Thumbprint Cookies

Thumbprint cookies are one of the classic cookies loved by so many during the holidays. This recipe calls for seedless raspberry jam, but feel free to use any flavor. Red jams look particularly festive, but I love the look of a platter piled high with a variety of different colored jams (like strawberry, apricot, lemon, etc). They’ll be the star attraction on your cookie buffet. If you like, dress them up with a drizzle of confectioners sugar glaze or royal icing.

The ingredients for the cookie dough are simple - butter, flour, confectioner’s sugar, almond extract, and salt. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can easily mix everything together by hand.

Almost done.

That took no time at all!

Time to portion out the dough. Use a #60 scoop (1 tablespoon).

The cookie dough is very soft so dip the cookies is granulated sugar so you can roll the dough in the palm of your hands without it sticking.

Rolled - now dip in the sugar again.

That was easy.

Place the sugared balls of dough on a Silpat-lined half sheet pan.

Flatten them slightly.

Make a well in the center of each, being careful not to push down too far (otherwise the jam will leak out during baking). You can use your finger to do this, but I like to use the handle of a wooden spoon….

Or a round 1/2 teaspoon measure.

Fill the wells with jam - I like to use a small demitasse spoon for this job. A regular spoon is a bit too big and can make a mess.

Enjoy!

Items used to make recipe:

(affiliate links)

• #60 scoop https://amzn.to/3Bf0R7q

• silpat liner https://amzn.to/3YtoZ10

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3uUfITF

• cookie spatula https://amzn.to/3su6WJ3

• pure almond extract https://amzn.to/3svjxMa

• demitasse spoons https://amzn.to/3Bf2emd

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Thumbprint Cookies

makes 20 cookies (#60 scoop)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

• 1/3 cup confectioners sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

• granulated sugar to roll cookie dough in

• 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam (or other fruit jam)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325F with rack in center position and line 2 half sheet pans with silpat liners or parchment paper (I prefer silpats).

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade or paddle attachment, mix the butter, flour, confectioners sugar, almond extract, and salt together until smooth and fully incorporated (scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed if not using BeaterBlade attachment).

3. Use a #60 scoop to portion dough; roll each portion into a ball and toss in granulated sugar.

4. Place balls of dough on lined sheet pan; flatten slightly make a small well in the center (do this with your finer, the handle of a wooden spoon, or a round 1/2 teaspoon measure.

5. Fill the wells with jam and transfer the sheet pan to the refrigerator so the cookie dough can chill for 10-15 minutes before baking.

6. Bake at 325F for 15 minutes; allow to rest for 10 minutes before transferring cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Super Chewy Molasses Cookies

Yummy and chewy, chewy, chewy is how I describe these fantastic molasses cookies. They’re my new cookie obsession! The intoxicating sweet and spicy aroma of these cookies will pull you in, and their delicious flavor and chewy texture will keep you coming back for more!

Feel free to pull out your stand mixer if you like, but this simple recipe can easily be mixed with a hand mixer.

Start by whisking together the flour, baking soda, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, and table salt in a medium mixing bowl.

Set aside.

In another mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, molasses, and egg.

This is when your mouth is going to start watering…. you’ve been warned.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry.

Mix on medium speed until no traces of dry ingredients remain. Chill the dough before the next step.

Use a #50 scoop to portion the dough. You can place the dough directly on a silicone-lined half sheet pan, or….

Roll the dough in the palm of your hands; then coat with granulated sugar.

Sometimes time is a factor and rolling the dough can eat up precious minutes in one’s schedule, but I have to say, the sugar-coated cookies look the most festive after baking.

Bake as directed and allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container to maintain chewiness.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• hand mixer https://amzn.to/3gBebJF

• silicone baking liner https://amzn.to/3Bp3mEh

• half sheet pan https://amzn.to/3oC6rLW

• #50 cookie scoop https://amzn.to/3JdIVN6

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Super Chewy Molasses Cookies

makes 24 cookies (#50 scoop)

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon table salt

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup neutral flavor vegetable oil

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 1 large egg

• optional: 1/4 cup granulated sugar for rolling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 275F and place rack in center position.

2. Line 2 half sheet pans with silicone liners; set aside until needed.

3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt; set aside.

4. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, molasses, and egg.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and use and hand mixer to combine on medium speed until no traces of dry ingredients remain.

6. Cover the dough and chill for at least 15 minutes before moving to the next step.

7. Use a #50 scoop to portion dough, 12 cookies per silicone-lined half sheet pan (optional, roll dough into balls and coat with granulated sugar before baking).

8. Bake cookies, one tray at a time, in center of preheated oven for 18-20 minutes.

9. Remove from oven and rest for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

10. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Note

• If the cookies lose their chewiness, place in an airtight container with a damp paper towel and they will soften nicely within a few hours.

adapted from Shelby at The Queens Cabinet.