Thumbprint Cookie Recipe

It is cookie baking time. Some adore this season and try to make the fanciest of the fanciest cookies and as many varieties as possible. I’m here to tell you that it can be easier. There is no need to hyperventilate before the next cookie exchange party. Make these classic beauties and you’ll be just as popular as all of the insane bakers.

THUMBPRINT COOKIE RECIPE:

1 cup butter (or two sticks)
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
If making chocolate filled: Chocolate thumbprint filling (recipe below)
If making jelly filled: 8 ounces raspberry (or your fav) jelly or jam – don’t use preserves
Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg & salt, then flour. Combine until a nice dough. Scoop using a cookie scoop onto baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Press down centers with thumb or back of cookie scoop while taking care to not let edges crack (so that filling will remain in the middle later) or for “thumbprint” to go down to deep (to prevent cookies from breaking easily from being too weak in the middle).  Bake for about 10 minutes or until you can see they’re turning light golden brown on the bottom.  Make chocolate filling while waiting.

CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIE FILLING RECIPE:

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup Hershey’s dark cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoons hot water
Stir ingredients until smooth. If needed add fourth tablespoon of water. Place in a decorating bag and squirt into centers of cookies when they’re done baking. Use care as to not overfill.

Fill with jelly or chocolate frosting right after they come out of the oven. Jelly is easier to work with when stirred first. Allow to cool & box up to deliver Christmas joy.

For more Christmas: Before pressing down, roll cookie dough balls in candies or glitters or nuts or… oh wait. Starting to sound like one of those insane bakers. I’ll stop now.

One batch makes 30 cookies.