Chocolate-Caramel Turtle Cookies

 

2 1/2

cups pecan halves

1/2

cup water

1/2

cup sugar

3/4

cup butter or margarine, softened

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

egg

1 1/2

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/4

cup unsweetened baking cocoa

48

round milk chocolate-covered chewy caramels (from 13-oz bag), unwrapped

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F (if using dark or nonstick cookie sheet, heat oven to 350°F). In medium bowl, soak pecans in water while making dough; drain well.
• 2 In medium bowl, beat sugar, butter, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in flour and cocoa until dough forms.
• 3 On ungreased cookie sheets, for each cookie, arrange 5 pecans to look like head and legs of a turtle. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into 1-inch balls. Place 1 ball on top of each group of 5 pecans, pressing lightly into pecans with palm of hand.
• 4 Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately press 1 caramel gently onto top of each cookie; let stand 5 minutes to soften caramel. Use small spatula to flatten candy slightly. Remove cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks.