Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Coating:
• 2/3 pound square candy caramels (36 to 37 caramels), unwrapped
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes.
3. Add flour and vanilla; mix well to make a stiff dough. Stir in nuts.
4. Pinch teaspoonfuls of batter and shape into mounds on ungreased cookie sheets. Leave at least 1 1/2 inches between cookies.
5. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies are firm to the touch and golden color on the bottom. Let cookies stand for 1 minute on cookie sheets, then remove them to a wire rack to cool.
6. In a small, heavy saucepan, melt caramels and water over medium-low heat until smooth, stirring often. Cool slightly. Have cookies and 1 1/4 cups chopped nuts handy. Dip bottom of one cookie in caramel sauce and then in nuts. Continue until all of the cookies have been dipped.
7. Let caramel set before serving cookies.