Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
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| Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies with Swedish Pearl Sugar |
Found a lovely recipe for these Thumbprint Cookies. I opted for Seeded Raspberry Preserves for the filling. The first batch I rolled in Turbinado Sugar. This second batch I opted to use Swedish Pearl Sugar by Lars. The consensus is that we prefer the Turbinado Sugar as it seems less sweet. Another change to the recipe is that I opted to leave out the mini chocolate chips.
Growing up my stepmom treated us with apricot thumbprint cookies. I prefer the sweetness of the raspberry personally but look forward to trying a variety of jam flavors. Currently we have peach, apple, orange marmalade, blueberry, blackberry, apple butter, fig, and strawberry flavors in the pantry. I can't wait to try the different variations.
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
Oven: 375F
Ingredients
½ cup butter (1 stick): I used salted butter. Do not use margarine, just don't.
¼ cup packed brown sugar: I opted for dark brown sugar
⅓ cup white sugar: regular not fine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract: imitation is fine
3 tablespoons milk: I used whole milk
1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour: My bulk bread flour worked fine
¼ cup cornstarch: This lightens the flour and should not be substituted. Corn Starch in bulk size is available on most grocery baking aisles. It is an excellent cooking staple to keep on hand.
¼ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips: I omitted these
3 tablespoons white sugar: I opted for Turbinado Sugar the first time and Swedish Pearl Sugar the second time
1 (10 ounce) jar black raspberry jam : I found I only needed a partial jar of open preserves
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream butter with brown sugar and 1/3 cup white sugar. Blend in the vanilla and milk. Mix in the flour and cornstarch. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Form the dough into 1 inch balls, and roll in the remaining white sugar. Place on the prepared cookie sheet, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Use your finger or thumb to press straight down into the center of each ball, making a well for the jam. Neatly fill each cookie with a small amount of jam.
Bake in preheated oven for 13 to 15 minutes, or until cookies are just beginning to turn golden around the edges. Let cookies cool before eating. We found about 10 minutes was needed to allow the preserves to move from volcanic lava stage was just about right. Try warm and cooled.
Afterthoughts
The recipe says it makes 36. I maxed out at 18 count. I will try for smaller ones at some point. But the bake time was 15 minutes with 18 count.
When pressing your thumbprint in do not break through the bottom layer. When the cookies crack on the sides just reshape the worst cracks to keep the jam from flowing onto the pan.
Yes, the parchment paper is best for deflecting the heat and for catching any oozing jam. Never reuse a hot pan for a second batch. Wait until it cools or use a second cooking sheet. Use new parchment paper for each new batch.
I think this can take on many flavor combinations.
*I think I might substitute the chocolate chips with ground nuts at some point.
*Another nutty option would be to press a pecan half into the center and top with a jam.
*Because the vanilla is the only flavor profile, and a subtle one at that, I think a half to a full teaspoon of spice may bump up the taste options a bit. I made some pistachio orange cookies with cardamom a while ago and think that adding ground cardamom along with orange preserves would be nice. Lemon curd and lemon rind as an added spice or blueberry jam and lemon rind would be another excellent combination.
