Turtle Cookies

These Cookies are SO good.. like crazy good!! If you love turtles, you'll love these cookies!

 Cookies
 1 Cup Flour
1/3 Cup Cocoa
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/2 Cup Butter (softened)
2/3 Cup Sugar
1 Egg Yolk (separate and keep egg white in another bowl plus 1 additional egg white)
2 Tbsp Milk
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 Cups Pecans (finely chopped - I put mine in my magic bullet)

Caramel Filling
20 Soft Caramels (I used Kraft Caramels)
3 Tbsp Heavy Cream

Preheat your oven to 350 F.

Combine your flour, cocoa and salt - set aside.

Cream together your butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in your egg yolk, milk and vanilla and mix until well combined. Slowly add in your flour mixture.

Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for about an hour, or until firm.

Whisk your egg whites in a bowl, and place chopped pecans into another bowl.

Roll your dough into 1" balls, dip in egg whites, followed by pecans and place on a greased baking sheet (I just spray mine with Pam). Using a tsp to put an indent in the center of the cookie.

Bake for 12 minutes. Once they are done and removed from the oven, use your tsp to make the center indent again (just deep enough to hold some caramel).

While your cookies are cooling, make your caramel filling by microwaving your caramels and heavy cream for a couple minutes (stir after 1 minute).

Fill each cookie with about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of caramel sauce. Let that set for a few minutes before transferring to your racks to cool.

Enjoy!

 Recipe adapted from: The Kitchen is my Playground