Eagle’s Thumbprint Cookies

Eagle’s Thumbprint Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
½ cup softened butter. If using unsalted, add optional salt – see below.
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg, separated
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup flour. Sift first, then measure.
¼ tsp salt (optional)
¾ cup finely chopped walnuts
Seedless raspberry jelly or jam for filling. Apricot is also nice! Use good quality fruit jam or jelly.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly blend butter, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Blend flour (and salt, if using) and add gradually to butter mixture. Roll dough into 1 tsp size balls. Beat egg white slightly with fork in a small shallow bowl. Put chopped walnuts into another shallow bowl. Dip balls into egg white and then roll in nuts. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Press thumb gently into center of each cookie. Jelly/jam can be put in before or after baking.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set.
If filling after baking, cool before filling with jam or jelly.