Scrumptious Turtle Cookies

I had to publish this picture because, well, I don't make cookies often. And, when I make cookies, I usually don't make ones that have several steps to prepare. Well, for Christmas this year, I did! I think these are one of the prettiest cookies that I have ever made. They were delicious, too! My brother thought they reminded him of a Girl Scout Samoa cookie minus the coconut.

I think these cookies would perfectly grace a Christmas cookie plate. They would also be a great addition to a baby or bridal shower.

What I love about these cookies:

1. They're yummy!
2. They're pretty!
3. Though it recipe had several steps, they were not that hard to do.
4. It made a small batch, so it did not take that long. I did not need that many for my family Christmas gathering. You may need to double or triple this recipe if you need lots of cookies!

Here's the recipe from The Kitchen is My Playground (I love the name of this blog!)

Cookie:

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 T. (1 stick) butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 large egg, separated, plus 1 additional egg white
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 c. pecans, finely chopped

Caramel Filling:

14 soft caramel candies (I used Kraft)
3 T. heavy cream

Chocolate Drizzle (optional):

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. shortening

Directions:

Prepare the Cookies:

1. Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.

2. With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla; mix until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture until just combined.

3. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.

4. Whisk egg whites in a bowl until frothy. Place chopped pecans in another bowl. Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, and then roll in pecans. Place balls about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each dough ball.

5. Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 12 minutes.

Prepare the Caramel Filling:

6. Microwave caramels and cream together in a small bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.

7. Once cookies are removed from the oven, gently re-press the indentations. Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of the caramel mixture. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Prepare the Chocolate Drizzle (optional):

8. Place chocolate and shortening in a small zip-top plastic bag. Set bag in a bowl of warm water to soften. Gently knead the chocolate with your fingers until melted and smooth, placing back in the warm water for a minute or two as needed.

9. Snip a very small hole in the corner of the plastic bag. Drizzle chocolate over the cooled Turtle Cookies.

Makes about 30 cookies.

The only thing I did differently was to melt the chocolate chips for the drizzle in a ziploc bag directly in the microwave. Next time I may have to try using a squeeze bottle instead of the ziploc bag for the drizzle. I think that may give me more control over the chocolate.