Turtle Shortbread Cookies

Preparation Time 
20 minutes

Bake Time 
10 minutes/batch

Cool Time 
30 minutes

Serves 

Makes about 6 dozen cookies

Source
Gold Medal Flour
Glad

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

Preparation 

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In large bowl, mix butter, sugar and almond extract.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Place a dot of melted chocolate on top of each cookie, and a pecan half on chocolate. Drizzle remaining chocolate on tops of cookies.