Season's Best Thumbprint Cookies
Submitted by skychapman
Chocolate thumbprint cookies bake a cocoa-walnut shortbread base, then fill the wells with vanilla cream and ruby cherry pie filling. Holiday cookie tray showstopper.
YIELD
48 servingsPREP
70 minCOOK
12 minREADY
90 minSeason’s best thumbprint cookies take the classic Christmas cookie tray staple in a chocolate direction, with a cocoa-walnut shortbread base whose dark color makes the bright cherry pie filling and snowy vanilla cream filling pop visually. Picture a tray of these next to plain shortbread and you’ll see what the contrast does.
The one-hour chill on the dough is essential. Cocoa doughs run flatter and lose their thumbprint shape if pressed warm, but cold dough holds the well perfectly through the entire bake. Skipping the chill is the number one reason people get flat cookies with no filling pocket.
Press your thumb (or the back of a half-teaspoon measure for uniformity) into the center while the dough is still cool. The well will spread slightly during baking, but a deep-enough press leaves you a real cup to fill afterward.
Filling AFTER baking is the trick. Fillings melt and run if added pre-bake, so the cooked, cooled cookie holds its post-bake garnish properly.
Pro Tips
- Chill the dough at least the full hour, longer if your kitchen is warm. Soft dough means lost thumbprints.
- Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) unless your recipe is balanced for it. Dutch cocoa won’t react the same way with the salt-based seasoning here.
- If the wells flatten during baking, re-press them gently with the back of a spoon while the cookies are still hot from the oven.
- Store filled cookies in the refrigerator (per recipe note). The cream cheese chocolate filling spoils at room temperature within a day.
Variations
Ingredients
Directions
In large mixer bowl beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir together flour, cocoa and salt; blend into butter mixture. Add milk; beat until well blended. Stir in walnuts. Refrigerate dough at least 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
Heat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Lightly grease cookie sheet. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place on prepared cookie sheet. Press thumb into center of each cookie. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack; cool.
To serve:
Place about ½ teaspoonful filling in thumbprint; top with about 1 teaspoonful pie filling. Store cookies in refrigerator. About 3 dozen cookies.
VANILLA FILLING:
In small bowl, combine ¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon softened butter or margarine, 2 to 3 teaspoons milk and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
CHOCOLATE CREAM FILLING:
In small mixer bowl, beat 1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened and ½ cup powdered sugar until well blended. Add 2 tablespoons cocoa and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
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