Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray cooky sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl, combine first 5 ingredients.

Step 2

In large bowl, whisk together apple sauce and shortening until shortening breaks up into pea-sized pieces. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar; stir well.

Step 3

Add egg and vanilla; stir well.

Step 4

Add flour mixture to apple sauce mixture;stir till well blended. (Mixture will be stiff)

Step 5

Using flour-coated hands, roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls. Place 1 inch apart on cooky sheet. Press thumb gently into center of each ball.

Step 6

Spoon 1/2 tsp. jam into each indentation.

Step 7

Bake 12-15 mins. or till lightly browned. Cool completely on wire rack;sprinkling with rest of the 1 Tb. pwd. sugar. 2 dozen cookies.

Step 8

Each cookie equals: