Simple Turtle Cookie Cups

Simple Turtle Cookies

I cannot resist those small paperback cookbooks that are in each grocery check out lane.  They just seem to call my name every time I am standing in line to check out.  The most recent to hit my cart is by Betty Crocker and features their boxed cake mixes and cookie mix pouches.  Some people may feel that using mixes is not “real” baking, but not me!  As much as I love “real” baking, on occasion I take help from experts like Ms. Betty Crocker. 

After a crazy work week, I was not too keen on spending a great deal of time in the kitchen, but the sweet tooth that I reside with was expecting a sweet snack!  That’s when I remembered my new cookbook and one recipe in particular that caught my eye.  All I needed was Betty Crocker double chocolate chuck cookie mix, a chocolate covered caramel candy (like Rolos) and pecan halves to create a Turtle Cookie Cup.  I really didn’t plan it this way … but I will be using my mini-muffin pan again.  I promise to put it away after this week to return at a much later
date!      (Yes Memoria,  still in the mini mode!  I have put it away for a while!)

Do not ask for volunteers to unwrap the candies ... you may end up a few short!

Let me warn you in advance … do not let anyone “volunteer” to take the wrappers off of the rolo candies or you will run into the same problem I had … not all of them made it back to me in the kitchen!   The recipe says to roll the dough into 1  1/4 inch balls and I would get 36.  Nope … only got 24.  Short of measuring the diameter of each one, I adopted the “eyeball it” method used by Rachael Ray.  So a few “lost” rolos turned out not to be a big deal after all!
 

Source: Betty Crocker
Servings: 36 cookies  (only made 24 for me)
Cook time:   8 to 9 minutes

Ingredients:
1   pouch (1 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker double chocolate chunk cookie mix
3   tablespoons vegetable oil
1   tbsp water
1   egg
36 round milk chocolate covered chewy caramels, unwrapped
36 pecan halves

Directions:
Heat the oven to 375 F.  Place miniature paper baking cups in each of the 36 mini muffin cups.  In a large bowl, stir the cookie mix, oil, water, and egg until a soft dough forms. Shape the dough into 36 (1 1/4 inch) balls. Place in the muffin cups. Bake for 8 or 9 minutes or until the edges are set. Immediately press one milk chocolate covered caramel into the center of each cookie cup. Cool for two minutes. Top with a pecan half.. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Remove from pans with a narrow spatula.

DEBBIE’S  BAKING  NOTES: 

• Remember I only got 24 cookie cups.
• The dough will be soft and a bit on the sticky side.  I put it in the fridge for just a few minutes to firm it up. 
• Bake only for 8 or 9 minutes … no longer.  Even with mine being bigger than the recipe calls for, they did not need extra baking time. 
• Take from the oven and IMMEDIATELY press the chocolate covered caramel into the cookie cup and place the pecan on top.  You want the to candy to melt and spread into the cookie.
• I stored the cookie cups in an airtight container.  To keep them soft, I placed a slice of bread into the container.  (My grandmother always did this and it kept these types of baked goods nice and soft.)

Simple Turtle Cups