Salted Caramel Turtle Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg, yolk and white separated
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp buttermilk
• 1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans
• 15 caramels, such as Kraft
• 2 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream
• Flaky or coarse sea salt
• 3 oz chopped milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
• 2 tsp shortening

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt with a whisk, then put the bowl aside. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture looks a little lighter and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, reserving the egg white in a bowl in the refrigerator. Mix in the buttermilk. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the dry mixture, and mix only until the dough comes together. Gather the dough into a ball, place it on plastic wrap, press it into a 6-inch disk, wrap it well, and refrigerate for 45 minutes, until it is a bit firm, or up to 1 day. If it has chilled longer than a few hours, let it sit briefly at room temperature so it is not so hard that it cracks when you make the centers.
2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Take the egg white out of the refrigerator and whisk it briskly until foamy. Put the finely chopped pecans in a bowl. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, 18 grams each. Working with one dough ball at a time, dip it in the egg white, turn it to coat all over, lift it out so the extra egg white can drip away, then move it right into the pecans and roll until covered. If the nuts need a little help sticking, press them on lightly. Arrange the cookies on baking sheets lined with Silpat or parchment paper, then use your thumb to make a deep well in the center of each ball. Bake in the heated oven until the cookies are set, about 10 – 12 minutes. Take them out of the oven and use the bottom of a rounded teaspoon to carefully deepen the wells for the caramel. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. For the topping: Put the caramels and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH power in 30 second bursts, stirring each time, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Spoon the caramel into the cookie centers, then add a small pinch of sea salt to the tops.
4. Put the chocolate and shortening in a separate microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave on 50% power in 30 second bursts, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Transfer the chocolate to a piping bag or ziplog bag and snip off the corner tip. Drizzle the chocolate over the cookies. Let the drizzle set, then store the cookies in an airtight container.