DAY 5: Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
The cookie base for these thumbprints is a light shortbread dough. Fill with your favorite jam. We love seedless raspberry or apricot jam. I always add a little more jam after baking so they are “jam packed” with filling.
RECIPE:
Raspberry Almond Thumbprints
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup powdered sugar
½ tsp almond extract
2 cups flour
¼ tsp salt
About ½ – ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam
Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
2-3 tsp milk
½ tsp almond extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in almond extract. Gradually beat in flour and salt.
Using a small cookie scoop (2 tsp capacity), place level scoops on baking sheets, about 2” apart (I can get 20 cookies on a baking sheet). Roll scoops of dough into balls; return to baking sheet. Using the back of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill each indentation with about ¼ teaspoon jam.
Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until baked through, but still pale. Don’t overbake. Remove baking sheet from oven and let sit for one minute. If desired, add a small amount of additional jam to the centers of the cookies. Cool cookies completely on wire racks.
Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, 2 tsp milk, and almond extract in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk until smooth, adding additional milk if necessary. Place glaze in a Ziploc bag; poke hole in one corner with a toothpick or skewer. Drizzle glaze over the cooled cookies.
NOTES:
- For easier filling, heat jam for 20 seconds in the microwave before adding to centers of cookies.
- Apricot and peach jams also make good fillings
- Keep the dough covered when you are not working with it, or it will dry out and your cookies will have more cracks
Makes about 4 dozen small cookies
