Thumbprint Cookies With Icing 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 WITH ICING AND NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream shortening, butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla. Add flour and salt. Combine well.
• Roll dough into balls. Using a small ice cream dipper will aid in uniformity.
• Beat egg white slightly with a fork. Dip balls in egg white, then roll in chopped pecans.
• Place balls on an ungreased baking sheet, (I use a silicone baking mat) about 1 inch apart.
• Place in your preheated oven for 3 minutes.
• Remove cookies from the oven and use a small cork or your finger to gently press an indentation into the center of each cookie. Bake for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are set. Remove from the oven and immediately use a cork or your finger to repress the indentation into the middle of the cookies.
• Make the icing while cookies bake. Add color using the process described above. Or leave the icing uncolored. Or stir in food coloring to make a uniform color. It's your preference. Many people do jelly--but not at my house.

CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together 1 stick butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour, beginning on low speed and increasing to medium high.
• Roll dough by teaspoonfuls into balls, and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven, and press thumb into tops of cookies to make indentations. Return to oven, and bake until light brown on the edges, 7 to 9 minutes more. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
• Combine chocolate, 4 tablespoons butter, and corn syrup in a small heat-proof bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water; stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. When cookies are cool, fill the thumbprints with the chocolate mixture.

THUMBPRINT COOKIE ICING

Steps:

• Combine powdered sugar and crisco.
• Add vanilla and mix thoroughly.
• Add water one teaspoonful at a time in order to achieve a spreadable consistency.
• Use your favorite food colorings and fill the wells of the cookies.

PECAN THUMBPRINT COOKIES WITH ICING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• Combine all ingredients.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto greased cookie sheet.
• Place thumb print into each ball to make an indent for icing being sure not to go all the way through dough.
• Bake 300 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
• Let cool.
• Place cookies on wax paper and prepare icing. Icing should be a thick paste. If icing is too thin add more confectioners sugar; if too thick add more water.
• Fill the indents in each cookie with icing. Icing will harden.
• Enjoy!

THUMBPRINT COOKIES IV

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Separate the eggs.
• Cream the butter or margarine with the sugar. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Stir in the flour and the salt.
• Shape the dough into small balls and roll in the slightly beaten egg whites then in the chopped nuts. Press thumb in center of cookie to make an indentation.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 7 minutes or until lightly brown. Cool then fill with your favorite frosting or jam.

FESTIVE THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Place sprinkles in a shallow bowl or bowls., Shape dough into 1-in. balls; dip tops in sprinkles. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Press a deep indentation in center of each with your thumb. Bake until edges are light brown, 10-12 minutes. Using a wooden spoon handle, enlarge any indentations that may have narrowed or closed. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool., For filling, bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add candy coating and vanilla; stir until smooth. Divide filling between 2 bowls. Using food coloring, tint filling in one bowl red and in the other bowl green. Spoon fillings into indentations; let stand until set.,

ICED THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and gradually mix in flour, salt, and pecans. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls, and space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Press thumb into center of each cookie. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven; press centers with the end of a wooden spoon. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets.
• Stir together confectioners' sugar and milk; tint pink. Fill centers with icing. Let set overnight.