Thumbprint Cookie Recipe?

[trish_ks]

I was going to make Linzer cookies until I realized how expensive it would be to buy all the almonds needed. So now I want to make Jam Thumbprint cookies, but can't find a recipe I like. (The only one for Jam thumbprint cookies I found involved coconut....I don't have coconut & don't want to turn around & go back to the store!).
Anyone have a simple recipe for these? Please?

[blazedog]

Were you going to make the recipe Gail posted for Linzer cookies -- they are fantastic -- well worth the cost :) I found ground almonds at TJ and they weren't that expensive.

That said, here's a good recipe for thumbprints -- I assume you have some kind of nuts to roll the cookies in.


Holiday Thumbprint Cookies
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recipe By: Land O' Lakes
Serving Size: 60

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened*
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Suggested Coatings Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups finely chopped peanuts, almonds, pecans or walnuts
Suggested Toppings Ingredients:
Caramels, cut in half
Chocolate stars
Fruit preserves
Maraschino cherries

Directions:

Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all cookie ingredients except egg whites in large bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls.

Beat egg whites in small bowl with fork until foamy. Dip each ball of dough into egg white; roll in choice of suggested coatings. Place 1 inch apart onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb or back of teaspoon. Bake for 8 minutes.

Remove cookies from oven; fill centers with choice of suggested toppings. Continue baking for 6 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Notes:

Assemble a beautiful holiday cookie tray using this traditional but easy cookie with many variations.

-------------------------------------------------
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http://www.macgourmet.com

[Curleytop]

I would love to see the recipe for the LINZER COOKIES! Where did you find it?

[blazedog]

LINZER COOKIES

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/3 cups very finely ground hazelnuts or almonds
3 1/3 cups unsifted cake flour – but stir with chopstick before measuring to unclump it
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 jar (12 ounces) raspberry jam
Confectioner's sugar =

1. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluggy; beat in egg, egg yolk, lemon rind and vanilla; sitr in nuts.
2. Stir in flour, baking powder and cinnamon, blending well to make a stiff dough; wrap in waxed paper; chill several hours, or overnight.
3. Cut dough in half. (Refrigerate other half.) Roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper to slightly less than 1/4 inch thickness. Removed top sheet of waxed paper. With a 2-inch round cookie cutter (I use a larger one with a fluted edge) cut out as many cirlces from thedough as you can. Carefully removed circles from bottom sheet of waxed paper; place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets. Refrigerate scraps of dough for second rolling.
4. Repeat with other half of the dough, cuttingout an equal number of 2-inch circles as from the first batch. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. With a 3/4 inch cookie cutter (or for that matter anything which you find around the house that might work) cut out center of each of the second batch of cookies. Use any scraps of dough for second rolling. Roll scraps of dough out for second rolling; cut out equal number of solid circles and circles with open centers.
5. Bake in a moderate oven (350º) for 12 minutes, or until edges of cookies are golden. Remove cookie sheets from oven; let stand 1 minute. Remove cookies with wide spatula to wire racks. Cool.
6. Heat raspberry jam in a small saucepan. Spread each of the solid cookies with a thin layer of hot preserves. Top each with cut-out cookie; press gently together to make a sandwich. Place on wire rack. Sprinkle tops of cookies with confectioner's sugar. Spoon dab of preserves in opening of each cookie; let preserves set slightly.

[trish_ks]

That would be the Linzer recipe I was going to make...they look really good, but I can't afford it right now! :)
We don't have anything resembling Trader Joe's or Whole Foods (you know, good stores?) out here. I've definitely never seen ground anything in the grocery stores here, so in order to have enough almonds (I can't find hazelnuts) to produce that amount of ground, it would get mucho expensive.
The thumbprint recipe looks a little more my speed :) Thanks!

[dorothyntototoo]

Trish - in today's KC Star there was a recipe for Thumbprint cookies. It calls for Crisco (which I don't use) & Smucker's jam because it was with their coupons. You could probably substitute butter or margarine.

Dorothy

THUMBPRINT COOKIES - Makes 4 dozen

1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. shortening
3 large eggs, separated
1-1/2 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 c. finely chopped pecans
1 c. Smucker's jam or preserves, any flavor

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two cookie sheets with vegetable spray. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat brown sugar, shortening, egg yolks, vanilla and salt; add flour gradually until well blended. In a small bowl beat egg whites until foamy. Place pecans in separate small bowl. Scoop and roll dough into 1" balls. Dip each ball in egg whites, then roll in pecans. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Using thumb or teaspoon, make indentation in top of each cookie. Bake for 8 minutes; remove from oven. Spoon one tsp. of jam into indentation of each cookie. Return cookies to oven; bake 6-9 minutes more, or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool on wire rack.

