There is just something very delightful about cookies. I love them with a tall, cold glass of milk but you might prefer to have them with a cup of tea or coffee. These wonderful little gems are very tender, very nutty, and filled with your choice of jam. I used raspberry (darker color filling) and strawberry (the lighter colored filling).
After combining equal parts ground nuts (I used walnuts) and flour and then adding to beaten butter and sugar, with vanilla and almond extract, the dough is rolled into little balls. I used the back of a my melon-baller to form an indentation which was filled with heated jam after the cookies were baked.
I wiggled the end a bit to form a larger opening to make room for plenty of jam.
A sprinkling of confectioners sugar adds sweetness to this shortbread cookie and looks pretty as well.
Even though my husband insists he dislikes walnuts, he (and I) loved these cookies.
THUMBPRINTS FOR US BIG GUYS
by Dorie Greenspan from “Baking: From My Home To Yours”
Ingredients
1 3/4 cups finely ground hazelnuts
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flower
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
About 1 cup raspberry jam (or the jam or marmalade of your choice)
GETTING READY: Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
Whisk together ground nuts and flour.
Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the extracts and beat to blend. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the nut-flower mixture, mixing only until it is incorporated into the dough.
Working with a teaspoonful of dough at a time, roll the dough between your palms to form small balls and place the balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Steadying each cookie with the thumb and forefinger of one hand, use the pinkie of your other hand (or the end of a wooden spoon) to poke a hole in the center of each cookie. Be careful not to go all the way down to the baking sheet.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The cookies should be only slightly colored–they may even look underdone, which is fine: they should not be overbaked. When the cookies are baked, remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest on the sheets for 2 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks with a wide metal spatula and sifting confectioner’s sugar over them.
Repeat with the remaining dough, remembering to cool the baking sheets before baking the next batch.
Bring jam to a boil in a small saucepan over low heat, or bring to a boil in a microwave oven; remove from the heat. Fill the indentations of all the cookies with enough of the hot jam to come level with the tops. Cool to room temperature.
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www.gratefulprayerthankfulheart.com
Oh wow, these look amazing!
I think I need to try it with strawberry next time. That sounds yummy! Great job.
-CB
https://iheartfood4thought.com
Your cookies look absolutely delicious! Really stunning 🙂
Delightful presentation of delicious looking cookies. My mouth is watering. 🙂
Don't these look amazing!! 🙂
YUM~ must put these on my
"must make soon list"
Blessings~ Jen
Oh these look so good!! I use to make a really simple thumb print cookie around Christmas time. This recipe looks really easy! Enjoy your day!
Yet again I am over at your blog drooling….ugh those look so good!! WOW! ~I'm speechless lol ~Love Heather
Yummy-O! Those look so good. I love thumbprint cookies. Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Tara
those look delicious.