Ultimate Caramel Cookie Treats

Ingredients

• Softened butter in a half cup measure,
• Confectioners' sugar in a quarter cup,
• Brown sugar, packed in quarter measure,
• Salt, just a quarter teaspoon to add,
• An egg, a single one to crack,
• Vanilla extract, half a teaspoon for flavor,
• Flour, two cups of all-purpose for the base,
• Miniature semisweet chocolate chips, half a cup to sprinkle,
• Forty-eight round wooden toothpicks to hold,
• Finely chopped pecans, a cupful for crunch,
• Caramel bits in an eleven-ounce pack, for sweetness,
• Water, two tablespoons to mix.

Step 1

Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and preparing your baking sheets with a light greasing. In a mixing bowl, combine butter, confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt, whipping the ingredients together until they form a light and fluffy mixture. Incorporate an egg and a splash of vanilla extract, continuing to beat until the mixture is smooth. Gradually blend in the flour until the dough is silky, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 2

Form the dough into small, 1-inch balls and space them about 2 inches apart on the greased baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are just set, typically around 10 to 12 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven, press a round toothpick into the center of each cookie, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.

Step 3

Prepare a shallow bowl of pecans and cover your work surface with a sheet of waxed paper. Heat caramels and a bit of water in a saucepan over medium-low heat until the caramels melt into a smooth mixture, stirring consistently for about 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 4

Using the toothpick as a handle, dip each cookie into the caramel mixture, ensuring it is fully coated. Allow any excess caramel to drip off before dipping the bottom and sides of the caramel-coated cookie into the pecans. Place the finished cookies on the wax paper to cool and set. Repeat the process with the remaining cookies until they are all coated and adorned with pecans.