Question 1

What are turtle cookies?

Accepted Answer

Turtle cookies are named after turtle candies, which are made with chocolate, pecans, and caramel. These cookies have the same flavors in cookie form, with lots of chocolate chips and chopped pecans. The brown sugar gives them a rich, caramel-like flavor.

Question 2

Why is there no caramel in these turtle cookies?

Accepted Answer

I keep this recipe simple, and the brown sugar gives the cookies that caramel flavor without any extra steps. If you want more caramel, you can drizzle some melted salted caramel over the cooled cookies. (This is our favorite way to enjoy them!)

Question 3

Can I use hard white wheat instead of soft white wheat?

Accepted Answer

You can, but the texture will be different. Hard wheat has more protein, so it makes a chewier, more bread-like cookie. Soft white wheat is what gives these cookies a tender bite. Hard wheat also absorbs more liquid, so your dough may be a little stiffer.

Question 4

Can I use store-bought flour instead of fresh milled flour?

Accepted Answer

This recipe was written for fresh milled soft white wheat. If you use store bought flour I recommend "fluffing" it before measuring. Store bought flour is compacted in the bag and is dense resulting in more flour being added.

Question 5

Can I use all butter instead of lard?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can use 1 cup of butter total in place of the butter and lard. Cream all of the softened butter with the sugars. Your cookies will spread a little more and taste more buttery. You can also swap the lard for any other oil, like the recipe says.

Question 6

Do I need to chill this cookie dough?

Accepted Answer

No. This dough is ready to scoop and bake right away. If it feels too soft, a 10 to 15 minute rest on the counter lets the fresh milled flour absorb a little more moisture.