Turtle Cookies!!!

It’s National Cookie Day!!!! In addition to my chocolate chip cookie recipe this is another cookie you will love. Turtle Cookies!! After the chewy cookie is baked you top it with toasted pecans, buttery caramel, and milk chocolate.

Start out with My Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe minus adding the chocolate chips.

Ingredients

Cookies (makes 30 cookies using 2 tablespoon measurement)

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 ½ sticks (6 oz) butter, brown and cooled (I used salted unsalted is fine)

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

½ cup white sugar

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Turtle

1 tablespoon butter (salted or unsalted)

1 ½ cups of pecans (halves or chopped)

20 individually wrapped caramels (such as Kraft)

1/4 cup milk or heavy cream

2 cups milk chocolate chips

2 tablespoon vegetable shortening

After dough is prepared, cover and refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes.

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add pecans Stirring frequently. Make sure not to burn your pecans. This will take about 2-4 minutes

Unwrap caramels place in a microwave safe bowl.

Remove the dough from the fridge and preheat the oven to 325 degrees, make sure the racks are in the middle of the oven.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

 

I used an ice cream scoop to measure the dough. After the dough is scooped I halved the dough

Bake for 12 minutes, rotating the cookies half way through. The edges should be golden, but the center of the cookie should look soft. Every oven is different so keep an eye on the cookies at the 10 minute mark.

While the cookies are baking you can make your turtle.
Place unwrap caramels in a microwave safe bowl with 1/4 cup of milk or heavy cream. Microwave for 90 seconds and stir. Return to microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir. Place back in microwave in 15 second increments if caramels are not melted completely.

Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening. Microwave in 30 second increments stirring until chocolate chips melt.

 After the dough is baked, while it is still hot use the bottom of a spoon and press lightly in the middle of the dough. This makes a well for your turtle.

 Start placing the pecans in the well you have made. I made sure all the cookies had to pecan halves. It's totally up to you. You can add more or less depending on your taste buds.

Once the pecans are placed in the well add the caramel, I placed a teaspoon of caramel onto of each cookie.

The last is the melted chocolate. I added about 2 teaspoons.

After the turtle is complete, place the cookies on a cooling rack. It will take about 20-30 minutes (room temperature) for the turtles to set.

These cookies are YUMMY!!