Christmas is nearly upon us and 'tis the season for gifts from the heart … and the kitchen. This week, I'll be sharing a few of my favorite kitchen goodies that lend themselves well to giving as gifts or sharing in your home with guests. This time around, a gift for your sweet tooth is a batch of cookies inspired by turtle candies without the caramel. In its place, butterscotch chips get a starring roll and the result is downright decadent.
Most of the time spent making these cookies is actually eaten up in the chilling time in the refrigerator. But don't skip it! That chill helps these cookies maintain a chewy, almost brownie-like consistency that is hard to accomplish without that time in the fridge. Just wrap a few presents, sign a few holiday cards, or just sit back and enjoy your favorite cup of tea while they get a rest in the cold box.
You could easily pop a few of these into a festive bag and seal it with a ribbon for quick gift-giving or, like me, grab some of these and pair them with a couple of other kinds of cookies, a few chocolates, and some other favorites on a plate that welcomes everyone into your home during the holidays. Yum!
Almost Turtle Cookies
- 1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
- ⅓ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ c. butter, room temperature
- ½ c. brown sugar
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 c. butterscotch chips
- 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ¾ c. chopped pecans
Add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda to a large bowl and mix to combine; set aside.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer and continue to mix for 1-2 minutes. Add the egg and pure vanilla extract, mixing until all of the ingredients are fully combined.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, using a spatula to wipe down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the butterscotch and chocolate chips, as well as the pecans.
Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prep the cookie sheet by placing a silicon mat on it.
Using an ice cream scoop, measure out about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and drop onto the cookie sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Flatten each cookie dough mound.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until set, Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Yields: 20-24 cookies
- Preparation Time: 1 hour