My son and I love chocolate, and this is a recipe I came up with that is guaranteed to satisfy any chocolate lover.
—JOHN WILLIAMS BEAUMONT, TX
PREP: 30 MIN. + CHILLING • BAKE: 20 MIN. • MAKES: 2 1/2 DOZEN
2/3 cup butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
Dash salt
FILLING
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted
1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
1. Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate, covered, for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; press evenly onto bottom and up sides of ungreased mini-muffin cups.
3. Pulse pecans and coconut in a food processor until finely chopped. In a small bowl, whisk the brown sugar, egg, butter, vanilla and salt. Whisk in melted chocolate. Stir in pecan mixture. Place a rounded teaspoon of filling in each cup. Bake until filling is set, 17-20 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
NOTE To toast nuts and coconut, bake in separate shallow pans in a 350° oven for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.