Candy Recipe

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
One (3 ounce) package fat free cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon butter flavored shortening
1/4 cup flaked coconut (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

Grease cookie sheets or use parchment paper. In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup shortening, cream cheese and milk until well blended. Stir in the brown sugar and 1/4 cup of apricot preserves. Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; stir into the batter. Mix in the pecans last. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet. Cookies should be about 2-inches apart.

Bake for eight to ten minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for five minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the confectioners' sugar, remaining apricot preserves and 1-tablespoon shortening; mix well. Frost cooled cookies and sprinkle with coconut if desired.