Turtle Cookies

This is not my recipe, but I just had to share it.  It's so decadent and delicious.  It's new to my Christmas collection and I cannot wait for everyone to try these!  To make these cookies you will need:

1 egg, divided

1/2 c butter, room temperature

2/3 c sugar

2 Tbls milk

1 Tbls vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

16 caramels

3 Tbls heavy whipping cream

1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

1 tsp shortening

1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and continue beating until combined and creamy. Add egg yolk, milk and vanilla and beat until well combined
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder and salt together in a separate bowl. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture a little at a time and beat until well combined.
3. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill for a couple hours.
4. Chop the pecans in your food chopper/processor. 
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll the balls in slightly beaten egg white. Then roll in pecans until coated.
6. Place balls on a lightly greased cookie sheet about one inch apart. Use your thumb to press in the center, making an indention. I used the lid of an extract bottle.  After each indent, I put the lid in hot water so it wouldn't stick.
7. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are set. If the indention has disappeared during baking, use a measuring spoon to re-create the indention.
8. While the cookies are baking,  unwrap the caramels.  Heat unwrapped caramels and whipping cream in a small saucepan over low heat until nice and smooth.
9. Once cookies are done, spoon caramel mixture into the center of the cookies and remove to cool. 
10. Once the cookies have cooled, melt chocolate chips and shortening in the microwave by heating in 15 second intervals, stirring in between.
11. Drizzle the chocolate over the tops of the cookies and get ready to enjoy!