[Curleytop]

Thanks BLAZEDOG for the recipe! Going to TJ's tomorrow! :)

[blazedog]

That would be the Linzer recipe I was going to make...they look really good, but I can't afford it right now! :)
We don't have anything resembling Trader Joe's or Whole Foods (you know, good stores?) out here. I've definitely never seen ground anything in the grocery stores here, so in order to have enough almonds (I can't find hazelnuts) to produce that amount of ground, it would get mucho expensive.
The thumbprint recipe looks a little more my speed :) Thanks!

I can sympathize -- when I look at the cost of those pathetic little bags of nuts in my regular supermarket baking section, I am so thankful for TJ. :)

[HealthyinMN]

I can sympathize -- when I look at the cost of those pathetic little bags of nuts in my regular supermarket baking section, I am so thankful for TJ. :)

I shop weekly at TJs... their prices, for the quality, out do all the other stores in the area here. If we ever move, there better be a TJs near by!

[Meg O'C]

My tried and true recipe for Thumbprints is from the Mrs. Fields Cookie Book. She calls them Surprise-Filled Cookies, but they are thumbprints. My family loves these, and it is basically unacceptable for me to show up for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations (in-laws love them too) without these each year. They are tender, buttery, delicious, and colorful!

Surprise-Filled Cookies (a.k.a. Jam Thumbprints
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup fruit jam

Preheat oven to 300.

In medium bowl combine flour and baking powder. Mix well with a wire whisk. Set aside.

In medium bowl with an electric mixer cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla and beat on medium until smooth. Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed until thoroughly combined. Dough will be firm.

Scoop tablespoonfuls of dough, roll into one-inch diameter balls and place on ungreased baking sheets, one inch apart. With the small end of a melon baller, scoop out the center of the dough balls. Do not scoop all the way through the cookie. Place 1/2 teaspoon of jam in the center of each dough ball. Place scooped out dough back into mixing bowl to use to form more cookies.

Bake 22 - 24 minutes or until light golden brown. Transfer to a cool, flat surface.

Makes 4 dozen.

[Beth]

Do you have a health food store that might carry nuts in bulk or an oriental grocer? Asian markets tend to carry raw almonds, cashews and peanuts in larger bags and at better prices. Sam's or Costco -- and the holiday baking stock at most grocery stores tend to carry larger bags. Keep an eye out.

[Peggy]

Here is my favorite recipe for Thumbprints. I make them very year at Christmas time.

Raspberry-Filled Thumbprints

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, separated
dash salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans
seedless raspberry jam

Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Add egg yolk and salt. Mix well. Stir in flour and beat until smooth. Pinch off small balls of dough and roll between the palms of the hands. Dip each ball in slightly beaten egg white. Roll in chopped nuts. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet. With a wine cork or top of your finger, make a depression in the center of each cookie. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Use the wine cork to again press into the depression. Add a small amount of jam to the dression. Cool on baking sheets.

Makes 3 dozen

Peggy

[ctd1103]

I made Ina Garten's Jam Thumbprint cookies for Christmas gifts last year and they were amazingly good and easy - will look up the recipe when I'm home and post to you, or maybe you might be able to find it on line...will get back to you this PM.

[BarbaraL]

This was my grandmother's recipe. Really good, and really easy. We use Hershey's kisses, but you can use jam instead.

Grandma's thumbprint cookies

Ingredients:
½ c soft butter
¼ c brown sugar
1 egg, separated
½ tsp vanilla
1 c sifted flour
¼ tsp salt
finely chopped walnuts or other nuts (3/4 c)
chocolate kisses (or jelly)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together thoroughly: butter, brown sugar, egg yolk and vanilla. Sift flour and salt together, and stir into batter. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg white, then roll in finely chopped nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven. Quickly press thumb gently on top of each cookie. Return to oven and bake an additional 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Place chocolate kiss (or dollop of jelly) into the thumbprint.
Yield: 2 dozen 1 ½ inch cookies.

[ctd1103]

I made Ina Garten's Jam Thumbprint cookies for Christmas gifts last year and they were amazingly good and easy - will look up the recipe when I'm home and post to you, or maybe you might be able to find it on line...will get back to you this PM.

Here they are!

Jam Thumbprint Cookies
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Raspberry and/or apricot jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough into 1 1/4-inch balls. (If you have a scale they should each weigh 1 ounce.) Dip each ball into the egg wash and then roll it in coconut. Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 teaspoon of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the coconut is a golden brown. Cool and serve.

[Kathy B]

Just a tip if you are making one of the recipes with the finely chopped nuts.... I have always found it a pain to roll the balls of dough in the nuts. Half of them don't stick anyway. Last time I made them, I just added them to the dough. Worked great. They still had that nubby look and of course the taste of the nuts, but they weren't falling off on the pan or even later on the cookie plate. Just an idea I thought I'd share. :)

[JulieM]

There's a yummy looking recipe this month in the new Eating Well for jam thumbprint cookies with poppy seeds.

