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Thumbprint Cookies

plate of raspberry thumbprint cookies
Photo Credit
C. Quinnell
Written By: The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors The Almanac Editors and Staff
Yield
2 dozen cookies (recipe may be doubled).
Category
Cookies and Bars
Course
Desserts
Occasions
Christmas
Credit
Charlotte S. Undercoffer, Niagara Falls, New York
Sources
Recipes with a History

Classic thumbprint cookies are buttery soft with a colorful jam center. With only 6 pantry ingredients, they’re easy and fun to make! A red jam (preferably homemade!) is perfect for the holidays. Or, create a jewel-hued plate of cookies using strawberry, apricot, and blackberry jam.

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg, separated
1 cup flour
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
jam or preserves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add egg yolk and mix well. Add flour and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, beat the egg white until frothy.

Put chopped nuts in a separate small bowl.

Roll tablespoon-size pieces of dough in egg white, then nuts.

Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Let the kids put their thumbprints in the middle (even two-year-olds love this!). Bake for 5 minutes then reduce heat to 300 degrees F and bake for 15 minutes more.

When cooled, put jam in thumbprint.

*To bake these cookies ahead, freeze without the jam, then add when serving.

About The Author
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors

The Almanac Editors and Staff

Under the guiding hand of its first editor, Robert B. Thomas, the premiere issue of The Old Farmer’s Almanac was published in 1792 during George Washington’s first term as president.Today, the Almanac...
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Comments

<span>Cathy Lynn</span> Sat, 12/05/2015 - 16:27
We can't use nuts of any kind. Is there something else equivalent?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 12/08/2015 - 16:55

You can omit the nuts completely. Try rolling the cookies in colorful coarse sugar instead.

 <span>Jem Key</span> Thu, 01/13/2022 - 11:43
Thanks for the tip. My cousin is allergic to nuts and I could make these for everyone for the party.
<a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/suesakornshop/">Sue's Akorn Shop</a> Sat, 11/21/2015 - 10:51
I can remember my mom always making these when I was growing up.
<span>Kristol</span> Fri, 09/19/2014 - 13:15
Cant wait to try
<span>Heypotato</span> Thu, 12/02/2010 - 12:10
We've made these for years. Instead of using jelly..which my Mom used years ago and isn't always the favorite. We use colored, flavored confection sugar. Red, Green(pepermint) and White. Our girls have used different flavors too.
<span>Yankeenana</span> Thu, 12/02/2010 - 08:24
Since I live in the south with access to several pecan trees, I rolled the balls in ground pecans. YUMMY!!!