Turtle Thumbprint Food

TURTLE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, and salt.
• With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
• Reduce speed to low and blend in flour mixture. Cover dough and refrigerate for one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Whisk egg whites in a bowl until frothy. Place chopped pecans in another bowl. Roll chilled dough into 1-inch balls, dip in egg whites, and then roll in pecans, coating evenly.
• Place cookies about 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each dough ball. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until just set.
• Meanwhile, microwave the caramels and cream together in a small bowl for one minute. Stir and return to the microwave in 20-30 second increments, until caramel is melted and smooth.
• Once cookies are removed from the oven, gently re-press the indentations. Fill each indentation with about 1/2 teaspoon of the caramel mixture.
• Cool on the pan for about 10 minutes before transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Prepare the Chocolate Drizzle (optional). Place chocolate in a small zip-top plastic bag. Set bag in a bowl of warm water to soften. Gently knead the chocolate with your fingers until melted and smooth, placing back in the warm water for a minute or two as needed.
• Alternately, chocolate can be melted in the microwave at 50% power. Snip a small corner from the bag and drizzle chocolate over cookies.

TURTLE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine the butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour. Beat until well mixed. Cover; refrigerate until firm, about an hour.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Cool completely.
• Combine caramels and whipping cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until melted and smooth, stirring after every minute. Spoon about 1/2 t caramel mixture into the center of each cookie. Top with a pecan half.
• Place chocolate chips and shortening in a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue microwaving 30 seconds or until melted; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cooled caramel cookies. Let stand until set, about 2 hours.
• Enjoy!

TURTLE CHEESECAKE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift the flour and cocoa together into a medium bowl.
• Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Add the vanilla and salt and continue beating until blended and smooth, about 1 minute more.
• Add the flour-cocoa mixture and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, about 1 minute.
• Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm enough to roll into balls, 40 to 60 minutes.
• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
• Using your palms, roll heaping teaspoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch balls.
• Arrange them 2 inches apart on the lined sheets.
• With a lightly floured thumb or index fingertip, press straight down into the middle of each ball almost to the cookie sheet to make a deep well. (Or use the end of a thick-handled wooden spoon.).
• Bake one sheet at a time until the tops of the cookies look dry, 8 to 9 minutes.
• Gently redefine the indentations with the end of a wooden spoon.
• Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes and then let them cool completely on racks.
• While cooling, mix the cream cheese and confectioner's sugar together until fluffy with a whipped look.
• When cookies are completely cooled use a spoon to fill the indentation and spread out. Do not overfill.
• Bake for 5 more mintues in the oven to set it.
• Melt the caramel as directed on the package and use a spoon to put a dollop of caramel on top of the cookie.
• Quickly top with chopped nuts and let cool.
• Keep cool.