Turtle Cookies

I love baking, but I am mostly a fan of the scoop-and-plop type of cookies.  Every year, though, I'm swayed by the pretty cookies and have to try something that's a little labor intensive.  Caramel is a flavor I don't have as a favorite so these seemed like a worthwhile

Definitely a good call.  I made a double batch because if you're going through all of the work of multi-step cookies, you want to have enough to enjoy.  I think they probably could have cooked a little bit longer, but that gooey-ness is delicious in it's own way.  

These also have THE BEST method of melting chocolate for a drizzle that I've ever seen.  Major kudos to whichever the source authors came up with that.   


Source: Adapted from America's Test Kitchen, as shared by Pixelated Crumb via The Kitchen is My Playground
Yield: 33 Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. sugar

1 large egg, separated, reserve the whites

2 T. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 c. pecans, finely chopped

1 c. all-purpose flour

1/3 c. cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. salt

Caramel: 

14 soft caramel candies (I used Kraft)

3 T. heavy cream
(I made a double batch and this was enough for 70 cookies, feel free to reduce proportionally)

Chocolate Drizzle:

2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

1 tsp. shortening

1. Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt, and set aside. 

2. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla; mix until incorporated. 

3. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm.  

4. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Set wire cooling racks over wax paper.

5. Whisk egg whites in a bowl until frothy bubbles form.  Place chopped pecans on a large dinner plate.  Roll dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, and then roll in pecans.

6. Place balls about 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Using your thumb or another similarly shaped instrument press an indentation into the top of each cookie. (My favorite are the back of corn on the cob holders like these)  Bake at 350 degrees until set, about 12 minutes.

7. Microwave caramels and cream together in a small bowl, stirring occasionally, 30 seconds at a time until smooth.  Once cookies are removed from the oven, gently re-press the indentations.  They'll be soft, so gently transfer to wire racks.  Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of the caramel mixture.

8. "Place chocolate and shortening in a small Ziploc 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."  (Quoting directly from The Kitchen is My Playground because this is that awesome method of chocolate drizzle that I will always use from now on)

9. Let cool completely before storing.