I can’t believe we’re already very much in the holiday season! Christmas is 10 days away, and Hannukah started this weekend. One of the reasons it’s my favorite time of year is really because of all the cookies and baking. If cinnamony-sugary cookies (Taylor Swift Chai cookies) aren’t your thing and you’re more of a chocolate person, here’s a fun recipe you can try on your own or bake with kids!

These chocolate thumbprint cookies have become such a staple in our Christmas cookie rotation over the last few years. Even though I started making them after my grandma died, I always think of her while baking them because she was a self-proclaimed chocoholic and I know she would have loved these. I make them in her honor and it makes me happy that my dad and GM get to enjoy them too since they both love chocolate just as much.

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (With Chocolate Ganache)

Here’s what you need

For the cookies

• 3 cups (about 360 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (80 g) Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups (330 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

For the ganache

• 1 cup (200 g) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Festive sprinkles for topping

Here’s what you do

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
4. Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of dough at a time and roll into a ball.
5. Use a small measuring spoon (or your/your child’s finger) to press an indent into each ball.
6. Chill the indented dough for at least 1 hour or in the freezer. I like to make these in early December and freeze until they’re just ready to bake before Christmas.
7. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
8. Arrange the chilled dough balls about 1 ½ inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper or Silpat mats. Bake for 10 minutes.
9. When they come out of the oven, gently press the centers again with the small spoon if the indent rose during baking. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 6 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. While cookies are cooling, add chocolate chips to a small bowl.
11. Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until just about boiling.
12. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Then, stir ganache until smooth.
13. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of ganache into each cooled cookie. Sprinkle sprinkles to the top if you want.
14. Chill the cookies for 10 to 15 minutes so the ganache can set. I like to pop mine in the freezer for a few hours to ensure they’re hardened before storing.

Questions for you:

• What’s next on your holiday baking list?
• Are you team cinnamon/sugar/spice cookie OR team chocolate cookie?