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Thumbprint cookies worth cooking
Published: 12/17/2012 8:10 AM
Last Modified: 12/17/2012 8:12 AM

Thumbprint cookies can be overlooked because the recipes often lack imagination.

Here are some thumbprint cookie recipes offered by the Go Bold with Butter blog that might inspire you to revisit this cookie category.

Pecan Pie Thumbprint Cookies
By Annie’s Eats, courtesy of Go Bold With Butter
Makes 2 dozen cookies

For the dough:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup pecans, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ cups all-purpose flour

For the filling:
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or bourbon)
Pinch of coarse salt
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

For the caramel drizzle:
4 ounces caramel candies, unwrapped
2 tablespoons heavy cream, plus more as needed

Directions:
1. To make dough, combine butter and cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 1 minute. Mix in sugars and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes more. Blend in vanilla extract. With mixer on low speed, mix in pecans, salt and flour just until fully incorporated. Cover bowl and transfer to refrigerator. Chill dough for about 30-60 minutes.

2. While dough is chilling, make filling. In medium bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, corn syrup, egg yolk, vanilla and salt. Whisk just until blended. Stir in pecans.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Scooping about 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll dough into balls. Place dough balls on baking sheets 2-3 inches apart. Use your thumb (or wine cork) to make a small round indentation in the center of each dough ball, about 1 inch in diameter. Fill each indentation with some of pecan filling mixture.

4. Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until light golden and set, about 16-18 minutes total. Cool briefly on baking sheets, then transfer to wire rack set over wax paper or foil. Let cool completely.

5. To make caramel drizzle, combine the caramels and heavy cream in small microwave safe bowl. Heat in 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until caramels are fully melted and mixture is smooth. If needed, add more cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until mixture reaches drizzling consistency. Drizzle caramel over cooled cookies on wire rack. If caramel begins to harden, microwave for 10 more seconds and stir to rewarm.

Turtle Cheesecake Thumbprints
By Bake or Break, courtesy of Go Bold With Butter
Makes 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
15 soft caramels, unwrapped (about 4 ounces)
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking pans with parchment paper or silicone liners.
2. Whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter and cream cheese until combined. Add sugar and brown sugar, and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
4. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
5. Using a tablespoonful of dough, shape cookies into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Flatten each ball slightly. Using your thumb or back of a spoon, press a 1/4-inch indentation into the top of each cookie.
6. Bake cookies, one pan at a time, 12-15 minutes or until cookies are set. Cool on pans for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
7. Place caramels and cream in heavy saucepan. Heat on stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently, until caramels have melted and mixture is smooth.
8. Using about 1/2 teaspoon of caramel at a time, fill cookie indentations. Allow caramel to cool and set. If necessary, refrigerate the cookies to set the caramel.

Raspberry Almond Thumbprints By Baked Bree, courtesy of Go Bold With Butter
Makes 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
For the cookie:
1 cup butter, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups flour
1/4 cup raspberry jam

For the glaze:

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon milk

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add almond extract. Add flour and mix until combined. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Using your thumb, press an indentation in the middle of each cookie. Spoon 1 teaspoon jam into each indentation.

3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly brown. Cool on rack for 1 minute, then cool completely on cooling rack.

Pistachio Thumbprints
By Beauty Frosting, courtesy of Go Bold With Butter

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (3.4-ounce) instant pistachio pudding mix
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Combine flour, salt and pistachio pudding mix in small bowl. Set aside.

3. In separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.

4. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and almond extracts. Mix well.

5. Add flour mixture into butter mixture. Add chocolate chips.

6. Line baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Form dough into 1-inch balls, and place at least 1 inch apart on cookie sheet. Press thumb into dough until "thumbprint" is achieved.

7. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

8. Cool completely and fill the thumbprint with a dollop of Pistachio Buttercream Frosting (recipe below).

Pistachio Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups confectioner's sugar

1.8 ounces (1/2 of 3.5-ounce package) pistachio instant pudding mix

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

½ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

Cream butter and sugar until well blended.

Add confectioners’ sugar cup by cup. Add pistachio instant pudding. Add vanilla and salt.

Add heavy cream as needed, as you go, until fluffy, creamy buttercream is achieved.

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Taste

Food Writer Nicole Marshall Middleton joined the Tulsa World in May 1993 after graduating from Oklahoma State University. She has covered crime, city government and general assignment beats during that time - but mostly crime. But when she isn’t at work, Nicole is a devoted food hobbyist. She enjoys meal planning and cooking with her husband, Steve, every day of the week and on holidays it’s a family affair. When the opportunity to become the food writer at the Tulsa World presented itself in the summer of 2011, Nicole jumped at it. She is excited to explore a new side of Tulsa and make the transition from crime to cuisine. .

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