thumbprint cookies

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies with Chocolate Ganache

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

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?

Almond Thumbprint Jam Cookies

/ Melissa (I Crashed the Web) / Leave a comment

The countdown until Christmas is here! Each year, my family goes into full holiday baking mode, making a combination of new cookies as well as Christmas classics from past years (including Lemon Bars, Tuxedo Hugs, Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies and more). One of the cookies we do year over year are the Thumbprint Jam Cookies. They’re light, flaky and have just the right amount of jam to add an additional sweetness.

This year, we decided it was time for something new. My mom is a big fan of almond (And so am I!) so we opted to try these almond thumbprint jam cookies. My mom loved them, so I’ll consider them a win – and perhaps a new addition to our holiday cookie mix?

Almond Thumbprint Jam Cookies

Almond Thumbprint Jam Cookies

(via allrecipes)

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 2/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 cups plus 2 TBS all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

For the glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1-2 teaspoons milk

Here’s what you do:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
  3. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Refrigerate dough at least 4 hours or overnight. This prevents cookies from spreading!
  4. When ready, roll dough into about 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your thumb and finger, and fill the hole with raspberry jam.
  5. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.
  6. Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon almond extract and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over cooled cookies.

Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

Enjoy!

Some questions for you:

  • What are 2-3 standard holiday cookies or things you bake? Jam cookies, tuxedo hug cookies, lemon bars! 
  • Have you tried any new cookies lately? Yes! This year we also have a ginger cookie (I LOVE GINGER) and chocolate chip dried cherry cookie. 
  • Any types of cookies you don’t like? Anything super chocolatey. Chocolate cookies with peppermint are one example. I prefer vanilla or non-chocolate (including peanut butter!) for my cookie base.