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Thumbprint or Butterball Cookies Recipe

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Thumbprints or Butterballs are another popular holiday cookie that uses a shortbread-like dough. What makes these cookies so festive looking is that they are rolled in either coconut or chopped nuts and filled with jam. The name 'thumbprint' comes from the fact you use your "thumb" to make an indentation into each ball of dough that is filled with the jam. While I have rolled the cookies in coconut, if you decide to roll them in chopped nuts, it is best to toast the nuts first as this helps to bring out their full flavor. 

You can use any type of nuts; hazelnuts, pecans, almonds or walnuts are excellent choices. Although I have filled the cookies with apricot jam, feel free to use any flavored jam you like. If you decide to use preserves, just make sure to strain the preserves first to remove any large pieces of fruit. (Note: Jam and preserves are similar in that they are both a cooked combination of fruit and sugar (and sometimes pectin). The difference being that preserves still contain chunks of fruit, whereas jam is more like a fruit puree.)

Some recipes do call for filling the centers of the cookies with jam after they are baked. This is best if you want to store the cookies for more than a few days as the jam will soften the cookies over time.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the flour mixture to the batter and beat just until combined. If the batter is too soft to roll into balls, refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy. Place the coconut on a plate. Roll the dough into 1 inch (2.54 cm) balls. Taking one ball of dough at a time, dip first into the egg white and then lightly roll into the coconut. Place on the prepared baking sheet spacing about 1 inch (2.54 cm) apart. Using your thumb or end of a wooden spoon, make a indentation into the center of each cookie and fill with about 1/4 teaspoon of jam.

Bake for about 13-15 minutes, or until cookies are set and the coconut has nicely browned. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. 

Note: If using chopped nuts instead of coconut, toast the nuts first. Spread nuts on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree F (180 degree C) oven for  8-10 minutes (almonds, pecans and walnuts). The nuts are done when they are light golden-brown in color and fragrant. Toast the hazelnuts for about 15 minutes or until fragrant and the outer skins begin to flake. Remove from oven and place the hot nuts in a dish towel. Roll up the towel and let the nuts sit (steam) for a few minutes then rub the nuts in the towel briskly to remove the skins. Let cool completely. Once the nuts have cooled, place them in your food processor and process until finely chopped. Alternatively, you could chop them by hand. 

Note: If you are planning to store these cookies, I like to bake them without the jam. Just reduce the baking time by a few minutes. These cookies can be stored for about a week. Fill the cookies will jam the same day as serving.

Makes about 20 cookies.

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1 large egg, separated

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup (140 grams) all purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup (90 grams) flaked sweetened coconut or

1/2 - 3/4 cup (100 grams) hazelnuts, almonds, pecans or walnuts, toasted and finely chopped (See Note)

1/2 cup jam

 

 

Sources
     

Pappas, Lou Seibert. The Christmas Cookie Book. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2000.

Peery, Susan Mahnke. The Wellesley Cookie Exchange. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1986.

Stern, Bonnie. Desserts. Toronto: Random House, 1988.

 

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