Caramel Pecan Turtle Cookies Food

CARAMEL PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine flour, soda and salt, if using; set aside.
• Beat together butter and both sugars, until well blended.
• Mix in egg, half and half and vanilla.
• Blend in flour mixture until smooth.
• Stir in, by hand, Rolo candies, pecans and chocolate chips (if using).
• Wrap and chill dough, at least an hour before baking (not part of the original directions but I prefer to do this).
• Drop dough by tablespoon onto silpat or parchment lined baking sheets (necessary because of the caramel, trust me!).
• Bake at 350°F for 10-13 minutes until edges are golden brown and center is still slightly soft.

BUTTER PECAN TURTLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In large bowl, combine flour and 1 cup brown sugar and mix with fingers.
• Stir in 1/2 cup melted butter until mixture looks like cornmeal.
• Pat evenly into a 13 x 9 baking pan that has been sprayed with non-stick baking spray.
• Sprinkle pecans over crust.
• In a small saucepan, combine 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils for 1 minute and looks syrupy.
• Drizzle mixture over pecans.
• Bake bars at 350F for 17-22 minutes until bubbly over entire surface.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle immediately with milk chocolate chips.
• Let melt for a few minutes, then swirl a knife through some of the chips to marble.
• NOTE: Let set for about an hour before cutting, as the chocolate will need to set up.

CARAMEL PECAN TURTLE CHOCOLATE CANDIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Grease a large cookie sheet well.
• Arrange 4 pecan halves in a cluster, flat side down on cookie sheet.
• Repeat with the rest of the pecan halves.
• Place one caramel on top of each cluster.
• Heat in oven until caramels are softened, about 4-6 minutes.
• Press caramels flat with the bottom of a buttered spatula (you may have to butter the spatula after every 2 or 3 caramels, or it will get very sticky).
• Remove caramels evenly onto waxed paper.
• Melt chocolate in double boiler, or in microwave on medium high, stirring every 25 seconds until just melted.
• Spoon over caramel-pecan clusters.
• Let cool a few hours.
• Makes 26.