Healthy 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.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
• Separate egg, reserving egg white. Cream butter or margarine, sugar, and egg yolk.
• Add vanilla, flour and salt, mixing well.
• Shape dough into balls. Roll in egg white, then walnuts. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 5 minutes.
• Remove cookies from oven. With thumb, dent each cookie. Put jelly or preserves in each thumbprint. Bake for another 8 minutes.

HEALTHY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, use the paddle blade attachment to combine all of the ingredients except the jam until it becomes a cohesive dough, about 1-3 minutes.
• Using a small cookie scoop OR a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop the dough onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat mat.
• Wet your hands just a little bit and roll the dough into balls. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon (tip: re-use the one you used to measure the almond extract!), make a small well in the middle of each cookie.
• Fill the wells with about 3/4 teaspoon of jam.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are JUST slightly brown.
• Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before removing to a cooling sheet to cool completely.
• Store the cookies at room temperature for one day, or covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour and salt; add to butter mixture, beating on low until combined.
• Combine ground almonds with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Form dough into 1-inch balls, and dip in beaten egg white, then in almond-and-sugar mixture. Make a deep indentation in the center of each ball with your finger or a wooden spoon. Place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press down the centers again. Rotate sheets, and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly. Fill center of each cookie with about 1 teaspoon jam. Let cool completely. Thumbprints can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, between parchment, up to 1 day (or 3 days, if not filled with jam).

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the shortcrust pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it is incorporated and then mix in egg yolks. Knead everything into a compact smooth dough. Wrap the dough and chill it for 1 hour.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature for 10 minutes. Form the dough into a long roll and divide it into 60 equal portions. Form a small ball from each portion and place it on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment (you will need two or more sheets). Press a dip (for the jam) into each ball with the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the jelly or jam in a saucepan until it melts. Use a teaspoon to fill the dips in the dough balls.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, then allow to cool completely. Finally, dust the cookies with some icing sugar. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.