Apricot Thumbprint Cookies

These delicious and fun-to-make cookies are perfect with afternoon tea. Variations in flavor can be made by substituting different nuts and juices. 

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 
1 cup almonds (ground into 1½ cup meal) 
or 1 cup walnuts (ground into 11/2 cup meal) 
2 teaspoons baking powder 
¼ teaspoon sea salt 
1/3 cup cold-pressed vegetable oil or melted, unsalted butter 
1/3 cup apricot juice (or apple) 
1/3 cup maple syrup or concentrated fruit sweetener 
1 teaspoon almond extract 
½ teaspoon vanilla 
Apricot preserves (fruit-sweetened) 
Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, mix oil, juice, syrup, extracts together. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well, kneading a little. Form dough into balls and flatten to make circles. Place on lightly oiled cookie sheet. Indent each cookie with your thumb or your child's thumb and put ½ teaspoon preserves in the imprint. Bake 15 minutes, until edges turn golden. 
Preparation time: 30 minutes 
Makes 24 cookies 
Per cookie: 118 calories, 5.2g fat, 0.6g sat fat, 1.7g fiber, 16g carbohydrate, 2.3g protein.