My baker heart is happy

Bronwyn had a Christmas violin recital and we were asked to bring a treat for the reception after. It was my big chance to bring these cookies! I'd been wanting to make them but knew for sure my family would not be all about these cookies. Andy is a yes... the kids? Wow no.
These cookies were so fun to make.
It was fun to make a little well for the caramel and drizzle them with melted chocolate. They turned out perfect. Even better... I loaded a bunch of a cookie tray for the recital and they ALL went. That makes my baker heart happy when all my cookies get eaten and enjoyed.

Turtle Cookies

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (or 1 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg separated
2 Tablespoons whole milk
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup Kraft caramels melted with 2 tablespoons of milk
1 cup dark chocolate chips melted

Prep a cookie sheet with a sheet of parchment paper and set aside.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add in the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the flour/cocoa/salt mixture until just combined. Don’t overmix. Chill dough for an hour in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a small bowl, whip up the egg whites until they’re bubbly and foamy.
In another separate bowl, add in the pecans.
One by one, scoop up the chocolate cookie dough with a small cookie scoop, roll the dough into an even ball, roll the cookie dough ball in the foamy egg whites, then in the pecans until they stick. Set onto the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with all the dough.
Using the rounded end of a circle-shaped measuring spoon or a small round end of a melon baller, press the curve into the cookie to create a crater in each cookie dough ball.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, then use the back of the melon baller to create the crater again (cookies like to flatten a bit and creating the crater again will make space for our caramel pool in the middle).
Add the melted caramel to a squeeze bottle (likely used for ganache, etc) and squeeze in a pool of caramel once the cookies have cooled.
Add the melted chocolate to another squeeze bottle, piping bag, or plastic baggy, and drizzle on a bit of the melted chocolate chips. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes to set.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week for maximum freshness. Enjoy!