Insanely Delicious Turtle Cookies

 Photo Credit: http://thekitchenismyplayground.blogspot.com

Insanely Delicious Turtle Cookies

Original Recipe: http://thekitchenismyplayground.blogspot.com/2012/09/insanely-delicious-turtle-cookies.html

Ingredients:
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):

• 2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (I used 2 squares of Baker's semi-sweet chocolate)
• 1 tsp. shortening

 

Directions:

1. Cookie:  Combine flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside. 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. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
2. Whisk egg whites in a bowl until frothy.  Place chopped pecans in another bowl.  Roll 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. Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 12 minutes.
3. Caramel Filling:  Microwave caramels and cream together in a small bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.  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.
4. Chocolate Drizzle (optional):  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.  Snip a very small hole in the corner of the plastic bag.  Drizzle chocolate over the cooled Turtle Cookies.