Chocolate Turtle Cookies

I originally spotted this recipe on Pinterest.  My son-in-law will be here for Christmas...and, well, he loves caramel.  So I got all the ingredients and mixed these up this afternoon.  They are really easy and would look fabulous on a Christmas cookie tray.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, separated, plus 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups pecans, chopped fine
• 14 soft caramel candies
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream

Mix sugar and butter and beat until creamy.  Add 1 whole egg, milk and vanilla.  MIx weel.  Now add in the flour, cocoa powder,  and salt.  Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.  Beat egg whites until frothy.
Put pecan pieces in a bowl.  Roll the chocolate dough into 1" balls.  Dip into egg white and then roll into pecans.  Using a 1/2 t. measuring spoon, make a thumbprint indention in the middle of each ball.
Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  When you take them out, push down with the measuring spoon onto the indentation once more.
Melt caramels and cream for 1 minute in the microwave, and stir unti smooth.  Spoon into the indentations in the cookies.