Chocolate Waffle Cookies (Turtle Cookies)

Chocolate Waffle Cookies are fudgy, chewy and almost brownie-like. As a kid, we called them Turtle Cookies because of their shape.

Baking the waffle cookie recipe in a waffle iron DOES give Chocolate Waffle Cookies a unique shape, with nubby little “turtle legs” sticking out from the sides. And the fudge frosting is mounded on top like a shell.

I’ll also show you a caramel pecan variation that gives them true chocolate turtle flavor. (Look for those instructions under the picture tutorial at the bottom of the page.)

My mom taught me to make these simple Chocolate Waffle Cookies, as a kid. I’ve tweaked the frosting a bit since then, but they’re still the same amazing waffle cookies I remember from childhood.

Every time I pull the recipe out again, I wonder why it’s taken me so long to bake another batch of waffle cookies .

I love them. My family loves them. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t, actually. If you love easy, fudgy, chocolate cookies, this chocolate waffle cookie recipe is for you!

The Ingredients

Chocolate Waffle Cookies do not use baking powder or baking soda in the batter. Baking powder, especially, would make the waffle cookies more cake-like, which is not the texture we’re trying to achieve. Not unlike some brownie recipes, the chewy, fudgy texture of waffle cookies is due in large part to NOT using leavening.

To make both the Chocolate Waffle Cookie recipe and some fudgy frosting, here are the ingredients you’ll need:

• Butter
• Cocoa Powder – This is the unsweetened baking cocoa powder, not hot chocolate mix.
• Eggs
• Sugar
• Vanilla Extract (I use homemade vanilla extract. Get the homemade vanilla recipe HERE.)
• All Purpose Flour (I made this particular batch of Waffle Cookies gluten free. You can do the same by simply subbing the same amount of Better Batter Gluten Free Flour Blend in place of the all purpose flour called for in the recipe card. It’s that easy!)
• Milk
• Powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar)

How to Make Waffle Cookies with Fudge Frosting

Heat up you waffle iron and lets make some waffle cookies! You’re gonna love them!

How to Make Original Chocolate Waffle Cookies

1. Start by heating up your waffle iron. The cookie batter comes together in about 5 minutes, so having the waffle iron hot and ready gets you baking, quickly.
2. Put the cocoa powder and butter into a 3 quart saucepan and melt them together over medium heat. Stir as you heat the mixture. Only keep the butter/cocoa mixture on the heat long enough to just melt the butter. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the butter’s melted.
3. Mix the sugar and vanilla into the butter/cocoa mixture. Mixing it will help to cool it even further. The goal is for it to just be warm to the touch.
4. Add the eggs and mix them in thoroughly. Mix in the flour until you have a thick batter the consistency of brownie batter.
5. Drop 4 spoonfuls of Chocolate Waffle Cookie batter at a time into the hot waffle iron. Bake the waffle cookies for 1 minute and then remove them to a cooling rack. Repeat until all the batter is used.
6. Make the frosting by melting the sugar and butter together in a 3 quart saucepan.
7. Remove from the heat and add milk, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to blend the ingredients and create the fudge frosting. It doesn’t matter which one. I use a hand mixer, right in the pan. You will want a mixer though as the powdered sugar can get pretty lumpy if you try and mix it by hand.
8. Frost the waffle cookies. The frosting will firm up as the cookies rest.

How to Make the Caramel Pecan Turtle Variation of Waffle Cookies

I was making these cookies for a gathering of 30 people, this week and decided to dress them up. They became truly turtle candy-like by adding pecans and caramel before the fudge frosting. I have to say, it was a smashing success. If you want to try this Chocolate Waffle Cookie recipe variation, before frosting the cookies, add these steps.

1. Sprinkle the center of your baked waffle cookies with chopped pecans.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt two 11 oz. bags of Kraft Caramel bits with 2 Tablespoons of milk. It took just 2 minutes on high-power in my microwave, so keep a close eye on them.
3. Once melted, spoon the caramel over the center of each waffle cookie, covering the pecans. (I didn’t get a picture of that step for some reason, but it’s pretty self-explanatory. You’ve got this!
4. When the caramel has cooled and set up, frost the waffle cookies as directed in the recipe.

Tools I Used to Make Chocolate Waffle Cookies

• Waffle Iron _{[affiliate link]} I use a standard waffle iron, not a Belgian waffle maker. The spaces would be too large in a Belgian waffle maker.
• Hand Mixer _{[affiliate link]} You could mix up the frosting by hand, but you’ll get a smoother creamier consistency using a mixer
• Cooling Racks _{[affiliate link]}

These are sure to become a fast family favorite! I hope you get a chance to make Chocolate Waffle Cookies (Turtle Cookies) to share with your favorite people, soon.

If you do make Chocolate Waffle Iron Cookies and find you love them as much as I and my family, please consider stopping by here to leave a comment with a 5 star rating. 5 star ratings help others find our recipes when doing a Google search. Thanks for being so supportive and awesome! Happy Baking!

The Recipe

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More Chocolate Recipes to Try

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

Easy No-Bake Cookies