Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies

You may fill the cookies with any jams or preserves that you wish, but seedless raspberry is highly recommended.

Makes about 15 large, bakery-sized cookies

1/2 cup no or low trans margarine with 8 grams of fat per tablespoon (such as LAND O' LAKES FRESH BUTTERY TASTE spread or TAKE CONTROL spread)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup SPLENDA sweetener
1 large egg yolk (2 tablespoons egg substitute can be substituted)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
1/3 cup less-sugar raspberry preserves (seedless raspberry works best)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, beat the margarine with sugar and SPLENDA sweetener on medium speed until light and fluffy (about three minutes).
2. Add egg yolk or egg substitute and vanilla and almond extracts, beat well.
3. In 4-cup measure, whisk the flours and salt together. Beat flour mixture into the margarine mixture gradually on low speed just until combined.
4. Add almonds to small food processor and process until almonds are nicely ground. Beat into cookie dough mixture on low speed just to combine.
5. Use a cookie scoop (1/8 cup) to place dough on nonstick cookie sheet or jellyroll pan about 2 inches apart (line with parchment paper if desired). Make a deep indentation in the center of each ball with your thumb.
6. Bake for eight minutes and remove cookie sheet from oven. Fill the center of each cookie with a slightly heaping teaspoon of jam (press down the center of cookies again if necessary before filling with jam). Bake about eight minutes more or until golden brown. Place cookies on wire rack to cool.

Per large cookie: 127 calories, 2.5 g protein,
15 g carbohydrate, 6.7 g fat (1 g saturated fat,
3 g monounsaturated fat, 2.5 g polyunsaturated fat),
14 mg cholesterol, 1.3 g fiber, 78 mg sodium.
Calories from fat: 46 percent.
Omega-3 fatty acids = .8 g, Omega-6 fatty acids = 1.6 g