Thimbles

This is a cookie recipe from the book "1001 Cookie Recipes". My youngest (22) really likes these. I normally do them around Christmas but son asked for some, so I made them and thought I would share the recipe.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 3-4 dozen

Ingredients

• 1  cup vegetable shortening
• 1⁄2 cup  packed light brown sugar
• 2  large eggs, separated
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  almonds, ground
• 1⁄3 cup  fruit preserves or 1⁄3 cup  jelly

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease baking sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and brown sugar. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Gradually blend in the flour.
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.
4. Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the beaten egg white, then in the ground almonds, and placed 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. With your fingers, press and indentation into the center of each ball.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes , until lightly browned in color. Fill each cookie with a dab of preserves/jelly the transfer to wire rack to cool.
6. Note: We really like home made strawberry or blueberry perserves in these cookies!