Blackberry Sage Cornmeal Thumbprint Cookies Recipes

BLACKBERRY-SAGE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine flour, cornmeal, sage, and baking powder. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and add brown sugar, beat until combined. Beat in egg yolks, lemon zest and vanilla. Mix in the flour mixture. Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls, place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Lightly press the tip of your thumb into the center of each ball. Fill the centers with about 1/4 teaspoons of the blackberry preserves. Bake 10 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute and then transfer to rack to cool completely.

BLACKBERRY-SAGE CORNMEAL THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined. Beat in the egg yolks, lemon peel, vanilla, and sage until combined. Add the flour in 3 increments, beating until all is incorporated. Cover and refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the end of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the center of each ball of dough. Drop about 1/4 teaspoon of blackberry preserves into each indentation. Place prepared cookies into freezer for 15 minutes prior to baking for best results. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool.

BLACKBERRY-FILLED CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. Add melted chocolate; mix until blended. Gradually beat in flour., Preheat oven to 350°. Shape level tablespoons of dough into balls. Place 2 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb. Fill each with 1 teaspoon spreadable fruit., Bake 15-18 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle or dip cookies with melted candy coating; let stand until set.

APRICOT, CORNMEAL, AND SAGE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. and lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
• In a bowl whisk together butter, sugar, and egg until smooth. Sift in flour and baking soda and add apricots, sage, cornmeal, and salt, stirring until combined.
• Drop tablespoons of dough about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets and bake in batches in middle of oven 10 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes and transfer to a rack to cool.

BLACKBERRY THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spread almonds in ungreased shallow pan. Bake uncovered 6 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In food processor, place almonds. Cover; process 30 seconds or until finely ground.
• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating well.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, salt, cloves, cinnamon and almonds; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. On cookie sheets, place balls 2 inches apart. Press thumb into each ball, forming indentation.
• Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool 30 minutes. Spoon preserves into resealable freezer plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag; squeeze bag to pipe preserves into indentation in each cookie.

SHIRA'S CRANBERRY THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the cookies: Whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat butter and 1/4 cup sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add orange zest and egg yolk, and mix well. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
• Lightly whisk egg white. Scoop 2 teaspoons dough, and roll into a ball. Dip into egg white, and roll in remaining 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar. Repeat with remaining dough; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart, as you work. Gently press center of each ball with your thumb. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until pale golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Gently indent each cookie again using the handle end of a wooden spoon. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let cool. (Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week.)
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring cranberries, water, sugar, and orange zest to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, gently mashing cranberries, until thick and jamlike, 5 to 6 minutes. (If mixture is too thick, add a little water to thin.) Transfer to a bowl, and let cool completely. (Filling can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
• Spoon a small amount of filling into each cookie indentation.

CRANBERRY SAGE COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cornstarch; beat on medium speed 3 minutes or until well blended. Add flour, beating until blended. Stir in vanilla. Stir in cranberries and sage. Gather dough into a ball; flatten to 6-inch round. Wrap dough in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 375°F. On lightly floured surface, roll dough until 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 2-inch round cookie cutter or other shaped cutter. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts about 1 inch apart.
• Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely before storing.