Pecan Pie Cookies

I saw these on Open The Oven & Take A Look blog. I've been wanting to bake cookies all week but I couldn't decide what to make. I needed some quick and simple cookies to take to Stephanie's Christmas party so I made the Caramel Toll House Cookie Bars and I made these. It was a perfect combination because people who didn't like nuts really liked the cookie bars and people who didn't like chocolate raved about these. I had several requests for both recipes. I think both turned out fabulous!

Pecan Pie Cookies
http://opentheoven.blogspot.com

Cookie Ingredients:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Filling Ingredients:

1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 p firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream*
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all cookie ingredients except flour and baking powder in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking powder. Beat until well mixed. Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in each cookie with thumb; rotate thumb to hollow out slightly.Combine all filling ingredients in small bowl; fill each cookie with 1 rounded teaspoon filling. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.

* I have a confession. I didn't have any heavy whipping cream in the house so I used 1/4 cup of Cool Whip. They still turned out well and no one commented on them being too sweet.