1994 1st place: rumprint cookies

FILLING Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes Chilling time: 1 hour 15 minutes Cooking time: 12 minutes per batch 1. Beat butter in large bowl of electric mixer until light; beat in sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg, vanilla and salt; beat well. Stir in flour and nutmeg until well mixed. Refrigerate dough, covered, 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Have ungreased baking sheets ready.

Shape dough into 1-inch diameter balls. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press down centers with thumb. Bake until barely golden, about 12 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

For filling, beat butter until light. Beat in confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Add rum extract to taste. Beat well. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip with the filling. Pipe a star into the center of each cookie. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Chill until filling firms, 15 minutes.

This is a light and delicate cookie with a rum-flavored filling.

Rebecca Gottfred of Arlington Heights, Illinois says her recipe doubles and triples easily and the baked cookies freeze well. from the Chicago Tribune seventh annual Food Guide Holiday Cookie Contest December 8, 1994