Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Total Time: 1 hr 32 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 20 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups pecans, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 15 soft caramel candies

Recipe

• 1 heat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 combine the flour, cocoa, and salt in a bowl. set aside.
• 3 in a mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• 4 add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. mix until just incorporated.
• 5 add the flour mixture, mix.
• 6 wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about an hour.
• 7 whisk an egg in a bowl, set aside.
• 8 place the chopped pecans in another bowl.
• 9 roll the dough into 1 inch balls and dip into the egg whites, then roll in the pecans.
• 10 place the balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• 11 using a 1/2 teaspoons measuring spoon, press an indentation in the middle of each cookie ball to hold the caramel.
• 12 bake the cookies for about 12 minutes.
• 13 meanwhile, unwrap about 15 caramels and place them in a bowl with the heavy cream.
• 14 microwave for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
• 15 when the cookies are done, re-press the indentation with the measuring spoon and fill the pocket with caramel.
• 16 let cool, completely.