Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs separated
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- jelly & chocolate kisses for filling
Instructions
- Mix together butter and sugar with a hand beater. Add vanilla and egg yolks and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt. Add to wet mixture and stir to combine. Cover dough in plastic wrap and cool in fridge for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Beat egg whites in a bowl and fill another bowl with the crushed walnuts.
- Form dough into 1 inch balls and dip into egg whites then walnuts (optional).
- Place cookies on greased baking sheet and "thumbprint" each ball.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes. If using chocolate kisses, place in cookies about 1-2 minutes before taking out of the oven. If using jelly, place in cookies once they are removed from the oven.
- Place on cooling rack, let cool and enjoy.
This Swedish cookie is a favorite in my family and among my friends, and it is by far my favorite cookie to bring to parties each year. The original recipe was passed down from our Swedish Grandma, to our mom, and now to us, and is made at least once during the holiday season. Traditionally the cookie (“Hallongrott” as it is better known in Sweden) is filled with raspberry jam, but we like to mix ours up by adding chocolate kisses and rolling half of them in walnuts. I love this recipe because it is so easy to make, and has very few ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
Surprisingly this recipe does not have any baking powder or baking soda, but the small cookies are still fluffy and flavorful; and the butter and sugar base is what makes them so delicious. To make the cookies, begin by creaming two sticks of butter and sugar together, then add in the vanilla and egg yolks (don’t forget to save the egg whites) and mix again. Slowly add in the flour and salt and mix until the dough just starts to come together. The dough will look a bit crumbly, but it will have time to rest and stick together.
The dough must be wrapped in plastic wrap and cooled in the fridge for one hour before the cookies are shaped and baked, so I suggest having another cookie to make in the meantime (why not?!). After the dough is rested, beat the egg whites until frothy and place the crushed walnuts in a separate bowl. Set up an assembly line to form the balls of dough, dip in the egg whites, and then dip in the walnuts. Even if you are not a big nut fan and choose to omit the walnut step, I would still suggest dipping the balls into the egg whites before placing on the baking tray. This gives the cookie a glossy finish and tasty glaze. Don’t forget to thumbprint each cookie before placing in the oven! If you have an unusually large thumb or just want perfect symmetrical circles you can use the end of a wooden spoon.
Finish the cookies with chocolate (I prefer dark chocolate kisses) or jam (raspberry or lingonberry are favorites in our house) by adding them into the thumbprint of the cookie. If using chocolate, place in the middle of the thumbprints 1-2 minutes before they come out of the oven, this will allow the chocolate to set, but not melt it. If using jam, spoon it into the center of cookie after baking. These cookies will go fast, but if you need to save some they easily freeze wrapped in parchment paper in tupperware. Happy baking and happy holidays!
