Almond Joy Cookies Chocolate Macaroon Thumbprint Food

ALMOND JOY® COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease baking sheets.
• Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
• Beat white sugar, brown sugar, and banana together in a separate bowl until smooth and creamy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until well mixed. Stir in vanilla extract.
• Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until batter is well mixed; fold in chocolate chips, coconut, and almonds. Drop batter by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges of cookies are beginning to crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

ALMOND JOY COOKIES (CHOCOLATE MACAROON THUMBPRINT)

Steps:

• Beat butter, sugar and salt.
• Add cocoa, melted chocolate and vanilla.
• Add eggs and beat until creamy.
• Slowly add flour and blend only until combined.
• Chill in refrigerator several hours.
• Meanwhile combine macaroon ingredients by hand in a small bowl.
• Form dough into balls using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon and drop onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Flatten each ball with your thumb, leaving a depression in the center of each.
• Fill each depression with 1 tsp of macaroon.
• Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes, until cookies no longer look wet on top.
• Cool completely on wire rack.
• When cookies are cool.
• Melt chocolate for drizzle.
• Add shortening and stir well.
• Drizzle over cookies.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND BUTTER THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Adjust the racks to the top and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Combine the butter and almond butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the brown sugar and 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Adjust the speed to medium-low and add the flour in two batches, mixing until just incorporated.
• Combine the chopped almonds and the remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small bowl.
• Scoop out even tablespoons of cookie dough, roll into balls and then dredge in the almond-sugar mixture. Space the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies appear dry and slightly cracked on the top and golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Use the rounded side of a teaspoon to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Let them cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets, and then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• For the chocolate ganache filling: While the cookies cool, combine the chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 45 second increments, stirring well between each, until smooth. Let cool completely at room temperature.
• Fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip with the chocolate ganache. Pipe about 1 teaspoon of the ganache into the center of each cookie. Serve, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add flour mixture, one-third at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
• Place chopped almonds in a small bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times until dough is smooth and comes together. Scoop a level tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a ball. Roll ball in chopped almonds. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
• Use back of a teaspoon to make a deep indentation in center of each dough ball.
• Place 1 baking sheet of cookies in refrigerator until ready to bake. Bake remaining baking sheet in preheated oven 8 minutes. Remove from oven, and use teaspoon to redo indentation in center of each ball. Return to oven, and bake until set and lightly golden on bottom, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet; transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes. Repeat procedure with remaining baking sheet of cookies.
• Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat cream in a small saucepan over low until just beginning to bubble around edges, about 2 to 3 minutes. (Do not let cream boil, or it will be too hot for chocolate.) Pour hot cream over chocolate, and let stand 1 minute; whisk until smooth. Refrigerate chocolate mixture, stirring often so mixture cools evenly, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Beat chocolate mixture with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Transfer ganache to a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe ganache in indentation in center of each cookie. Top each with a cherry. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve.

ALMOND JOY MACAROONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Mince 1 1/2 cups of coconut in a food processor and transfer to a bowl.
• Add remaining ingredients, EXCEPT kisses.
• Mix gently with your hands until combined.
• Chill dough at least 1 hour (but no more than 24).
• Shape a heaping tablespoon of dough around a kiss. Make sure it is enclosed completely. (This takes a little practice).
• Place 1 inch apart on lined baking sheet.
• Bake until firm and deep golden on the bottom and light golden on the top--about 16-18 minutes.
• Cool on pan for 5 minutes and transfer to cooling rack.
• These are a little sticky so I keep them in mini muffin papers or paper bonbon cups.

ALMOND THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. (Be careful not to grind to a paste.) Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter, egg, and extracts until combined well. Chill dough, covered, until firm, about 30 minutes.
• While dough chills, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Drop level tablespoons of dough 1 inch apart onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. Roll dough into balls, then chill until slightly firm, about 10 minutes. Make a 1/2-inch-wide (1/3-inch-deep) indentation in center of each ball using your thumb, index finger, or the rounded end of a wooden spoon. Fill each indentation with 1/4 teaspoon jam and bake, 1 sheet at a time, until tops are pale golden and undersides are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack and cool completely.