Christmas: Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint cookies are one of my favorite Christmas cookies.  The delicate buttery cookie  dipped in chopped nuts with a touch of jam in the center is truly delicious.  They are also a great cookie to have the kids help with.  My kids love making the thumbprint and dropping the jam in the center.

This recipe from Simply Recipes is one of the best recipes I have found for Thumbprint cookies.  They were a hit with family and friends.  I made half with nuts and half without.  They were both delicious.

Thumbprint Cookies
From Simply Recipes

INGREDIENts:

1 cup of butter (2 sticks or 8 ounces), room temperature
1/2 cup of sugar
2 eggs, room temperature - separated
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 cups of flour
1 cup of chopped nuts (optional)
3/4 cup of your favorite jam
Parchment paper

Directions:

1 Cream the butter and sugar.  In a medium bowl whisk together the flour and salt.  Set aside.

2 Add the yolks and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. 

3 Add the flour and salt. Mix until just combined. Chill dough in the fridge for 30 minutes and preheat the oven to 350F.  While dough is chilling whisk the egg whites until frothy.  If you are not using nuts, save the egg whites for a later use.

4 Roll the dough into balls about 1 inch in diameter. If using nuts, dip the balls into the egg whites then roll them into the nuts until covered. Place the balls on parchment lined cookie sheets or on cookie sheets with silicon baking sheets.

5 Press down with your thumb to make a small well in the center of the cookie.  Caution: Do not press too hard or the cookie will fall apart. Fill with 1/2 teaspoon of jam.

6 Bake for 12-15 minutes or until slightly firm rotating halfway thru baking. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet to firm up before moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 2 dozen

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