No Bake Turtle Cookies Recipe + VIDEO

Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 24 cookies

Jump to Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

These No Bake Turtle Cookies start with chocolate oatmeal no bake cookies topped with thick caramel, pecans, and a drizzle of chocolate! Perfect for Christmas baking. Includes step by step recipe video.

no bake turtle cookies on a wire cooling rack with caramel and pecan half

I love a good mash-up, you guys. I also love easy holiday treats that look like you spent a lot of time of them (because who actually has a lot of extra time around the holidays??). Enter these No Bake Turtle Cookies.

There are times, I’ll admit, when I come up with a recipe idea and I ask myself, “but, is it too much?”

I tell myself, “yes,” and then make it anyway.

Now, there is nothing wrong with a simple chocolate no-bake cookie. No-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies are one of the best classic cookie recipes. But ever since the popularity of my Mint Chocolate No Bake Cookies, I’ve been dreaming up other ways to get creative with them.

This one was a no-brainer. Turtle cookies?? Obviously!

6 no bake turtle cookies on a wire cooling rack with parchment underneath

They are crunchy, chewy, chocolatey-caramel perfection. And they are way too easy for their own good!

And since I know how much you all love Turtle everything (like Turtle Pumpkin Pie, Turtle Pudding Pies, or Peanut Butter Turtle Thumbprint Cookies), I knew you wouldn’t opposed.

It’s important for the recipe that you use a dulce de leche or very, very thick caramel (like the super easy recipe included!). If you use a caramel sauce, it will slide off and be very messy! One thing we’re not into here is fork-and-knife cookies.

close up image of no bake turtle cookies with caramel pecans and chocolate drizzle

When you’re forming the cookies, you ideally want them pretty flat so that it’s easy to spread with caramel and the pecan won’t slide off the top. If you have time to make a slight indentation before the cookies firm up, that’s not a bad idea either!

I made sure the cookie base set up nice and firm so that it wouldn’t be a complete mess in your hands. I used quick oats, just because that’s what I had, but I don’t think using large oats would change much except that you will have even more texture in your cookies.

*To make the Dulce de Leche:

image of thick dulce de leche straight out of the can of sweetened condensed milk

Remove the label from one or more cans of sweetened condensed milk and place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 3 hours, making sure the can is completely covered with water the entire time. Remove from the water and let cool completely before using.

You can make as many as you want and store the unopened cans in the cupboard until ready to use! It’s a great thing to make ahead and will give you a nice, thick caramel as pictured.

Watch the recipe video and see how easy they are to make!

ashley avatar

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin this recipe to your favorite board

No-Bake Turtle Cookies

4.88 from 8 votes
No-Bake Turtle Cookies: Perfect chocolate oatmeal no-bake cookies topped with thick caramel, pecans, and a drizzle of chocolate! Taking no-bake cookies to the next level ? www.thereciperebel.com
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Cuisine American
Course Dessert
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 214cal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 1/2 cups oats I used quick
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
  • 3/4 cup dulce de leche see recipe in post
  • 24 pecan halves
  • 1/4 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
  • 1 tbsp milk

Instructions

  • Line 2 baking sheets with wax paper and set aside.
  • In a large pot, combine butter, sugar, cocoa, milk, salt and vanilla. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking often. Boil 1 minute, and then add oats and coconut to the pot and stir until combined.
  • Drop by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets and flatten the tops slightly. Allow to cool and set (you can speed this up in the refrigerator or freezer).
  • Once set, spread each cookie with a spoonful of dulce de leche and top with a pecan half.
  • Melt together chopped chocolate and milk and stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies and allow to set at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Store cookies in the refrigerator or freezer.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 214cal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Want to save this recipe?

Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.

Register Now

Tried this recipe?

Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel —
I love to see what you’re making!

Tag @thereciperebel

Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

Read More

You May Also Like

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anna Stewart says

    Be very careful boiling condensed milk. Don’t use the cans with quick peel lids they may explode while cooking.

  2. Willa Miller says

    Why can’t I print a recipe for the dulce de leche? I’ve never made before & step by step instructions would help me.
    Do I use one or two cans of the sweetened condensed milk?

  3. Bella Hardy @ Healthnerdy says

    Absolutely love your creative idea with no bake turtle cookies! Never seen something like this! Definitely i will try to make it too! Thx for sharing Ashley!

  4. Marion Desatnik says

    How do you make the caramel in a slow cooker. I am always afraid the can will explode
    if I simmer it on the stove. I did simmer the condensed milk just one time, and it was
    delicious!. Thanks.

  5. Janice says

    I learned something new, dulce le leche and how to make it (yummy). I made theses cookies and they are too gooey to eat at room temperature. They pretty much have to come out of the freezer in order to eat them. Is this normal? What did I do wrong?

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Hi Janice — I wanted to address this again. I tested the recipe again and found that it did need more coconut and oats. Thank you so much for the heads up and sorry about the confusion! I’ve updated the recipe above to reflect the changes.

  6. Sylvie says

    I would love to try to make these for my family and myself. However, I am deathly allergic to coconut.
    Is there anything else I can replace the coconut with?

  7. Heather Lindsey says

    Ok, first of all, I have found a new friend! I love to cook, and exactly like you I do not want the same old tired food!

    I have never made them, so I am teaching myself how to make no-bake cookies. I don’t want regular no bake cookies, I want the ULTIMATE ones. This is what led me to your page. I’m inventing my own recipe, and your ideas are incredible!

    It didn’t stop there. I see Recipe Rebel and go, “Heh, rebel eh? Let’s see about this.” WOW! YES! A woman after my own heart – from the father’s day breakfast nachos to chili cheese lasagna – this is my style. You have carrots with bacon cream sauce?! I’m Jewish and wanting to go hunt down some Turkey bacon for this!

    Thank you for the breath of fresh air!

    Heather

    • Ashley Fehr says

      Ahh you just made my day! Thank you so much and am I ever glad you found me! I don’t know if I’ve met anyone who loves to find creative new ways to make food as much as you do, I mean, other than me! Lol. I would love to hear how those cookies turned out 🙂

Leave A Reply

Have you tried this recipe? Leave a rating