Who doesn’t love chocolate pecan turtles? They’re my go to candy bar when I’m craving chocolate, especially when I’m visiting our local chocolatier at Chocopologie Cafe. This month’s bloghop “Cookie Love” got me thinking about my favorite candy “pecan turtles” and one of my favorite cookies “shortbread”. I remembered reading a cookie recipe from Gourmet magazine and thought these would be perfect for bloghop cookie love and perfect as holiday gifts.
Cranberry Turtle Bars: (Recipe adapted from Gourmet Live Blog)
Here’s what you’ll need: Candy thermometer, 10 x 15 baking pan – makes 24 to 36 bars (based on cut size)
For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 – 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the topping:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 – 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup (I used Lyle’s golden syrup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the middle to bake.
For the crust:
Line a 10 x 15-inch shallow baking pan with foil, butter all 4 sides, except the bottom.
Blend the flour, brown sugar, and salt into a food processor, add butter and pulse until mixture resembles cornmeal. Layer into baking pan, pressing down firmly with a metal spatula to form an even sheet.
Place in oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden in color. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.
For the topping:
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt and bring to a boil. Stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 245 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the cranberries, coating them entirely in caramel sauce. Return to stove and boil until caramel cranberry mixture reaches 245 degrees.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla mixing well, add the pecans stirring into caramel mixture coating well. Quickly, pour the caramel topping onto the cookie shortbread base, gently spread pecans and berries evenly. For the final layer, sprinkle chocolate chips throughout to cover.
Cool completely, it’s important to allow the topping to set. Once completely cooled, cut the bars into equal pieces and serve. Now only if I could keep from eating them all.
I’m part of bloghop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This month, December is #cookielove month!
You’re more than welcome to join us in #cookielove fun by simply adding your recipe at the end of this bloghop! Be sure to link back to this post, so that your readers know to stop by the #cookielove event! The twitter hashtag is #cookielove
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GeorgieCakes 
These look wonderful! Anything with pecans and chocolate chips always peaks my interest but the addition of the dried cranberries really make these bars a lovely holiday treat.
Wonderful cookie bars..they look so addictive and superb..sending you lots of #cookielove
Hi Georgie-Yes! I love pecan turtle bars and LOVE these cranberry turtles you made. What a great idea to make with all these fresh cranberries I still have from Thanksgiving:)xx
I remember these from the ‘is this a cookie’ discussions. Glad to see it here, irrespective of technicalities, these certainly look very delicious.
These look absolutely adorable!!What a great recipe..
I’m going to be so fat after this blog hop. Cranberries in a turtle bar recipe – Oh my word. I can’t even find a word that comes close to describing it – euphoric, maybe? Beautiful recipe, Georgie!
Fabulous cookie bars! I am so making these!!
Oh, my, these look spectacular!!! I love everything about these beauties~
yummm.. love the cran pecan chocolate top layer.. super pretty turtle bars!
What cute photos & so mouthwatering! I wish you were bringing these babies to the Cookie Swap! But if not, I must try your recipe. Glad to bake along with you on this CookieLove event, Georgie!
Pecans, cranberries, yum! They look delicious!
turtle flavored anything is divine! love the idea of adding cranberries! sending some #cookielove to you! btw, i just love your first name. it’s so pretty. hehe 🙂
I’m so glad that you were able to post these, they look terrific! 🙂
These look fabulous! I’ve never had turtle cookies before, will let you know if I bake these for the holidays 🙂
You probably get this a lot, but I thought I should let you know how much I loved browsing your blog posts! 🙂
Would love to have your recipes linked to my 1st food blog event. If possible, please go through the rules of my event Jingle All The Way and link your posts there..
Ongoing Events:
Jingle All The Way &
Microwave Easy Cooking
Edible Entertainment
These cookie bars look so delicious and tempting…
Great recipe…
These look so delicious! I am a huge cookie bar fan and have plans of making something similar this week 😉
These look so yummy! My mouth is watering just looking at your lovely photo.
Those look delicious! I love bar cookies. Come visit. Pretzel Heath Bark today!
that crust looks so buttery and delicious!
These sound fantastic! I love that you added cranberries in the bars, YUM! Hugs, Terra
Mmmm…..I love pecan turtles too! You can never go wrong with chocolate and caramel IMO :-). These bars look absolutely amazing! Happy to join you in #cookielove !
These are brilliant! The tartness of the cramberries cuts the richness of all that chocolate caramel nutty turtle goodness. YOUR bar is a perfect holiday cookie..all the components are perfection! Oh, can I also have some of that amazing looking lobster risotto below? Lucky guy!
So delicious and mouthwatering, hope to try them this season! Sending Holiday Cookie Love!
Bar cookies are so great for the holidays and these are a great combination of flavors.
OH! look great 🙂
They sound really good, never thought of this combination before.