If you love soft, chewy sourdough cookies packed with chocolate, caramel and nuts, these Sourdough Turtle Cookies are about to become a favourite. They're rich, slightly gooey in the middle, with crisp edges and that perfect balance of sweet, salty, chocolaty and indulgent. Exactly what you want from a really good sourdough discard cookie.
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They're inspired by classic Turtle Chocolate Candies, with their signature combination of chocolate, caramel and pecans, but turned into a bakery-style cookie you can make at home.
Recipe Highlights
TASTE: Chocolatey, gooey & nutty
TEXTURE: Crisp edges, chewy centres
WHAT'S SPECIAL: Browned butter & toasted pecans - inspired by Turtles. Sourdough discard never tasted better...
SEB'S RATING: Disappointed, because I ate more than my fair share...
A Familiar Cookie Base, Taken Up a Notch
If you've made any of my sourdough discard cookies before, this base might feel familiar. It's the same chewy sourdough cookie dough I use across multiple recipes. The one that gives you soft centres, slightly crisp edges and that subtle tang that makes sourdough cookies so special.
Here, though, we're taking it up a notch.
The browned butter adds depth, the caramel or butterscotch melts into little pockets throughout the dough, and the toasted pecans bring crunch. It's one of those combinations that just works. Indulgent, a little nostalgic, and very hard to stop at one.
Ingredient Notes
A few key ingredients really make these sourdough discard cookies stand out.
- Butter is browned for a reason. It adds a nutty, almost toffee-like flavour that pairs beautifully with the caramel and chocolate.
- A mix of granulated sugar and light brown sugar gives you both structure and chew. The brown sugar also adds a slight caramel note.
- Using just the egg yolk keeps the cookies rich and tender without making them cakey. Removing egg white allows for the moisture that comes from sourdough discard.
- Sourdough discard adds moisture and a subtle tang, making these cookies taste more complex than your average bake.
- I use dark chocolate chips because the cookies are already quite sweet from the sugar and caramel. That slight bitterness balances everything nicely. You can absolutely use milk chocolate if you prefer.
- Chopped chewy caramels melt into gooey pockets. Butterscotch chips are a great alternative if you want something easier to work with.
- Toasted pecans bring flavour and crunch. It's a small step, but it really makes a difference. Have more pecans? Try our Sourdough Butter Pecan Cookies next time!
Tips For The Best Sourdough Cookies
- Let the browned butter cool slightly before using it. It should be warm, not hot. If it's too hot, it can affect the texture and cook the egg yolk too quickly.
- Don't overmix once the flour is added. Mix just until combined to keep that soft, chewy texture.
- When adding the sourdough discard, switch to a whisk or wooden spoon instead of an electric mixer. This helps avoid developing too much gluten.
- Chilling the dough is important. The 4-hour rest helps the flour hydrate, deepens the flavour and controls spreading.
- Toast the pecans in a dry pan until fragrant. It only takes a few minutes and really enhances the final flavour.
- Give the cookies plenty of space on the tray. They will spread as they bake.
- The tray drop trick is worth trying. Dropping the tray straight out of the oven helps create those crinkled tops and gives the cookies that signature chewy centre.
- Take them out at the right time. The edges should be set and lightly browned, while the centres still look slightly soft. They will firm up as they cool.
Storage
These sourdough turtle cookies keep really well (if they don't disappear into your belly, that is!).
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They stay soft and chewy.
You can keep them in the fridge for up to a week, though they are best enjoyed at room temperature.
To freeze baked cookies, place them in a sealed container for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature or warm them slightly before serving.
You can also freeze the cookie dough. Shape into balls, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a container. Bake from frozen and add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
More Sourdough Cookies To Try
What should you try next time? How about Sourdough Chocolate Chip Pretzel Cookies or Sourdough Peanut Butter Cookies?
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Sourdough Turtle Cookies (With Chocolate Chips, Pecans and Caramel)
Equipment
- Small Saucepan
- Large Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 75 g unsalted butter
- 125 g plain flour all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 75 g granulated sugar
- 70 g light brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk large
- 80 g sourdough discard 100% hydration
- 90 g dark chocolate chips
- 60 g butterscotch chips or chewy caramels chopped into bits, we used Werther's Orginal chewy caramels
- 60 g toasted pecans roughly chopped
- a pinch of flaky sea salt
Instructions
- To make browned butter, place the butter in a small pan and heat it over medium heat. The butter should melt, then foam, and finally brown. Leave the butter to cool down slightly - until warm, not hot to avoid scrambling the egg yolk later.
- In the meantime, toast pecans in a dry pan just long enough to start to brown and smell nutty.
- Add both brown and granulated sugar to a large mixing bowl. Pour the browned butter over the sugar, and using a handheld electric mixer, beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes until the sugar starts dissolving (it will still be grainy, and it's ok).
- Add an egg yolk and whisk again for approx 2 minutes.
- Add the sourdough discard and mix with a balloon whisk until combined (you don't want to use an electric mixer here as it will promote gluten development).
- In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just enough to combine.
- Finally, add the chocolate chips, butterscotch/caramel and toasted pecans and mix to distribute them evenly throughout the sourdough cookie dough.
- Cover the dough and place it in the fridge for 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Divide the cookie dough into 8 even pieces and shape each into a ball.
- Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving plenty of space in between them.
- Bake the cookies for 12-14 minutes. The cookies should have browned crispy edges, but the centre should still be a little soft and puffy. As soon as you take the cookies out of the oven, drop the tray from 20cm height onto a kitchen worktop - this creates that signature cracked tops.
- As soon as they're out of the oven, sprinkle some flaky sea salt on top.
- Leave them on the tray for 10 minutes to firm up. Then transfer the cookies onto a cooling rack.
Nutrition
Nancy says
Rich, gooey, perfectly sweet-salty sourdough cookie, absolutely delicious!
Ieva Greber says
Thank you, Nancy — that's exactly what I was going for with these. Glad they hit the spot!