Thumbprint Cookies

By 11650

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 Crisco butter flavor stick, cut into slices or 1 C butter
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 2 T water
• 1 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 C flour
• 2 C finely chopped pecans
• 1 C strawberry (or any) preserves

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 cookie sheets lightly with cooking spray
2. Beat b sugar and shortening at medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add egg yolks, water, vanilla and salt. Beat until well combined. Add flour on low speed until well blended.
3. Beat egg whites in a shallow bowl until foamy. Place pecans in a separate bowl. Measure about 2 t of dough for each cookie. Form into balls. Dip each ball into egg whites, then roll into pecans. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Using the back of a teaspoon or your thumb, make a rounded indentation in the top of each cookie.
4. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven. It may be necessary to create the indentation once again with spoon. Place about 1 teaspoon of preserves into the indentation of each cookie. Bake an additional 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Cool several minutes. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.