Recipe: Carmel Pecan Turtle Cookies

This recipe sounds very close to what you describe.

CARMEL PECAN TURTLE COOKIES

FOR THE COOKIE BASE:
1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt

Cream shortening and both sugars together. Add milk. Beat in eggs one at a time.

Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; sift together once.
After sifting dry ingredients, mix into creamed mixture. Chill one hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll out 1/3 of dough at a time, to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out with a 2-1/4-inch cookie cutter; place 2-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Bake 5 to 6 minutes, until edges are slightly golden. Remove to cooling rack.

Caramel and Chocolate Topping:

28 caramels
2 Tablespoons milk
3 cups pecan halves
1 (6 oz) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips.

For topping, combine caramels and milk in microwave safe bowl. Cover with waxed paper. Microwave at 50 percent for 1 minute. Stir, repeat until smooth (or melt on range top in small saucepan over very low heat).

Drop rounded teaspoons full of caramel on top of each cookies; place 3 pecan halves around edge of caramel (pecan halves protrude off of each cookie about 1/4 inch).

Spread small rounded teaspoonfuls of melted chocolate over center of caramel. Don't cover pecans.

Cool completely. Store in air-tight container using a sheet of wax paper between each layer.

Source: Victoria, TX, Advocate newspaper,
Wednesday, Dec 1, 2004