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I identify with thumbprint cookies (pun intended) because they remind me of childhood and have become a staple in my adult life. Thumbprint cookies are an old tradition that can be made to reflect the seasons and one’s own tastes.

Since it’s October, I thought about filling this month’s batch of thumbprint cookies with pumpkin butter and apple butter, but then I stepped outside. I used to live in Michigan, but now I live in Miami where the daily temperatures are still hitting 100 degrees. So, I decided on fillings that wouldn’t be so… filling (again, pun intended). So, I filled my thumbprint cookies with blackberry preserves and lemon curd.

Typically, thumbprint cookies are filled with preserves, jam, curds, butters, or chocolates. If it’s your first time making thumbprint cookies you might choose a traditional filling, like strawberry jam; if you live “up North,” and you’re celebrating autumn, I suggest choosing a homemade butter from a local apple orchard; if you’re already thinking ahead to winter, you may consider chocolate and peppermint; or, if you’re planning a vacation to visit an old friend in Miami, key lime curd is always a hit.

Gather your ingredients…

Combine the flour, sugar, and salt…

Add butter…

Add egg yolks and vanilla extract…

Roll the dough into balls, press your thumb into each cookie to create an indent, and add filling…

Bake, cool, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

All-Purpose Flour, 3 Cups

Sugar, 1 Cup

Salt, ½ Teaspoon

Butter, Unsalted, Cold, 3 Sticks, Sliced

Egg Yolks, 2, Beaten Lightly

Vanilla Extract, 2 Teaspoons

Filling, 1 Cup

Recipe:

1. Mix together the flour, sugar, and salt.

2. Mix in the butter, until coarse.

3. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract, until doughy.

4. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

6. Roll the dough into balls and arrange on a lightly greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

7. Press your thumb into each cookie to create an indent. Fill each indent with a spoonful of filling.

8. Bake for 15 minutes, and cool before eating.

These cookies taste marvelous both slightly warm and after being refrigerated. They’re perfect for breakfast or dessert, with coffee or a glass of red wine. They may be frozen up to one month. This recipe yields 30 tasty cookies.

This recipe is adapted from The Gourmet Cookie Book.

Home | Crafts for kids | Recipes | App and Book Reviews | Thumbprint Cookies