Sweet Nutty 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.

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 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.

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.

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.