Giants Thumbprint Cookies Recipes

GIANT CHEESECAKE STUFFED CHOCOLATE THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
• Combine the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, add the whole egg and beat until just combined. Add the vanilla and beat until just combined.
• Add half the flour mixture and mix on low until combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and white chocolate chips. Put the sanding sugar in a shallow bowl or plate.
• Scoop eight 1/3 cup-size balls of dough. Working with one at a time, shape each ball into a 1 1/2-inch-tall cylinder, then use your thumb to make a sturdy 1-inch-deep well that is about 1 inch across. Roll the dough in the sanding sugar to completely coat and place on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough and sanding sugar, spacing out 4 cookies per sheet. Put the baking sheets in the freezer until the cookies are thoroughly chilled, 30 minutes to 1 hour. (If you do not have space in your freezer to accommodate both baking sheets, line a plate with parchment and place the cookie dough onto the plate to chill. Transfer to the prepared sheets once chilled.)
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Just before the cookie dough is completely chilled, add the cream cheese to a medium bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed to soften. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth, then add the remaining egg yolk, the lemon zest and the remaining pinch of salt and beat on medium speed until completely smooth, light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the cheesecake into the well of each cookie so that it comes just up to the top. (Alternatively, you can use a pastry bag or resealable plastic bag to fill the cookies.)
• Bake the cookies until the cheesecake is set and the cookies are crispy on top, chewy in the middle and turning darker on the bottom, rotating the pans halfway through, 20 to 24 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.
• Separate egg, reserving egg white. Cream butter or margarine, sugar, and egg yolk.
• Add vanilla, flour and salt, mixing well.
• Shape dough into balls. Roll in egg white, then walnuts. Place on cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 5 minutes.
• Remove cookies from oven. With thumb, dent each cookie. Put jelly or preserves in each thumbprint. Bake for another 8 minutes.

PERFECT THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix butter and powdered sugar together with a rubber spatula until creamy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, salt, and egg yolk. Mix with the spatula. Add flour and blend until just combined.
• Use a sorbet scoop to portion dough into 1/2-ounce (1-tablespoon) balls. Roll balls in a plate of white sugar to coat; roll again between your palms. Place several inches apart on a silicone-lined baking sheet. Flatten balls lightly with your fingers.
• To make shortbread cookies with a little jam, poke a well into each cookie using the end of a thick wooden spoon dusted with powdered sugar or using one of your fingers. Fill cookies with fruit jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter to let jam settle.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tops are barely blonde and bottoms are slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before icing.
• Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar with a little milk until you have a consistency that will hold its shape when piped. Pipe icing on top of cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.
• For a more jam-forward cookie, press your thumb into the cookies to make large, shallow indentations. Spoon in jam. Tap baking sheet against the counter.
• Bake until not quite golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let rest on pan for 5 minutes before transferring a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar.

GIANT'S THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a baking sheet.
• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the vanilla scrapings and salt and mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix at low speed until incorporated. Using your hands, roll the dough into golf-ball-sized balls and arrange them 2-inches apart on the cookie sheet, flattening them out a bit as you go. Using your thumb, press the top of each cookie to make a shallow well. Roll your thumb back and forth to widen the well. Using a small spoon, fill the wells with jam.
• Bake until very lightly browned around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on the pan. Store in an airtight container.

GIANT'S THUMBPRINT BUTTER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a baking sheet.
• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the vanilla scrapings and salt and mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix at low speed until incorporated. Using your hands, roll the dough into golf-ball-sized balls and arrange them 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet, flattening them out a bit as you go. Using your thumb, press the top of each cookie to make a shallow well. Roll your thumb back and forth to widen the well. Using a small spoon, fill the wells with jam. Bake until very lightly browned around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on the pan. Store in an airtight container.

THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Steps:

• For the shortcrust pastry, sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it is incorporated and then mix in egg yolks. Knead everything into a compact smooth dough. Wrap the dough and chill it for 1 hour.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature for 10 minutes. Form the dough into a long roll and divide it into 60 equal portions. Form a small ball from each portion and place it on a baking sheet covered with baking parchment (you will need two or more sheets). Press a dip (for the jam) into each ball with the handle of a wooden spoon.
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Heat the jelly or jam in a saucepan until it melts. Use a teaspoon to fill the dips in the dough balls.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, then allow to cool completely. Finally, dust the cookies with some icing sugar. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.