Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg separated
2 T. milk
1 T. vanilla
1 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
16 Kraft caramels
3 T. heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp shortening
1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions
Beat together butter and sugar and blend until creamy. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and beat until well combined.
In a separate small bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt together. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time and beat until well combined.
Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill for a couple hours or even overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place pecans in a shallow bowl.
Heat unwrapped caramels and whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat until smooth.
Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll the balls in slightly beaten egg white. Then roll in pecans until well coated.
Place balls on a lightly greased cookie sheet about one inch apart.
Use a 1/2 tsp. measuring spoon to press in the center, making an indention.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are set.
If the indention has disappeared during baking, use the measuring spoon to re-create the indention.
Spoon hot caramel mixture into the center of the cookies and remove to a wire rack and let cool. DON’T overfill the cookies.
Once the cookies have cooled, melt chocolate chips and shortening in microwave by heating in 10-15 second intervals, stirring in between.
Drizzle the chocolate over the tops of the cookies.