Festive Thumbprint Cookies - 3 Ways
The original, soft and tender butter cookie, rolled in pecans and filled with raspberry jam.
A lovely, delicate, white chocolate and raspberry version.
The perfect Christmas version - Chocolate with Peppermint!
FESTIVE THUMBPRINT COOKIES
FOR PEACAN THUMBPRINT COOKIES:
1/2 cup soft butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg white, beaten with 1 teaspoon water
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup raspberry, cherry, or strawberry jam
-Cream butter and brown sugar together in an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until smooth. Add egg yolk and vanilla and mix for another 2 minutes.
-Add flour and salt and mix together until well incorporated into the butter mixture. Chill dough for 30 minutes, covered.
-Flour hands and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg whites, then roll in finely chopped walnuts or pecans. Place balls about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet then press thumb gently into the center of each ball, making a depression. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
-Stir jam until smooth and place a small amount (about 1 teaspoon) in the depression of each cookie. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar if desired. Let cookies sit for about an hour until jam is set. Makes 2 dozen small cookies.
FOR WHITE CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES
1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 2/3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup raspberry, cherry, or strawberry jam
1/2 cup white chocolate chips or white chocolate candy melts
-Cream butter and sugar together in electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until smooth. Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extracts and mix for another 2 minutes.
-Add flour and salt and mix together until well incorporated into butter mixture. Chill dough for 30 minutes, covered.
-Flour hands and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet then press thumb gently into the center of each ball, making a depression. Bake in a 375-degree oven 10 -12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
-Stir jam until smooth and place small amount (about 1 teaspoon) in the depression of each cookie.
-Melt white chocolate or white chocolate candy melts in the microwave on high speed for 30 seconds, then stir. Microwave again for another 30 seconds then stir again until smooth. Spoon melted white chocolate into the corner of a small plastic sandwich bag. Snip off a small piece of the corner with scissors, then drizzle chocolate across filled and cooled cookies with an even and steady swiping motion back and forth over the cookies. Let cookies sit for about an hour until jam and white chocolate are set. Makes 2 dozen small cookies.
FOR PEPPERMINT CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES
1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
2 2/3 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup thick chocolate ganache (1/3 cup heavy cream & 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1/2 crushed mint or peppermint candies
-Cream butter and sugar together in an electric mixer for about 3 minutes, until smooth. Add egg, milk, vanilla, and mint extracts and mix for another 2 minutes.
-Add flour and salt and mix together until well incorporated into the butter mixture. Chill dough for 30 minutes, covered.
-Flour hands and roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dip one side of each ball, lightly, into the finely crushed mint candies. Place balls about 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet, crushed mint side up, then press thumb gently into the center of each ball, making a depression. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
-To Make Chocolate Ganache -Bring cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Add chocolate chips and let sit off of the heat, without stirring for about 15 minutes. Stir the chocolate into the cream until entirely melted and smooth with a small whisk. Set aside and let thicken for about an hour.
-Spoon or pipe a small amount of chocolate ganache (about 1 teaspoon) into the depression of each cookie. Sprinkle lightly with more crushed mint candies, if desired. Let cookies sit for about an hour until the chocolate is set. Makes 2 dozen small cookies.
Roll the dough for the pecan cookies in egg wash, then finely chopped pecans, then make a depression with your thumb in the center of each cookie.
Fill centers of each cookie with a dab of berry jam.
For the white chocolate cookies, fill the center of each with a dab of berry jam and drizzle melted white chocolate over the top.
For the chocolate peppermint cookies, fill the center of each with a dab of chocolate ganache.
Garnish the top with more crushed mint candies.
