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.