Chocolate Pecan Thumbprint Cookies Recipes

CHOCOLATE PECAN THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Add butter and sugar to the bowl of your mixer and mix them together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until or until easy to handle.
• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
• In a small bowl, whisk egg white until foamy. Shape dough into 1 inch 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. I used a cork. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until center is set. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks to cool.
• For filling, combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Let the cookies cool completely before spooning or piping 1/4 teaspoon of the vanilla mixture into each cookie; gently press a chocolate kiss in the center.

CHOCOLATE PECAN THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Gradually add flour; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle., Roll dough into 1-in. balls. Dip in egg white, then coat with pecans. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make a 1/2-in. indentation in the center of each ball. , Bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Press again into indentations with the spoon handle. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until pecans are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool., In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate chips and remaining butter until melted; stir until blended and smooth. Spoon into cooled cookies.

PECAN THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well., Shape dough into 1-in. balls; roll in egg white, then in pecans. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Cover and freeze until firm. Transfer cookie dough balls to a large resealable plastic freezer bag. May be frozen for up to 3 months., To use frozen cookie dough: Place dough balls 2 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 17-20 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks. While warm, fill each with a teaspoonful of preserves. Cool completely.

SALTED CARAMEL CHOCOLATE PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 3 to 4 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Beat butter and sugar together in a bowl using an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Press dough together in plastic wrap; roll dough into 1 1/2-inch balls.
• Place beaten eggs in one small dish and pecans in another dish. Dip each dough ball into the eggs and roll in pecans. Place dredged balls on the prepared baking sheets; press your thumb into the center of each ball.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Press each cookie again, with a spoon. Return to the oven and continue baking until golden, about 10 minutes more. Cool on wire racks.
• Combine caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Spoon the mixture into the thumbprints of the cookies and sprinkle with sea salt.
• Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 3 minutes. Stir in oil. Drizzle chocolate over the cookies.

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.