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.
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!
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.
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:
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!
No-Bake Turtle Cookies
written by Ashley Fehr
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
Want to save this recipe?
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
Tag @thereciperebel
Kate says
Does it matter if you use sweetened or unsweetened coconut?
Ashley Fehr says
It won’t affect the recipe, aside from the fact that one will give a sweeter cookie and one a less sweet cookie. You can use which you prefer!
Anna Stewart says
Be very careful boiling condensed milk. Don’t use the cans with quick peel lids they may explode while cooking.
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?
Ashley Fehr says
You will only need one can for the recipe, but you can make extra cans and keep them in the cupboard and the last for a long time!
joanna says
Hi,
Would it work if I wanted to reduce the sugar amount to 1 cup?
Ashley Fehr says
For this recipe I wouldn’t alter the sugar amount too much as it helps the cookies to stay together.
Brooke says
These sound amazing! Think you could use non-diary products and still turn out? Like Ghee and almond milk?
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks! Sorry, I don’t have any experience making them non dairy so I can’t really give any advice! I’d love to hear if you try 🙂
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!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Bella!
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.
Ashley Fehr says
I actually haven’t made it in the slow cooker, but I think there are probably good instructions somewhere!
Francine says
Does the condensed milk turn to caramel after it is just boiling in water for 3 hours?
Ashley Fehr says
Yes!
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! Mine definitely weren’t like that but I will have to test them again to make sure the measurements were correct. I’m sorry about the inconvenience!
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.
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?
Ashley Fehr says
You should be able to replace it with an equal amount of oats, but I’ve never tried it. Let me know if that works!
Denise says
Wondering how they turned out replacing the coconut with oats. My family is not a fan of coconut but I think they would LOVE these otherwise!
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 🙂