Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Here’s a sweet little cookie that I made over Christmas, but you shouldn’t relegate it to the holidays because it’s year-round good!
Because there is no egg or leavening ingredients in these raspberry almond thumbprint cookies, but rather just butter, sugar, and flour, this cookie falls into the shortbread category. Add a little jam, and you’ve got a melt-in-your mouth winner. A little drizzle puts it over the top.
The cookies are easy to make, look festive on a plate, and are dangerously delicious. If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, set the recipe aside until Valentine’s Day. If you’re like me, you’ll have ditched your diet by then. 😉
Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Yield: 30 to 36 cookies
Ingredients for Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup seedless red raspberry or strawberry jam
Ingredients for Icing Drizzle
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 to 4 tsp. water
- 1/2 to 1 tsp. almond extract*
*The original recipe called for 1 1/2 tsp. of almond extract which I used, and I found it to be very strong. I’ve decreased the amount of extract, and you can start off with 1/2 tsp. and decide if you want to add more.
Directions
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat butter medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Beat until well combined. Add flour and mix well until combined. Cover and chill for 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 350o F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Using your thumb, press an indentation into the center of each ball. Spoon approximately 1/2 teaspoon of the jam into each indentation. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks to finish cooling.
For icing, in a medium bowl combine confectioners’ sugar, 1 teaspoon water and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract. Add enough of the remaining water to make a drizzling consistency. Drizzle cookies with icing.
Source: A recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens