Turtle Cookies

Oh, people.

It's Monday.

And I'm posting a cookie recipe.

What's new?

So here's the deal with these cookies.

For the caramel, I used these caramel bits.  No mess, no unwrapping caramels.

Just little balls of caramel-y goodness.

Another thing: I added a bit of cream of tartar to keep the cookies from spreading too much.  Did you know that trick?  I just learned it.  Probably from Pinterest.  I really can't remember.

Enjoy these cookies.  We sure did.  And don't feel compelled to put pecans on all of the cookies...I didn't.  Sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't.

Turtle Cookies

1 1/2 sticks butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 1/4 cups plus 2 T flour
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup caramel bits
1/3 cup roughly chopped pecans

Cream the butter and both sugars in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until fluffy and creamy and completely incorporated.  (If your butter is cold, this will take a few minutes.)  Add the eggs and beat well.  Add the vanilla, baking soda, salt, cream of tartar and flour.  Pulse a few times to slightly incorporate but do not overmix.  Add the chocolate chips and caramel bits and finish combing with a spatula by hand.  Use a medium ice cream scoop to scoop these on a sheet tray. Press a few pecan pieces on the top of each cookie (if you want...or you can leave pecans out altogether).  Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes. Cookies may look a little underdone when you take them out but will harden when they cool.