Prior to the match the Dons had gone eight games without a win, picking up only three points from a possible 24 in the process but Pawlett scored the only goal of the game to see off Caley.
The Dons enjoyed the best of the chances in the first half with Zander Diamond somehow heading wide from five yards out before Michael Paton fired when clean through on goal. However Pawlett struck with a powerful left-footed finish after 75 minutes to give the Dons their first win since February.
Diamond should have broken the deadlock when he rose unmarked to meet a Chris Maguire corner but the Dons defender somehow headed wide from five yards out.
And the Dons went even closer 10 minutes before the break when Maguire outmuscled Grant Munro and crashed a powerful volley from an acute angle off the post.
However the Dons who finally broke the deadlock after 75 minutes when Sone Aluko threaded the ball through to Pawlett whose left-foot strike was too powerful for Ryan Esson.
Source: PA
Source: PA