1960s Turtle Cookies recipe?

I'm wondering if any other boomer Food52 community members has a recipe for Turtle Cookies. The recipe appeared in a small pamphlet and included a brown sugar butter cookie dough placed atop 5 pecan pieces baked, and when cool, topped with caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. It was my Mother's favorite (as is the Turtle candy) and I'd like to surprise her with batch this Christmas (well, most of a batch -- hee hee ;). Many thanks!

arcane54
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Lisa D. December 17, 2023
Snappy Turtle Cookies

Mrs Bill Borman

Bake at 350* for 10-13 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen.

1 1/2 cups sifted Pillsbury’s Best All Purpose Flour
1/4 tsp Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 C Butter
1/2 C firmly packed Brown Sugar
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk (reserve white)
1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
1/8 tsp Maple flavor, if desired
2/3 C Pecan Halves, cut in half lengthwise

Sift flour with soda and salt. Cream butter. Add brown sugar; cream well. Blend in egg, egg yolk, vanilla and maple flavor. Add dry ingredients gradually; mix well. Chill.

Arrange pecans in groups of five on greased cookie sheets to resemble head and legs of turtle. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Dip bottom into egg white; press lightly onto nuts so tips will show when baked.

Bake at 350* for 10-13 minutes until a delicate golden brown. Cool; frost.

Chocolate Frosting

Melt 1/2 C Nestle’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels in 3 Tbsp cream in small saucepan. Add 1/4 cup confectioners sugar and t Tbsp butter; mix well.

This recipe does not have caramel like you described but I don’t see why you couldn’t add a caramel layer. The recipe above is very tasty as is.
Good luck!
 
Laura December 1, 2013
I'm a boomer and this was my mom's. Could this be what you're looking for?
For the crust/cookie: 2c. all-purpose flour; 1/2 c butter, softened; 1c. packed brown sugar; 1 c pecan halves
For the caramel layer: 2/3 c. butter; 1/2.c brown sugar
For the cholcolate layer: 1 c. chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350F. In 3 qt mixing bowl, combine crust/cookie ingredients. Mix at medium speed until particles are fine. Pat firmly into ungreased 13x9x2 pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over unbaked crust. Set aside. Prepare caramel layer: In heavy 1 qt. saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until entire surface of mixture gegins to boil. Boil 1/2-1 min, stirring constantly. Pour evenly over pecans and crust/cookie. Bake near center of oven for 18-22 min or until crust is light golden brown. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Allow chiips to melt slightly (2-3 min). Swirl as they melt. Cool completely. Cut into bars.
 
arcane54 December 1, 2013
Those sound great, Laura! but it wasn't a bar cookie. The search continues....
 
inpatskitchen December 1, 2013
This one was a Pillsbury Bake Off winner in the 50s...could this be it?
http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/snappy-turtle-cookies/9095bc5c-502d-4eac-b7c4-954381c1e665
 
arcane54 December 1, 2013
Thanks inpatskitchen. I found that one too. But the turtle cookies we made had caramel between the cookie and the chocolate.
 
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