Dark Chocolate Turtle Cookies

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup Caramel Bits + ¼ cup for topping
• ½ cup pecans, chopped
• *optional coarse sea salt flakes

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper, then set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda.
3. In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, combine butter and both sugars. Then add egg and vanilla until well combined.
4. Slowly add flour mixture into wet mixture until well combined. The mix in chocolate chips, Caramel Bits, then chopped pecans.
5. Roll about 2 tbsp of dough into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Press the remaining Caramel Bits onto tops of dough balls. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
6. Once removed from the oven, sprinkle with coarse sea salt flakes and lightly press pecan halves in the center (optional). Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.