Candy Bar Butter Cookies

Thumbprint cookies get a candy bar twist here, and the results are ridiculously fun. A simple butter cookie dough flavored with vanilla and almond extract gets chilled until firm, then rolled into balls and pressed with your thumb to create a little well for the star of the show: sliced Milky Way and Snickers bars.

The candy goes in during the last two minutes of baking, just long enough to soften and get gooey without losing its shape. That touch of almond extract in the dough adds a subtle nuttiness that plays off the peanuts in the Snickers beautifully.

Chilling the dough is a must. Three hours minimum, overnight if you can swing it. Cold dough holds its shape in the oven and gives you clean thumbprint wells that actually hold the candy instead of spreading flat.

Kitchen Tips

• Chill your candy bars too. Cold candy slices cleanly without crumbling or sticking to the knife.
• Dip your thumb in flour before pressing each cookie to prevent sticking.
• Pull the cookies when the edges just barely start to turn golden. They’ll firm up as they cool on the rack.
• Let them cool completely before stacking, or the melted candy will stick to everything.

Variations

• Try Twix or 3 Musketeers bars for a different flavor profile.
• Roll the warm cookies in powdered sugar for a snowy holiday look.
• Add a drizzle of melted chocolate over the top once cooled for extra richness.