Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies

I took these cookies to a Memorial Day cookout and received lots of compliments. I didn't make many with the pecans because of my kids' allergies. On the topping, I had a hard time getting the pecans to stick to the dough for some reason. They're good either way. Make sure you are generous with the dough around the Rolo. If you don't use enough dough, the caramel will leak through, making an ugly cookie (which I should have taken a picture of since I had 2 cookie sheets full of that mistake!). They make pretty large cookies which are kind of flat and no one expects a fun surprise inside, which makes it even more fun. Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies

2 ½ c. flour

3/4 c. cocoa

1 t. baking soda

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. softened butter

2 t. vanilla

2 eggs

1 c. chopped pecans

48 Rolos (9 oz.)

2 T. sugar

Preheat oven to 375º. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda and blend well. In a large bowl combine sugars & butter, beat until fluffy. Add vanilla & eggs, beating well. Add flour, stir in ½ cup pecans. Shape 1 T. of dough around 1 Rolo, covering completely. Combine remaining pecans and 2 T. sugar. Press one side of each ball into sugar/pecan mixture. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes then remove from cookie sheet. (These freeze well.)

Yield: 4 dozen cookies