It's been years since I've done lots of Christmas baking. I took over my family's baking in university, making 10+ different kinds for the cookie trays. Lately I've been choosing one cookie and getting the kids to help out. I'd been contemplating getting back into the big production of cookie baking and got a gentle push from a neighbour last Sunday. After tasting her yummy creations, I realized how much I missed this tradition. So, yesterday the boys and I started. We made 2 different kinds (I'll share the second kind another day). They loved helping and this was the perfect recipe to include little hands.
This recipe is my mom's and actually called thimble cookies. Since I don't own a thimble, we used our thumbs (Jesse felt more comfortable with his pinky). Use whatever jam you have. I think these colours look nice on a cookie tray. My neighbour suggested using Nutella. I love this idea, but didn't have any in the house yesterday.
Thumbprint Cookies - makes 3 dozen
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 egg, separated
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped nuts (I used pecans)
Jam (I used strawberry and peach)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until creamy, approximately 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and the vanilla, mixing until combined. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Make the dough into small balls (don't make them too big - they rise) and dip into the slightly beaten egg white. Then roll in the chopped nuts. Put on a greased cookie sheet and press into the middle of each cookie with your thumb.
Bake for 6 minutes then remove from oven and reindent the depression with your thumb. Continue baking for a further 6 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and fill indentations with jam while still warm.
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