Classic Thumbprint Cookies

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
Yield: 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

Crisco® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup Crisco® Butter Shortening, or 1 Butter Flavor Crisco® Stick, cut into slices
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup water
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
2 cups finely chopped pecans
1 cup Smucker's® Strawberry Preserves, or any flavor of Smucker's Fruit Preserves, Jam or Jelly

Preparation Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Adjust rack to middle position. Coat two cookie sheets lightly with no-stick cooking spray. Beat brown sugar and shortening in a medium bowl with an electric mixer 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 the flour on low speed until well blended.

2. Beat egg whites in a shallow bowl until foamy. Place the pecans in a shallow bowl.

3. Divide dough into 48 equal portions. Form into balls by rolling between your palms. Dip each dough ball into the egg whites, then roll into the pecans and place on the prepared cookie sheet. Using the back of a teaspoon or your thumb, make a rounded indentation in the top of each cookie.

4. Bake cookies 10 minutes. Remove from oven. It may be necessary to create the indentation once again with a spoon. Place about 1 teaspoon of jam or preserves into the indentation of each cookie. Return cookies to oven; bake another 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet.