Coconut Cherry Thumbprints

Ingredients

1/4  cup sugar
1/2 cup Earth Balance coconut butter, slightly softened
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 egg, separated
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut
Benjamin Twiggs Cherry Festival Preserves

Directions

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Mix sugar, coconut butter, coconut extract and egg yolk in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together. Dough will be soft, can chill but not necessary.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white. Roll in coconut. Place about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Press thumb deeply in center of each.

Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Fill thumbprints with preserves.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Optional : Drizzle with melted chocolate.
½ cup chocolate chips
½ teaspoon shortening

Place in a microwave safe bowl and heat for about a minute until melted, watching carefully and stirring after first 30 seconds, then at 15 seconds intervals until completely melted. Use a fork to drizzle over cookies.

Submit by Jill Marlin

Dairy free