Description
Thick, chewy, and packed with gooey caramel, crunchy pecans, and chocolate chips—this turtle cookie bars recipe is a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert that skips the chill time.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 egg yolk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
9 oz chewy caramels, unwrapped
1/2 can (7 oz) sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla; mix well.
Combine wet and dry ingredients, then fold in chocolate chips.
Press half the cookie dough into the prepared pan.
In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt caramels with sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Pour caramel mixture over the cookie dough. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
Drop remaining dough in teaspoon-sized clumps over the caramel layer.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until edges are golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean (some caramel is okay).
Cool in the pan for 1–2 hours, then lift out using parchment and slice into bars.
Notes
No dough chilling required!
For extra texture, lightly toast the pecans before adding.
Bars can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.
Use high-quality caramels for best results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
