Easy As Pie Thumbprint Cookies Food

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.

PUMPKIN PIE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg until combined. Add the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until the dough comes together.
• Mix the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl or plate. Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls (each ball should be a heaping tablespoon; you should have about 18 balls), then roll in the spiced sugar mixture. Divide the dough balls between 2 baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to indent the centers of each dough ball, pinching together any large cracks that form (a few small cracks are fine). Refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Bake until the cookies just begin to warm through, about 6 minutes. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and use the handle of a wooden spoon to indent the centers just a little more. Return them to the oven, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back, and bake until the cookies are set and slightly browned on the bottom, an additional 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• For the pecan crumble: Meanwhile, microwave the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl until melted, about 1 minute. Stir in the pecans, brown sugar, oats and pumpkin pie spice. Microwave until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Let cool in the bowl until the crumble is crunchy, about 30 minutes.
• For the pumpkin pie filling: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, pumpkin puree, cream cheese, vanilla extract and fine salt in a small bowl until smooth.
• Assemble the cookies: Once the cookies are cool, spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling into the center of each cookie and smooth the top if needed. Sprinkle the crumble on top of the filling. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

APPLE PIE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Toss together the apples, lemon juice, apple pie spice, vanilla and 1/3 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the apple mixture and stir to coat with the butter. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adding about 1/4 cup water if the mixture becomes too dry or begins to brown, until the apples are tender and shiny, about 20 minutes. When the apples are tender, there should be some liquid left in the skillet; if not, add 1/4 cup water and stir. Mix the cornstarch with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl and pour it into the apple mixture. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil to activate the starch. Cook until thick and bubbly, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the remaining 8 tablespoons butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg until just combined. Turn the mixer to low and gradually beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, beating until just incorporated.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Scoop 1-tablespoon portions of dough and roll between your hands to form 1-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently press a thumbprint into the center of each ball about 1/2 inch deep, being careful not to crack the edges. Fill each indentation with 1 teaspoon of the filling, then chill the cookies 15 minutes in the freezer.
• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• Bake, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back about halfway through, until the cookies are set, about 30 minutes. Cool the cookies completely on the baking sheets. Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator 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.