Turtle Cookies

I have a soft place in my heart for turtles (the candy). You see, it was the first time I had moved away from my home town. I was in college. I didn’t room with any friends. I was lonely and struggling. The weather was cold. My life was cold. And then I met turtle chocolates. I’d buy a bag at the candy stand in the student center, and they’d keep me company on my walk to work. Bite-sized caramel-chocolate nutty friends. They were there for me. True friends. And ever since, that turtle flavor of caramel/chocolate/nuts reminds me of that same comfort. These cookies are like a soft version of the turtle chocolates . . . underneath the nuts and caramel is a soft chocolate cookie, holding the world together. Much like these turtle cookies will hold your world together. Make friends with turtles. You won’t regret it.
1 egg
½ cup butter, softened
2/3 c sugar
2 T milk
1 t vanilla
1 c flour
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ t salt
16 Kraft caramels, unwrapped
3 T whipping cream
1½ c finely chopped pecans
½ c semisweet chocolate chips
1 t shortening
Separate egg. Place yolk and whites in separate bowls. Cover egg white and store in refrigerator until needed. Set aside yolk. In large bowl beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa and salt. Stir just until combined. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
When ready to bake cookies, heat caramels and whipping cream in small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Keep warm until cookies bake.
Meanwhile, prepare cookies by forming 1-inch balls out of dough and rolling first in egg white (slightly beaten) and then in chopped pecans. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Make indentation in the center of each cookie with thumb. Bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes. If cookies puff up during baking, press center down again with thumb or back of measuring spoon. Spoon caramel mixture into centers of cookies. Let set 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. Place chocolate chips and shortening in resealable plastic bag and heat in microwave for 30 seconds. Knead melted chips. Heat in 15-second intervals, kneading in between, until chips are melted and smooth. Cut a small corner from the bag and drizzle cookies with chocolate. Makes 36 cookies.
Source: Better Homes and Gardens