Jam Thumbprints

By Howie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 11/2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 11/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup red raspberry, boysenberry, or currant jam
• 1/3 cup filberts, chopped
• 1 tsp orange or lemon peel, grated
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Preparation

Step 1

1) In mixing bowl, cream butter and ½ cup of the sugar till fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Chill at least 1 hour. Divide dough into 48 balls. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.

2) With wet finger, make indentation on each. Combine jam, nuts, and peel; place ½ tsp in each indentation. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar till soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar, beating to stiff peaks. Pipe a wreath of meringue onto each cookie. Bake in 350° oven 10 to 13 minutes.