Cream Cheese Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

1/2  cup unsalted butter, softened 

10. Oz. Cream cheese, softened and divided

2/3  cup Imperial Dark Brown Sugar, packed

1/3  cup + 3 1/2 tablespoons Imperial Fine sugar, 

        Divided

1   large egg, room temperature 

1   vanilla extract 

2  cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2  teaspoons cornstarch 

1   Teaspoon baking soda 

1   Teaspoon kosher salt

3/4  cup Semi-Sweet mini morsels 

1/2   Cup milk chocolate morsels 

2/3  Cup chopped pecans

Instructions

In an electric mixer beat the butter for 1 minute. Then add 2 ounces of cream cheese and beat until smooth ( 30 seconds). Add brown sugar and 1/3 of the granulated sugar and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. 

Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. I 

In a large bowl whisk together four, cornstarch, baking soda and 3/4 teaspoon salt. 

Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat at low speed until combined. Fold in both chocolate chips and pecans. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking pans with parchment paper. 

In a small bowl stir the 8 ounces of cream cheese, 3 1/2 tablespoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. Cover and freeze for 15 minutes. 

Remove the cookie dough from refrigerator and using a two tablespoon cookie scoop to form balls. Flatten each ball into a two inch circle on prepared baking pans. After you have flatten all balls remove cream cheese from freezer. 

Using a one tablespoon cookie scoop make balls from the cream cheese mixture. Place a ball in the center of half your cookie circles and take another cookie circle and place on top of cream cheese ball. 

Crimp the edges to seal and gently shape into a ball. Repeat with each cookie circle and cream cheese balls. Place the balls 2 inches apart on prepared pans and gently flatten to 3/4 inches thick. 

Bake about 9 minutes depending on your oven. Cool on wire racks for at least 2 minutes. 

You can make both cookie dough and cream cheese ahead of time; keep covered and refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping into cookies. 

If you want more chocolate chips add them to top of cookies before baking. Just press them down into the dough.