3/4 c. sweet butter
1/2 c. milk
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. chocolate pieces, melted and cooled, optional
1 tsp. baking powder
3 3/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 c. apricot jam
2 tsp. rum or sherry
1/3 c. ground pecans

Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Put butter, milk, sugar, eggs, baking powder, and 2 cup flour in bowl. Blend 1 minute on low speed, scraping bowl constantly. Then beat 1 minute on medium speed. Stir in remaining flour and vanilla. Dough will be smooth and soft. Shape dough in smooth 3/4 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until cookies are brown on bottom, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Hollow small hole in the bottom of each cookie. Reserve crumbs. Mix 1 1/2 cup of crumbs with jam, chocolate, nuts, and rum. Fill hollowed cookies with crumb mixture. Press 2 filled halves together. Brush lightly with water. Roll 1 side in red sugar, then all over with yellow orange sugar. Add green stem. Makes 4 dozen.