Nutty Thumbprint Cookies Recipes

NUTTY JAM THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Put the granulated sugar in the food processor and process until it is fine and powdery, about 30 seconds. (Be sure to cover the feed tube so the powder doesn't float out.)
• Add the flour, salt and pecans and pulse until the nuts are finely ground.
• Add the butter and vanilla and process until the mixture looks damp and comes together. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover with saran wrap and refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.
• Position racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Use the tip of a wooden spoon handle to press an indentation about ¾ of the way down into the center of each ball (twist slightly to release; if the handle sticks, dip it in flour). Bake for 22 to 24 minutes, or until lightly colored on top and golden brown on the bottom. (If your oven cooks unevenly, rotate cookies from top to bottom and from front to back halfway through baking time.)
• Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Using a sieve, dust cookies with confectioners' sugar. Use a tiny spoon or the tip of a teaspoon handle to fill with jam, jelly or preserves.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The Cookie Dough can be Frozen for up to 3 Months: Roll the dough into balls, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer. (Allow 1 to 2 minutes longer in the oven.) To Freeze After Baking: Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature. (For best results, add the jam after defrosting.)

NUTTY THUMBPRINT COOKIES WITH JAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In the work bowl of a food processor, combine walnuts, pecans, ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt, and ½ teaspoon (1 gram) nutmeg. Pulse until combined and nuts are finely ground, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to a small bowl, and set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium-high speed until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Reduce mixer speed to medium, and add egg yolks and vanilla bean paste. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour, ¾ cup chopped nut mixture, remaining ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon (1 gram) nutmeg. Increase mixer speed to medium, and beat just until mixture comes together, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in remaining nut mixture to coat, and place 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Using your thumb or the back of a spoon, gently make an indentation in center of each ball.
• Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven, and press down centers again. Fill centers of cookies with desired jam. Return to oven, and bake until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes more. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

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 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.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES WITH TOASTED NUTS AND WHOLE GRAINS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans on a baking sheet and toast until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
• In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine nuts, flour, sugar and salt and pulse until very finely ground, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl and add butter by hand, a few pieces at a time, massaging butter into dry ingredients until it forms a shaggy dough. (If dough seems dry and is not coming together, work in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does.)
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and bring it together with your hands. Have a bowl of warm water at hand nearby. Divide dough in half, dip your hands in water and roll each lump into a thin log, about 15 inches long and 1/2 inch across. Cut each log into 1/2-inch slices and roll each slice into a ball, dipping hands in water as needed to prevent dough from sticking. Transfer balls to prepared pans, spacing them about 1/2 inch apart.
• Using your pinkie or the rounded end of a small wooden spoon, press into the top of each ball to make a well. As you press, use your other hand to hold the ball and shape it around the finger or handle into a small, flat-bottomed cup. The goal is to give the dough an even thickness throughout the cookie. Place pans in refrigerator and chill cookies for at least 30 minutes or up to 12 hours.
• Bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through to ensure even browning, until cookies are golden around the edges.
• Remove baking sheets from oven and let cookies cool completely. (The recipe can be made up to this point 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container.) When ready to serve (up to 8 hours ahead of time), use a pastry bag or a small spoon to fill each well with jam, marmalade or preserves.

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.

SWEET & NUTTY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350*.
• Cream sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla and egg yolk.
• Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together.
• Shape into 1 inch balls.
• Beat egg white slightly.
• Dip each cookie ball in the egg white; roll in the nuts.
• Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheet.
• Press thumb deeply in center of each.
• Bake until light brown, about 8-10 minutes.
• Remove from cookie sheet, cool.
• Fill thumbprints with jelly.

NUTELLA® THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, melted butter and egg with spoon until soft dough forms.
• Shape into 50 (3/4-inch) balls. In small bowl, beat egg whites lightly with fork. Place nuts in another small bowl. Dip each ball into egg white, then roll in nuts. On ungreased cookie sheets, place balls 1 inch apart.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheets. Using end of wooden spoon, make indentation in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes.
• When ready to serve, spoon hazelnut chocolate spread into small resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off small corner of bag; insert cut corner of bag into indentation in each cookie. Squeeze bag to fill opening, about 1/2 teaspoon per cookie. Sprinkle with nonpareils.
• Store covered in airtight container at room temperature in single layer.

NUTTY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream the 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-inch 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 the dough balls 2-inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350-degrees for 17-20 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks. While warm, fill each with a teaspoonful of preserves. Cool completely.
• TO USE DOUGH WITHOUT FREEZING: To prepare cookies without freezing, shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll balls in egg white, then in nuts. Place about 2-inches apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each ball. Bake at 350-degrees for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks. While warm, fill each with a teaspoonful of preserves. Cool completely.