SHORTBREAD THUMBPRINT COOKIES

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These buttery shortbread thumbprint cookies are flavored with almond, filled with cherry jam, and drizzled with a simple icing. Add these festive cookies into your holiday cookie tin! 

INGREDIENTS

  • NOTE: A few have commented that the dough is too dry and won’t hold together. It is EXTREMELY important that you either weigh your flour or measure by fluffing it up, lightly spooning it into the measuring cups without packing it down, and level it off. This dough is slightly dry and crumbly but should hold together as you roll into balls. If it doesn’t, see the instructions about adding a bit of milk.

FOR THE COOKIES

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 gr) unsalted butter, room temp
  • 6 TBSP (75 gr) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/8 tsp (1 gr) kosher salt
  • 2 TBSP (10 gr) cornstarch
  • 1 1/4 cups (150 gr) all-purpose flour (measured by fluffing up the flour, lightly spooning into measuring cups without packing down, and leveling off)
  • 1/4 cup jam of choice (I think cherry jam works really well)

FOR THE GLAZE

  • 1/2 cup (60 gr) powdered sugar
  • 1-2 TBSP (15-30 ml) milk
  • 1/8 tsp almond extract

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and almond extract together until light and fluffy- about 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed.
  3. Add the salt and cornstarch into the bowl and mix until evenly distributed. Add the flour into the bowl and mix until incorporated. The dough will be crumbly and will not completely come together. But it should hold together as you scoop and roll them into balls. If it isn’t holding when you try to scoop them, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or water to the dough until it can hold shape when pressed together.
  4. Scoop the dough into 1 tbsp portions (I use this cooke scoop ), roll into smooth balls and place on the parchment lined baking sheets. The warmth of your hand and light pressure will help the dough come together. Press your thumb into each ball about 1/2″ deep.