Butter Pecan Turtle Cookies

I owe my thanks for this recipe to Janet Rudolph who, on her wonderful Dying for Chocolate blog, frequently features retro ads and recipes. This is actually a recipe that I had when it was new and I was first setting up housekeeping after graduating from college. I made these cookies a lot because they were so easy and really delicious. Over the years, though, with various moves and husbands, I lost it. When she featured this recipe last week I was elated, and immediately had to try them to see if they were still as good as I remembered. They were! In fact, after I made a rather putrid dinner (If you see an online recipe for Crockpot Cashew Chicken that claims to be “better than takeout,” RUN from it. Trust me.), I was grateful to be able to redeem myself with this dessert. I updated it to include more pecans, more chocolate chips, and found the crust came out far better when using a food processor.

Butter Pecan Turtle Cookies

Crust 
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup Land O Lakes Sweet Cream Butter, softened

Caramel Layer
2/3 cups Land O Lakes Sweet Cream Butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cup whole pecan halves (not chopped)
1-1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions 
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9” x 13” pan with foil, allowing about two inches to drape over either end. This will facilitate easy removal of the cookie slab for even cutting.

Combine crust ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor and pulse until well mixed and particles are fine. Pat firmly into ungreased 9” x 13” pan. Sprinkle pecans evenly over unbaked crust.

Prepare caramel layer
In a heavy 1-quart saucepan combine brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until entire surface of mixture begins to boil. Boil 1/2 to 1 minute, stirring constantly. Pour Caramel Layer evenly over pecans and crust.
Bake near center of oven for 18-22 minutes, or until entire caramel layer is bubbly and crust is light golden brown.

Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with chips. Allow chips to melt slightly (2-3 minutes). Slightly swirl chips as they melt; leave some whole for a marbled effect. Do not spread chips.

Cool completely; cut into 3-4 dozen bars. (This rather makes me laugh. I guess I cut mine extra large because we only got about 2 dozen.)

PRINT RECIPE 

This post is linked to:

Wow Us Wednesday
Work It Wednesday

What’s It Wednesday

Wine’d Down Wednesday

Wake up Wednesday

Great Idea Thursday

Full Plate Thursday

Simple and Sweet Fridays

Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Turtle Thumprint Cookies

I read a book on Holiday Organization once that said, beginning in September (so I’m already a month and a half behind!), you should prepare one meal, one cookie recipe, and one hors d'oeuvres recipe to put in the freezer so that when the holiday season arrives you’ve completed all of your cooking and baking, and can entertain with ease.  Okay, this is probably better in theory than it is in practice, but I am willing to start baking cookies for the greater good.

Turtle Thumprint Cookies

Recipe from Land 0 Lakes

Cookie

2/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Filling

20 caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoons whipping cream

48 pecan halves

Drizzle

1/2 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons shortening

Combine butter, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour. Beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm (at least 1 hour).

Heat oven to 375°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place-inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb. (Edges may crack slightly.) Bake 7-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Cool completely. Store cookies in a container with a tight-fitting lid for 2 to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

On serving day, combine caramels and whipping cream in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving 1 minute or until melted; stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture into center of each cookie. Top with pecan half (or halves, in my case).

Place chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving 30 seconds or until melted; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set (about 2 hours).  As you can see, I didn’t drizzle, I glopped, because I thought it looked more like a turtle this way.

NOTES:- To store drizzled cookies, place in container with tight-fitting lid. Store at room temperature for 1 to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. 

- Place cookies on a cooling rack over a piece of waxed paper to catch any extra chocolate drizzle.

- If caramel filling gets too thick, reheat in microwave 10-15 seconds until it becomes spoonable again.

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sundays

On the Menu Monday

Foodie Friday