
Add-ins
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ cup roughly chopped pecan halves
- ¾ cup caramel bits
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and vanilla instant pudding mix in a bowl to ensure even distribution. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the melted butter with both brown and white sugars until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Add Vanilla and Eggs: Beat in the vanilla extract followed by the egg and egg yolk. Continue mixing until the batter becomes light in color and creamy in texture.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently just until all ingredients are incorporated. Avoid overmixing to maintain tenderness.
- Stir in Add-ins: Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped pecans, and caramel bits evenly throughout the dough.
- Form Dough Balls: Scoop approximately ¼ cup of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place each ball onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate.
- Refrigerate: Cover the dough balls tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop and dough to firm up.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 325°F (163°C) to prepare for baking once the dough has chilled.
- Arrange Cookies: Transfer the dough balls to a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart to allow proper spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown while the centers remain soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving them to a wire rack or container. This helps them set and prevents breaking.
- Serve and Store: Enjoy your freshly baked cookies warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs ensures better mixing and texture.
- Chilling the dough before baking helps prevent cookies from spreading too much and enhances flavor.
- Caramel bits add a chewy, sweet surprise; if unavailable, small caramel chunks can be chopped and used instead.
- For crunchier cookies, toast the pecans lightly before mixing.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.
