It does not get easier than this. Seriously.

These turtles are all over the place around Christmas, and I actually bought the ingredients before Christmas last year but never got around to making them. I finally decided to get everything out, though, and I cannot figure out why it took me so long.

The most complicated part of making these is unwrapping the Rolos. And I read somewhere (after I had already purchased a bag of wrapped caramels) that you can just buy the rolls of Rolos that are at the check-out lane and you won’t have to spend any time unwrapping them at all! Genius!

You can use almost any shape of pretzels for this. I used small twists, but I’ve seen them made on the specialty holiday shaped pretzels, rings, the waffle looking squares that some brands have. Just lay out some pretzels and top each one with a caramel. Melt them in the oven for a few short minutes and then press a pecan half on top. Wait for them to harden. Or stick them in the freezer for a few minutes if you are impatient and need your pans free to make a batch of cookies or something.

The last step might actually be the hardest one of all– Try not to eat them all in one sitting.

Rolo Turtles

Pretzels
Rolos
Pecan Halves

Place pretzels in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place an unwrapped rolo on top of each pretzel. Bake at 250 degrees for 4-5 minutes (no longer), and remove from the oven. The rolos will be in the same shape coming out of the oven as they went in. Carefully press a pecan half onto each melted rolo. Placing the pan of turtles in the freezer for several minutes will help the rolos firm up enough for storage.

I made these cookies to take to my dentist’s office on Monday. That seems like a strange statement, and a lot of people thought it was when I told them what I was doing with these cookies, but it makes sense, I swear. A few cleanings ago, I was telling my hygienist about these cookies and she was just raving about how good they sounded and let me know that it was actually okay for people to bring in goodies, despite it being a dentist’s office.

So I resolved that I would make cookies for them at some point. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I had a cleaning scheduled and I COMPLETELY forgot about it. Luckily I live close to the office, so when I got a phone call 10 minutes after the appointment was supposed to start, I was able to quickly get over there. She made a couple of comments about how she thought maybe I was busy making cookies. Unfortunately for me, and fortunately for all the employees of my dentist, I needed a cavity filled on Monday. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to make good on my promise.

I decided to make a peanut butter cookie, but knew I didn’t want to make just a classic peanut butter cookie. I plugged “peanut butter cookies” into Google and started scrolling. Originally I had been thinking that I would find something with chocolate chips, but this chocolate peanut butter cookie caught my attention and I was sold.

They received rave reviews from everyone I shared them with, and a lot of recipe requests, but I’m not completely sold on them. I think they need some chocolate chips.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Source: Amanda’s Cookin’

1/2 cup shortening (or butter flavored shortening)
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add egg. Beat just until blended.

Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls (using a cookie scoop works great) 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly in crisscross pattern with tines of fork.

Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until set and just beginning to brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to cool completely.

First of all, I should probably apologize that the first recipe that I am posting in the new year is cookies. If you are working hard on your new resolutions, way to go! If you really just need a cookie, well HERE you go! I don’t believe in any sort of diet that does not allow for chocolate so I don’t feel too bad for sharing cookies. When I put these into the Weight Watchers Recipe Builder, I came out with 3 Points+ per cookie. I don’t know about you, but I can save three points for a cookie!

In any case, these cookies are kind of odd for me to share. I made them for Thanksgiving and have been sitting on the recipe ever since for one simple reason– I can’t decide whether or not I liked them. That seems like a strange thing to say about a chocolate chip cookie stuffed with a Hershey kiss, but there was just something about them that kept me from saying, “Oh these are awesome!”

To be fair, I only had a few of them. I had one when they came out of the oven (because you can’t share cookies with others without first tasting them and making sure you didn’t swap salt for sugar or something!) and then I ate the cookies that I set aside for picture taking purposes. The rest of them were eaten by my family at Thanksgiving dinner and the leftovers were polished off by my coworkers the following weekend. I certainly didn’t hear any complaints from any of them!

I would probably try these cookies again, but I would think about using a different cookie recipe to wrap around the kisses. If you make them, or have made them before, I’d love to hear what you think!

Surprise Kiss Cookies
Source: Tasty Kitchen

1 Cup Softened Margarine
1/3 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips Or Mini M&ms
1 9oz. Bag Hershey Kisses

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter/margarine, sugars, and vanilla until well blended.
3. Add the flour and blend until smooth.
4. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
5. Mold a scant tablespoon of cookie dough around each unwrapped kiss, covering completely. Shape into balls.
6. Place into un-greased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set.
8. Cool slightly, move from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.