Mix shortening, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Blend flour and salt; stir in. Roll dough into balls (1 teaspoon per ball). Beat egg white with fork. Dip balls in egg white and roll in nuts. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased sheets. Press thumb gently in each. Bake at 350ºF. for 10 to 12 minutes. When cool fill thumbprint with jelly or icing. Makes 3 dozen. 

Thumbprint Cookies 7

2 cups of flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1 cup of margarine
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
2 tablespoons of water
1 egg white, slightly beaten

Cream margarine, sugar, water and egg yolk. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add nuts and vanilla. Roll into 1" balls and dip into egg white. Bake 5 minutes at 350ºF.  Remove from oven and make thumbprint. Return to oven 8 to 10 minutes longer. Thumbprint can be filled with jelly or colored icing.

Coconut Thumbprint Cookies 8

1/2 cup of butter flavor Crisco
1/2 cup of sugar
1 egg, separated
3/4 cup of unsifted flour
1/4 cup of thick preserves, jam or jelly
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
2/3 cup of flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Grease baking sheets. Cream butter flavor Crisco with sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour with salt and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture; blend well. Form into balls about 1 inch in diameter. Beat egg white until slightly frothy. Dip dough balls into egg white, then roll in coconut. Place on greased baking sheet. Make shallow depression in center of each cookie using thumb or back or small spoon. Spoon 1/2 measuring teaspoon preserves into each cookie. Bake at 375ºF.  for 8-9 minutes or until coconut begins to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1-2 minutes, then remove. Makes about 2 dozen cookies. 

Mocha Thumbprint Cookies 9

1/2 cup of shortening
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of white sugar
1 beaten egg
2 tablespoons of milk
1 3/4 cup of sifted flour
1 tablespoon of instant coffee (powder)
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of chopped nuts

FILLING:
8 ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips

Cream together shortening and sugar. Add egg and milk. Sift flour, coffee, baking powder and salt. Stir into shortening mixture. Stir in nuts. Roll dough into 3/4" balls. Place on greased cookie sheet. Press in center with thumb. Bake at 350ºF. for 10 minutes. When cooled, fill thumbprint with melted chocolate chips. Makes 5 dozen. 

Thumbprint Cookies 10

1/4 cup of margarine
1/4 cup of butter
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of sifted flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of finely chopped nuts

Mix together margarine, butter, egg yolk, brown sugar and vanilla. Sift together flour and salt and mix with margarine mixture. Roll into 1 inch balls. Dip balls into beaten egg white. Roll in chopped nuts. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes at 375ºF.  Remove from oven. Quickly press thumb gently on top of each cookie. Return to oven for 8 minutes. When cookie is cooled, fill each center with jelly.