Stock photo
Try these buttery rich shortbread thumbprint cookies filled with red raspberry preserves and drizzled with an almond glaze. They make a wonderful holiday gift. Try our other recipe, the Lemon Raspberry Thumbprints.
COOKIE RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
Cookies:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 cup (2 sticks or 16 tablespoons) unsalted butter; make sure it is cold from the fridge
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam; can substitute with apricot or any flavor jam – make sure you use thick jam
Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted (sift after measuring)
2 to 3 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon almond extract
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cut cold butter into tablespoon size pieces. Beat the butter on low speed until softened. Add the granulated sugar, slowly at the side of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for 45 seconds until lightened in color and creamy. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl.
Add the extracts and beat on low until incorporated.
2. Reduce speed to low; add flour slowly in a steady stream at the side of the bowl. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl bowl often. When the dough becomes too hard to mix with a mixer, gently fold in the remaining flour with a large rubber spatula until well mixed. The dough will be stiff, but not dry. The dough should not be sticky, either. If it is, you needed to add more flour, a teaspoon or two, and pulse the mixer to combine before deciding to add more. Do not overdo it because during the chilling step, the dough will firm up.
3. Refrigerate dough for an 1 hour or more until stiff.
4. 20 minutes before you are going to bake the cookies, position an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
You’ll need at least two (preferably four) UNGREASED non insulated cookie sheets or sheet pans. You can also cover them with parchment paper (not waxed), if desired.
5. Shape chilled dough into 1-inch balls, spacing 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie ball by pressing gently with thumb (edges may crack slightly). Gingerly fill each indentation with about 1/4 teaspoon jam, taking care to wipe any spilled jam from cookie sheet, as it will burn during baking.
6. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until the edges start to take on some color. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to wire cake racks to cool completely. Cool completely.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the almond glaze: stir together powdered sugar, water and 1 teaspoon almond extract in small bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies set on a wire cake rack set over a piece of waxed paper to catch any excess glaze.
Let cookie glaze set.
STORAGE
Store in an airtight container up to 1 week, in between layers of wax paper. Cookies freeze well for a month or more.
Nutrition Facts (1 cookie): Calories: 90, Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 45mg, Carbohydrates: 13g, Dietary Fiber: 0g, Protein: 1g
