Caramel Apricot Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups pillsbury best® all purpose flour 
• 0.5 cup smucker's® apricot preserves 
• 0.5 cup firmly brown sugar light packed
• 1  butter flavor all-vegetable shortening sticks cut into slices or 1 cup crisco® butter shortening crisco®
• 0.5 cup smucker's® caramel spoonable ice cream topping 
• 3 large eggs separated
• 2 cups pecans finely chopped
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 1.5 tablespoons vanilla extract 
• 2 tablespoons water 

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• wire rack
• hand mixer

Directions

1. HEAT oven to 350F. Adjust rack to middle position. Coat two cookie sheets lightly with no-stick cooking spray.
2. BEAT brown sugar and shortening in medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl.
3. Add egg yolks, water, vanilla and salt. Beat until well combined.
4. Add flour on low speed until well blended.
5. BEAT egg whites in a shallow bowl until foamy.
6. Place pecans in a seperate shallow bowl. Measure about 2 teapsoons dough for each cookie. Form into balls by rolling between your palms. Dip each dough ball into egg whites, then roll in pecans.
7. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Using the back of a teaspoon or your thumb, make a rounded indentation in the top of each cookie.
8. BAKE 10 minutes.
9. Remove from oven. It may be necessary to create the indentation once again with a spoon.
10. Place about 1/2 teaspoon caramel topping into the indentation of each cookie. Then place about 1/2 teaspoon preserves on top of the caramel.
11. Bake an additional 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly browned.
12. Remove from oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for several minutes.
13. Remove to cooling rack to cool completely.