OMG! Who doesn't like thumbprint cookies? They are one of the easiest cookies to make and at our house, they disappear faster than I can make them. And these Roasted Almond Thumbprints are no exception.
I decided that as I was looking for cookies for my 12 Cookies of Christmas that I was going to highlight combinations of cookies. I have 4 or 5 thumbprint recipes, so I am going to put them all together to give you a choice of the thumbprints you might like to make. Please bear with me as I will be highlighting quite a few bars and cookies over the next two weeks as I start to put together the lists.
These Roasted Almond Thumprint Cookies were featured in Bon Appetit's November "Make Ahead Holiday Cookies". They have a great selection of cookies which are fairly easy to make and are right in line with what people are looking for in holiday cookies. I learned a long time ago that fancy cookies are nice, but I find they are the last cookies left on the plate at the end of most events. When you make a combination of thumbprint cookies, chocolate chip cookies, ginger snaps and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, I can guarantee, there won't be any left.
These thumbprints were easy to make as most of the ingredients ended up in the food processor, so outside of roasting almonds, these cookies were together in 10 minutes. The only thing I do differently is to put the jam in the cookie before I cook it rather than after. Many people put the jam in after, but I find the jam doesn't set and the cookies are always sticky.
These cookies have a wonderfully nutty taste and would pair well with strawberry jam, orange marmalade or our favorite, seedless raspberry. After I made them, I froze them for a function later in the week. As I opened the container to make a cookie platter that night, I noticed half of them were gone. My son, Stephen, confessed, "Mom, those are the best cookies." Even frozen, they disappeared.
Watch for the 12 Cookies of Christmas this year as I will highlight all types of cookies and our favorites as well as those that people wait for every year. As we head into the holidays - Be happy and enjoy!
Roasted Almond Thumbprint Cookies - Adapted from Bon Appetit
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups of flour
1-1/2 cups of unsalted, roasted almonds
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 cup of butter (2 sticks), softened
1/2 cup of sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 cup of raw/course sugar or demerara sugar
Seedless raspberry jam (or your favorite jam or jelly)
Preparation:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees
2. Place flour and roasted almonds into a food processor and pulse until the almonds and flour are well blended. The almonds will be finely ground.
3. Add baking powder and salt, pulse once or twice to blend. Set aside.
4. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and 1/2 cup of sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until pale and fluffy.
5. Reduce speed to low and blend the flour mixture with the sugar/butter mixture.
6. Place the demerara sugar into a shallow bowl. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls and roll in the sugar. Place on cookie sheets and place a thumbprint in the center. Fill with a 1/2 teaspoon of jam or jelly.
7. Cookies can be placed 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies is slightly golden and firm. The bottoms will be beginning to brown.
8. Remove from oven and cool on cookie racks. This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies and they freeze well.
Written by Tricia White