Thumb Print Butter Cookies

The other day I wanted something sweet and Dana suggested those little sugar cookies with jam in the middle. Then it hit me, I had a ton of Strawberry Jam in the freezer from when my parents visited. This would be the perfect combination. Strawberry Jam Cookies.

Check out the Strawberry Jam post for some super simple freezer jam.

Thumb Print Butter Cookies – (from Simply Recipes)

1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup preserves or jam (I enjoy strawberry jam)

In a mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the sugar and butter. Make sure that the butter is at room temperature or this is really gonna get messy.

Separate two eggs to get the egg yolks. Save the egg whites in a freezer safe dish and freeze them. Save them for egg white omlets or whenever you need some egg whites. Just thaw in the refrigerator over night before you need them. Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the butter mixture. Mix until combined.

Slowly add the flour and salt until the ingredients are just combined. Once combined place the dough into the refrigerator and let it set up for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Portion the dough into tablespoon sized balls. Place the balls on the sheet pan and press your thumb into them. This will make the indent for the jam and give the cookies their name. I used a 1 1/2 inch ring to make sure that all of the cookies came out round. This is not necessary, but helps out when you want perfectly round uniform cookies.

Mushroom Asparagus Risotto

This makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Once you have all of the cookies made fill them with a teaspoon of your favorite jam. I prefer strawberry but Dana really enjoys apricot. Personal preference, I will not judge.

Place the sheet pan in the middle rack of the oven and cook at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Cook until the cookies are slightly firm and slightly starting to brown. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan until firm and then transfer to wire rack to completely cool.