Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 40

Ingredients:

1 C. butter (2 sticks), softened

2/3 C. sugar

1 egg yolk and egg white separated

1 T. vanilla extract

2 1/4 C. all-purpose flour

1, 1/4 C. finely chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds (optional)

1/4 tsp. salt

Jam or preserves about 6 oz or so

What to do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

Separate egg from the egg white and set aside. Cream butter, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla; blend flour and salt into the mixture.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll into slightly beaten egg white, then walnuts or nut of your choosing. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Remove cookies from oven; with thumb or with a small spoon indent each cookie. Put jelly or preserves in each thumbprint, I use ½ tsp per cookie. Bake for another 5-7 minutes or until jam melts slightly and edges of cookies are lightly golden. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.