1/2 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
16 ounces prepared chocolate frosting
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy, then add 1/2 cup powdered sugar, salt and vanilla. Stir in flour until dough forms. Chill, covered, in refrigerator for at least one hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shape dough into 36 balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Press a hole in the center of each ball with your thumb or the end of a wooden spoon. Bake cookies for 12 to 15 minutes until light brown. Remove from cookie sheets and cool.
For filling, place frosting in a small bowl and stir in nuts or coconut. Use this mixture to fill impression in cooled cookies. (You can spoon the icing in or fill a sandwich bag with icing, cut off a little tip of the corner and pipe the icing into the cookies.)
To make the icing, melt the chocolate chips, water and 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat. Stir in the 1/2 cup powdered sugar and beat well. You may add a bit more water if icing is too thick. Drizzle over cookies.