Buttery Spice Fig Thumbprint Cookies
Submitted by lovingfruits
Buttery spiced fig thumbprint cookies, tender brown-sugar dough rolled in a crunchy flax-sugar coating and filled with jammy fig preserves. Warm cinnamon and nutmeg make them a standout on the holiday cookie tray.
YIELD
30 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
45 minREADY
80 minThumbprint cookies are a holiday-tray classic, and this version layers in extra flavor and texture at every step. The dough is buttery and tender, sweetened with dark brown sugar and warmed with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Before baking, each ball gets dipped in egg white and rolled in a mix of brown sugar and ground flaxseed, which bakes into a lightly crunchy, nutty crust around the soft cookie.
Whole wheat flour and the flax also sneak a little extra fiber and a toasty depth into what’s otherwise a sweet treat.
Then comes the signature thumbprint: press a well into the center of each and fill it with jammy fig preserves, which bake down into a glossy, sweet center.
Pressing the well before baking, not after, keeps the edges from cracking.
Pro Tips
- Use room-temperature butter so it creams smooth and the dough rolls easily.
- Make the indentation a little deep so it holds enough preserves without overflowing.
- Don’t overfill the wells; about a quarter teaspoon keeps the jam from bubbling over.
- Cool a few minutes on the sheet before moving so the soft centers set.
Variations
- Swap fig preserves for raspberry, apricot, or cherry jam.
- Add a little orange zest to the dough for brightness.
- Drizzle the cooled cookies with melted white or dark chocolate.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper or a baking mat.
Beat butter and ¼ cup brown sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy.
Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat until well mixed.
Mix together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds, cream of tartar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in another bowl.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the batter and beat on low until just incorporated, scraping down the sides.
Put the egg white in a small bowl.
Add the remaining ¼ cup each brown sugar and ground flaxseeds in a shallow dish and mix well.
Roll slightly rounded teaspoons of dough into balls.
Dip one ball at a time into the egg white and then roll in the sugar mixture.
Arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
Press your thumb (or index finger) into the middle of each cookie and spoon enough preserves (about ¼ teaspoon) into the well to fill it up.
Bake the cookies in batches until set, about 16 minutes. Cool a few minutes in the sheet.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an air-tight container.
Comments
