Jam Thumbprint Gems

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• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon clove
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 1⁄4 cup  mott's  natural applesauce
• 1⁄2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  whole eggs or 1⁄4 cup egg substitute
• 1⁄2 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.