Turtle Cookies

By LadyJ1114

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salted btter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk (keep white for later)
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. maple flavoring (opt.)
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 2/3 cup pecan halves cut in half lengthwise
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• Chocolate Frosting
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (not sifted)

Preparation

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Mix in the baking soda and the salt. Add the egg and the egg yolk and mix well. Mix in the vanilla and the maple flavoring.

Add flour in increments, approximately a half cup at time, mixing well after each addition.

Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.

Arrange the pecan pieces in groups of 5 in a starburst design so they will resemble the feet and heat of a turtle when you put a cookie dough ball in the center.

Shape dough by rounded teaspoonful into dough balls.

Dip the bottom of the dough balls onto the egg white and then set in the center of your starburst of nuts. Press the dough balls down so the tips of the nuts will stick out to form the "feet" and "hea" when the cookies are baked.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes or until the cookies are a golden brown.

Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
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FROSTING:
Combine chips, cream and butter in a saucepan. Melt together over very low heat, stirring constantly. When everything is melted, turn off the heat and move the pan to a cold burner. Stir everything smooth with a wooden spoon.

Measure the powdered sugar, packing it down in the cup. Place in a bowl large enough to also hold the chocolate mixture.

Give the chocolate mixture to the saucepan a final stir; then pour it over the powdered sugar. Do this quickly; start stirring immediately and mix until frosting is smooth. This frosting will look "runny." It will harden up when the butter solidifies. If it hardens too much as you are frosting the cookies, just heat it very gently over low heat on the stovetop.