Turtle Shortbread Cookies
Posted by: B2 Sat, 11 Dec 2004, at 9:44 p.m.
 
Prep: 20 minutes | Bake: 10 minutes/batch
Cool: 30 minutes
Makes about 6 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
24 caramels
1 package (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
2 teaspoons shortening
1 cup chopped pecans
6 dozen pecan halves

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F.
In large bowl, mix butter, sugar and almond extract. Stir in flour and salt. (If dough is crumbly, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional butter or stick margarine, softened.) Divide dough into 12 equal parts. Roll each part into 1/4- inch-thick circle. (If dough is sticky, chill about 15 minutes.) Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place wedges 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat caramels over medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until melted. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 1 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through heating time, until melted and thin enough to drizzle.

Dip 2 long edges of each cookie into melted caramel, then into chopped pecans. Place on Press'n Seal wrap for easy clean up in step 5.
Place a dot of melted chocolate on top of each cookie, and a pecan half on chocolate. Drizzle remaining chocolate on tops of cookies.