Jam Thumbprint Gems

Lizzie Rodriquez's Note:

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• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon clove
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• ¼ cup mott's natural applesauce
• ½ cup confectioners' sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 whole eggs or ¼ cup egg substitute
• ½ cup strawberry preserves (or choose your favorite fruit preserves)
• confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk vegetable shortening and Mott's Natural Apple Sauce until shortening breaks into pea-sized pieces. Add sugar and beat well. Add vanilla and egg. Mix well.
4. Add flour mixture to apple sauce mixture. Blend until smooth; mixture will be stiff.
5. Using flour-coated hands, roll teaspoons of dough into balls. Place on cookie sheet 1-inch apart. Press thumb into center to make indentation. Fill with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.
6. Bake 12-15 minutes until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Place on cooling rack and dust with confectioners' sugar.