Deluxe Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was featured in my local paper, The Virginian-Pilot, on October 7, 2009. These cookies won 2nd place in the chocolate chip cookie division during the 2009 Virginia State Fair. They were submitted by Francie Rayburn of Virginia Beach, Va.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 48
• Yields: 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  solid Crisco shortening
• 1 1⁄2 cups  firmly packed brown sugar (half light-brown sugar and half dark-brown sugar)
• 2  large eggs
• 3 -4  drops  texas pete  hot sauce
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 24  ounces  nestle toll house  semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1  cup  chopped pecans, toasted and broken by hand

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine Crisco and brown sugar; beat until light and creamy. Add eggs, hot sauce and vanilla extract; beat until light and fluffy.
4. Gradually blend in flour mixture.
5. Stir in morsels and pecans; drop by well-rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets.
6. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
7. Allow to stand 2 to 3 minutes before removing from cookie sheets; cool.