Chocolate Turtle Cookies

These cookies are just so pretty, that I had to make them and didn't much care how they tasted.  But chocolate, pecans and caramel. . .  how can that possibly be bad?  These cookies are just like the title says: turtles.  I doubled the recipe and got 4-5 dozen cookies.  I made them quite small, as I wanted the caramel to be a significant part of the cookie.  I did not need the extra egg white as well.  They are a delightful little cookie that are as tasty as they look!

CHOCOLATE TURTLE COOKIES

melskitchencafe

yield 2-2 1/2 dz.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, separated, plus possibly 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans, chopped fine
• 14 soft caramel candies
•  2 TBSP heavy cream
• 3/4-1 cup chocolate chips
• 2 tsp shortening, add more if needed to make drizzly

DIRECTIONS:

Combine flour, cocoa, and salt in a small bowl. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, at least 1 hour.
 Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
Whisk egg white(s) in another bowl until frothy. Place pecans in another bowl. One at a time, roll dough into 3/4-inch balls, dip in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Using teaspoon measure or your thumb, make indentation in center of each ball. Chill any remaining dough while cookies are baking.
  Bake until set, 10 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking.
Meanwhile, microwave caramels and cream in bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Once cookies are removed from oven, gently press existing indentations with teaspoon measure, or your fingers. Fill each with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caramel mixture. I used a spoon and carefully drizzled it in the centers.  Cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.  Melt the chips and shortening in the microwave in 30 second increments, mixing after each, until smooth and drizzly.  Drizzle with a whisk or spoon over the cookies.