Candy Thumbprint Cookies Food

CHOCOLATE-MINT THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper.
• In large bowl, beat 1 cup butter and the powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in peppermint extract, egg yolks and food color until blended. On low speed, beat in flour, baking powder and salt.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Using end of handle of wooden spoon, press a deep well into center of each cookie.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Reshape wells with end of handle of wooden spoon. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips, cream and 3 tablespoons butter on High 1 minute, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Fill each well with about 1 teaspoon chocolate mixture; garnish with candy piece. Let stand about 1 hour until chocolate is set.

CANDY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy; add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla, beating until blended.
• In small bowl, mix flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until blended. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 2 inches apart. Press thumb into each ball, forming indentation.
• Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. (Tops of cookies will not be brown.) Immediately press desired topping in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

PERFECT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix butter and powdered sugar together with a rubber spatula until creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and egg yolk. Mix with the spatula. Add flour and blend until just combined.
• Use a sorbet scoop to portion dough into 1/2-ounce (1-tablespoon) balls. Roll balls in a plate of white sugar to coat; roll again between your palms. Place several inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Flatten balls lightly with your fingers.
• To make shortbread cookies with a little jam, poke a well into each cookie using the end of a thick wooden spoon dusted with powdered sugar or using one of your fingers. Fill cookies with fruit jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter to let jam settle.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are barely blonde and bottoms are slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before icing.
• Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar with a little milk until you have a consistency that will hold its shape when piped. Pipe icing on top of cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• For a more jam-forward cookie, press your thumb into the cookies to make large, shallow indentations. Spoon in jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter.
• Bake until not quite golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let rest on pan for 5 minutes before transferring a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

BUTTER AND JAM THUMBPRINTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
• In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.
• Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep. Fill each indentation with about 3/4 teaspoon jam.
• Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes. (For even color, rotate the pans from top to bottom about halfway through baking.) Cool cookies on the baking sheets. Serve.
• Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the shortcrust pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it is incorporated and then mix in egg yolks. Knead everything into a compact smooth dough. Wrap the dough and chill it for 1 hour.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature for 10 minutes. Form the dough into a long roll and divide it into 60 equal portions. Form a small ball from each portion and place it on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment (you will need two or more sheets). Press a dip (for the jam) into each ball with the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the jelly or jam in a saucepan until it melts. Use a teaspoon to fill the dips in the dough balls.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, then allow to cool completely. Finally, dust the cookies with some icing sugar. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.