Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies or What the Hell happend to Summer?

Sure don't feel like summer anymore around here... The temperature went down to a miserable 18 degrees and it feels like it's been raining since Monday evening!! Right now I feel like snuggling up on the sofa with a nice hot cup of tea, some tasty chocolate and a good book.

The good book will have to wait, I ordered Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerousely last Monday and am anxiously awaiting a call from the bookstore clerk that it has arrived..... But I can have my chocolate satisfaction as I have several great chocolate recipes bookmarked!!

Here's the one I picked friday, I found them at Barbara Bakes. I had to chance some things: as we don't have chewy Rolo's I used ordinary Rolo's, this means my caramel filling showed up less obvious than in Barbara's, but they still tasted really yummy. Also I didn't use any pecans, I thought I still had some in my pantry but once home I discovered I didn't. These cookies rock! They are not crunchy, but more chewy: delicious! I managed to squeeze 53 cookies out of this recipe, this means one cookie without nuts would be 2,5 WW Points.

Caramel-filled Chocolate Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chopped pecans (I skipped the nuts)
48 Rolo® Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate, unwrapped (from 13-oz. pkg.) (I used 53)
1 tablespoon sugar
4 oz. vanilla-flavored candy coating, if desired (I used white chocolate)

In medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; mix well. In large bowl, combine 1 cup sugar, brown sugar and margarine; beat until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well. Add flour mixture; blend well. Stir in 1/2 cup of the pecans. If necessary, cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes for easier handling.

Heat oven to 375°F. For each cookie, with floured hands, shape about 1 tablespoon dough around 1 caramel candy, covering completely.

In small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup pecans and 1 tablespoon sugar. Press one side of each ball into pecan mixture. Place, nut side up, 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. (I skipped this part since I didn't use nuts)

Bake at 375°F. for 7 to 10 minutes or until set and slightly cracked. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes or until completely cooled.

Melt candy coating in small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.