Candy Thumbprint Cookies Recipes

PERFECT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix butter and powdered sugar together with a rubber spatula until creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and egg yolk. Mix with the spatula. Add flour and blend until just combined.
• Use a sorbet scoop to portion dough into 1/2-ounce (1-tablespoon) balls. Roll balls in a plate of white sugar to coat; roll again between your palms. Place several inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Flatten balls lightly with your fingers.
• To make shortbread cookies with a little jam, poke a well into each cookie using the end of a thick wooden spoon dusted with powdered sugar or using one of your fingers. Fill cookies with fruit jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter to let jam settle.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are barely blonde and bottoms are slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before icing.
• Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar with a little milk until you have a consistency that will hold its shape when piped. Pipe icing on top of cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• For a more jam-forward cookie, press your thumb into the cookies to make large, shallow indentations. Spoon in jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter.
• Bake until not quite golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let rest on pan for 5 minutes before transferring a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

CANDY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy; add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla, beating until blended.
• In small bowl, mix flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until blended. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 2 inches apart. Press thumb into each ball, forming indentation.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. (Tops of cookies will not be brown.) Immediately press desired topping in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until easy to handle, about 1 hour. , In a small bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Shape dough into 1-in. balls; dip in egg white, then roll in nuts. Place on greased baking sheets. Using a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in center of each cookie. Bake at 350° until center is set, 10-12 minutes. , For filling, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spoon or pipe 1/4 teaspoon into each warm cookie; gently press a chocolate kiss in the center. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

CANDY CORN THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Add whipping cream, vanilla and egg yolks; beat until blended. In small bowl, mix flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls. On cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart. Press thumb or end of wooden spoon handle into center of each cookie to make indentation, but do not press all the way to cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds, until chips are softened and can be stirred smooth. Spoon melted chocolate into indentations in cookies; top each cookie with 1 piece candy corn.

KELLY'S AMAZING ANDES MINT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter and powdered sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in peppermint extract, egg yolks and food coloring until blended. On low speed beat in flour, baking powder and salt.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls, place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Using end of handle of wooden spoon, press a deep well into center of each cookie.
• Bake 10-12 minutes until set. Reshape wells with end of wooden spoon.
• Cool completely-15 minutes.
• In medium microwavable bowl, place chocolate chips, cream and butter on high 1 minute or until mixture looks melted but not too hot.
• Fill each well with about 1 teaspoon mixture-wait about 10 minutes until chocolate mixture is slightly cooled down then garnish w/candy piece-you may need to test candy before inserting all of them.
• Let stand 1 hour until chocolate is set.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the cookies: Whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Place a heatproof medium bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water; don't let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Drop in the chunks of butter and scatter over the chocolate. Heat, stirring now and then, until the butter and chocolate are melted, but not so hot that they separate, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan and whisk in the sugar. (Don't be alarmed when the mixture turns grainy.) One by one, add the cold eggs, whisking vigorously until the mixture is thick and smooth, and the whisk leaves tracks. Beat in the vanilla, then switch to a spatula and add the flour in 3 additions, stirring gently between each addition, until the flour disappears into the dough. Press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 4 days.
• When you're ready to bake, center a rack in the oven and heat it to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Put the sanding or granulated sugar in a small bowl and, if you've got one, have a cork from a wine bottle at hand.
• Using a small cookie scoop or measuring spoon, scoop mounds of dough, each a scant tablespoon. Roll the dough into balls and then roll the balls in the sugar to coat. Place the balls on the baking sheets, giving them 1½ inches or so of space to spread. Press the cork into the center of each cookie or use your thumb to make an indentation.
• Bake 1 sheet for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies feel firmish. Transfer the baking sheet to a rack. The indentations will have puffed in the oven, so you'll want to press them down again. Repeat with the second sheet. Let cookies cool completely.
• Fill the prints: Melt milk, dark or ruby chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. If using white chocolate, add oil before melting and stir until smooth. While the chocolate is still warm and fluid, use a small spoon to fill each indentation to the brim, letting the chocolate fall from the end of the spoon. Slide the cookies into the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate. The cookies will keep for about 5 days in a covered container at room temperature.