OLD FASHIONED THUMBPRINT COOKIES RECIPES

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.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Separate eggs; place egg whites into bowl and egg yolks into bowl. Beat egg whites with fork until foamy; set aside.
• Place all remaining cookie ingredients in bowl with egg yolks. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture forms a dough.
• Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Dip each into egg white; roll in nuts. Place 1 inch apart onto lightly greased cookie sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb or back of teaspoon. Bake 8 minutes.
• Remove cookies from oven; fill centers with choice of filling. Continue baking 6-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to cooling racks. Cool completely.