gen, I found this on line from Taste of Home. I've never made it so I can't vouch for the recipe, but it looks like your description.

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints

From Taste of Home

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg, separated

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup baking cocoa

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup finely chopped pecans

FILLING:

12 to 14 caramels

3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
Roll into 1-in. balls. Beat egg white. Place egg whites in a shallow bowl. Place nuts in another shallow bowl. Dip balls into egg white and coat with nuts.
Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 3/8-to 1/2-in. indentation in the center of each ball. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool.
Meanwhile, in a large heavy saucepan, melt caramels with cream over low heat; stir until smooth. Using about 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture, fill each cookie. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.

Good luck, and happy baking!

Annie

I made these for Christmas last year and they were a big hit. I left out the walnuts though.

Sorry, I don't remember where I found the recipe.

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Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon white sugar
48 chocolate-covered caramel candies

Directions
1 Beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in white sugar and brown sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, and cocoa. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in 1/2 cup walnuts. Cover and chill at least 2 hours.

2 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

3 Combine remaining 1/2 cup nuts with the 1 tablespoon sugar. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Work with one part at a time, leaving the remainder in the refrigerator until needed. Divide each part into 12 pieces. Quickly press each piece of dough around a chocolate covered caramel. Roll into a ball. Dip the tops into the sugar mixture. Place sugar side up, 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets.

4 Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool for 3 to 4 minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Thanks for your efforts, but it is different. and it calls for Pillsbury's Best flour. and is a little more simple recipe for the cookie part. Both of these look very good. Maybe yet someone will have the Pillsbury version.
gengenz

Is this the recipe?

Here is a link that might be useful: Chocolate caramel thumbprints

I think your recipes may be better than the one i am looking for: Since it is for my mother--Here is the part i have for ingredients:
1 C. margarine or butter
1 Cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 egg
2½ Cups Pillsbury BEST flour
Turtle Filling:
20 vanilla caramels
1/4 Cup half-and-half
That is all i have. I would like to find the rest of this one, if possible. Thanks to all who try.
gengenz

Still hoping to find this recipe!
gengenz.