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1991 1st Place: Caramel Pecan Treasures

Make 1991 1st Place: Caramel Pecan Treasures at home with Butter and Lightly Packed Light. About 50 min from start to finish for 60. Save it, add the ingredients to your shopping list, and cook it tonight.

Illustrative photo

Ingredients

• 1 cup
• 3/4 cup

Method (preview)

1. 1

   Brown sugar 1 ts Vanilla 1 3/4 c All-purpose flour 1/2 ts Baking powder 12 oz Semisweet chocolate chips 1 tb Vegetable shortening 25 to 30 caramels, cut in Half, rolled into balls

2. 2

   Preparation time: 50 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes

3. 3

   Heat oven to 325 degrees. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.

4. 4

   Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl until well-mixed.

5. 5

   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.

6. 6

   Place on baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.

7. 7

   Flatten slightly.

8. 8

   Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

9. 9

   Melt chocolate chips with shortening in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Remove from heat.

10. 10

    Put one caramel half on top of each cookie. (If necessary, use a dab of chocolate as "glue" to help caramel adhere to cookie.)

11. 11

    Using a small metal spatula, spread melted chocolate thinly over top and sides of caramel and cookie to cover.

12. 12

    Press chopped pecans onto tops of cookies.

13. 13

    Let stand on a wire rack until chocolate firms (refrigerate if desired), about 20 minutes.

14. 14

    Put into individual paper wrappers.

15. 15

    Store in a cookie tin with a piece of wax paper between each layer.

16. 16

    The first-place winner of the Tribune's 1991 Holiday Cookie Contest is Elaine Rysner.

17. 17

    Use high-quality caramels and chocolate for the best cookies. from the Chicago Tribune fourth annual Food Guide

18. 18

    Holiday Cookie Contest December 5, 1991