[Sheila in MD]

There's a yummy looking recipe this month in the new Eating Well for jam thumbprint cookies with poppy seeds.

My mom and I have been making a poppyseed thumbprint cookie for many years-it is great! It was originally in one of the little Pillsbury booklets that are usually displayed by the grocery store check-out lanes. They call for cherry preserves but we have always used raspberry and apricot instead. I'll have to compare it to the Eating Well one!

Sheila in MD

Cherry Poppy Seed Twinks

1 cup 10x sugar
1 cup softened butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 tbs poppy seeds
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cherry preserves

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Beat 10x and margarine til light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. Stir in flour, seeds and salt. Mix well. Drop by round tsp onto ungreased sheets. With finger, make an indentation in center of each cookie. Fill each imprint with about 1/2 tsp preserves. Bake at 300 for 20-25 mins or til edges are light golden brown. Immediately remove from sheets.

[JennyLiz]

I was intrigued by all of the EW cookies this month, but since my baking time is very limited, I was hoping someone could give me a review. Are the EW Thumbprint cookies any good? What about the gingerbread? I may have to give them a try myself!

[JJeannette]

Just a suggestion--my mother used to make the thumbprint cookies. She used the basic buttery dough, but instead of rolling in chopped nuts, she baked as directed, filled and then put a dab of powdered sugar frosting on the filling and a walnut half.

[Apricot]

Lillith posted these on the ISO cookie recipe that calls for 2 yolks thread. I made a batch of these tonight and they were so delicious not to mention beautiful! The cookie has a very tender crumb which dissolves into your mouth. So good!

DUTCH COOKIES WITH JAM
1/2 lb. sweet butter, softened
2 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
2 cups all purpose flour
Scant 3/4 cup sugar
Any jam (preserves) of your choice

Preheat oven to 375. Combine butter with beaten egg yolks and vanilla. Combine dry ingre. and add to wet. Combine thoroughly. Roll dough into 1" balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Make indentation in middle of each ball with floured thimble. Fill hole w/jam. Bake for 15-20 minutes till light brown. NOTE: These really are good - and I always make meringue cookies with the two egg whites!

[dorothyntototoo]

They showed a rerun of Barefoot Contessa where she made the Thumbprints rolled in coconut. They were so pretty - might have to add those to my list.

[tovie]

And to be different, here's a chocolate version of thumbprint cookies.

Cocoa-Berry Cookies

1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbs cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup berry jam

Cream margarine and sugar. Add egg and vanilla, then cocoa, baking soda and flour. Chill 1 hour. Shape into 3/4-inch balls and place on a greased baking sheet 1 inch apart. Indent centers with your thumb. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minuntes. Remove from oven and fill indent with jam, then bake another 4 minutes.


Tovie

[VictoriaL]

I was intrigued by all of the EW cookies this month, but since my baking time is very limited, I was hoping someone could give me a review. Are the EW Thumbprint cookies any good? What about the gingerbread? I may have to give them a try myself!

I made the thumbprint cookies this morning. The dough was very sticky-- I added an extra 1/2 cup flour and it was still tackier than I am comfortable using. That said, the cookies themselves are delicious. My baking times ran a little less that what EW specified. And be sure to put a nice, rounded 1/2 teaspoon of preserves in the center of the cookie-- any less and it looks fairly sparse. I was surprised at the 7g fat per cookie, but they're being given as gifts and I didn't want to lighten the recipe for fear of ruining them.

[imloulou]

There's a yummy looking recipe this month in the new Eating Well for jam thumbprint cookies with poppy seeds.

I was going to post this but thought I better read through the whole post...I knew that someone had to mention this recipe :p

I have not tried them but will sometime this week. The recipe looks good and is about as healthy as a thumbprint cookie can get...lol! I will post when I try it but am interested to hear if anyone has tried it!!

[boisewinesnob]

I made Ina Garten's Jam Thumbprint cookies for Christmas gifts last year and they were amazingly good and easy

These are the ones I always make too, and they are awesome!!!

[Kathy B]

I The recipe looks good and is about as healthy as a thumbprint cookie can get...lol! I will post when I try it but am interested to hear if anyone has tried it!!

zackaboo mentioned them on another thread, and she said she thought they were very good.

[imloulou]

zackaboo mentioned them on another thread, and she said she thought they were very good.

Thanks Kathy! I did a search here is the link:

Eating Well Thumbprint Poppy seed Cookie (http://webmail.east.cox.net/%24sessionid%24A00B6D2247C1301AE4CEB390FCAACE2D/agent/mobmain?mobmain=1)

I'll post a review once we try them.