Recipe: Caramel Turtle Cookies

Caramel Turtle Cookies
rec.food.recipes/Johnson

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/8 tsp. salt
Pecan halves
8 vanilla caramels, each cut into fourths
Chocolate glaze (below)

Mix brown sugar, margarine, water and vanilla. Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together (if dough is dry, stir in 1-2 tsp. water). Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

For each cookie, group 5 pecan halves (to form head and 4 legs like a turtle) on ungreased cookie sheet. Shape dough by teaspoonfuls around caramel pieces; press firmly onto center of each group of pecans. Bake until set but not brown, 12-15 minutes; cool. Dip tops of cookies in chocolate glaze.

Chocolate Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. water
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat powdered sugar, 1 tbsp. water, the chocolate and vanilla until smooth. If necessary, stir in water 1 tsp. at a time until desired consistency.