- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cups light brown sugar; firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
- 25 to 30 caramels, cut in half, rolled into balls
- Pecan pieces; finely chopped
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.
- Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl until well-mixed. Stir in flour and baking powder. (If kitchen is warm, refrigerate dough for a few minutes; dough should be firm enough to roll easily.) Shape scant teaspoonsful of dough into balls about the size of a marble. Place on baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies. Flatten slightly.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
- Melt chocolate chips with shortening in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Remove from heat.
- Flatten caramel halves so they are the same diameter as the cookie. Put one caramel half on top of each cookie. (If necessary, use a dab of chocolate as “glue” to help caramel adhere to cookie.) Using a small metal spatula, spread melted chocolate thinly over top and sides of caramel and cookie to cover. Press chopped pecans onto tops of cookies. Let stand on a wire rack until chocolate firms (refrigerate if desired), about 20 minutes. Put into individual paper wrappers.
- Store in a cookie tin with a piece of wax paper between each layer.
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