Apricot-Almond Oat Cups

From the Blue Bonnet website. This was a first place winner in a 2003 Ultimate Oatmeal cookie contest. I have not tried it yet and am posting for safe keeping. Times are approximate Easy recipe to halve if needed.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 40

Ingredients

• 1  cup margarine, softened (1 cup = 2 sticks)
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
• 1  teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  cups oats, uncooked (quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats)
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2  eggs, lightly beaten
• 1  cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1  cup  apricot preserves
• 1  cup  finely chopped  almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Beat margarine and granulated sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Blend in almond extract and vanilla.
4. Add oats and flour; mix well.
5. Shape level tablespoons of dough into balls.
6. Place 1 in each of 40 ungreased miniature muffin cups; press dough onto bottom and up side of cup. (Do not press dough over rims of cups.) Set aside.
7. Mix eggs, brown sugar, preserves and almonds in small bowl until well blended.
8. Fill each cup with about 1 tablespoon filling.
9. Bake 25 minutes, or until crusts are golden brown.
10. Cool briefly in pans on wire racks, about 10 minutes, or until cookie is firm but can still release.
11. To remove from pans, carefully run knife around rim of each cup; gently lift out cookie with knife.