These nutty thumbprint cookies are always on our annual holiday cookies list. My side of the family fills the tops with colored frosting or chocolate frosting, and my husband’s side of the family fills them with jam, but Nutella is also a good choice. The butter cookies are rolled in crushed pecans and baked, with the thumbprint added mid-bake.

[Updated December 24, 2009.]

📖 Recipe

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Thumbprint Cookies

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: Christmas, cookies, nuts, pecans

Servings: cookies

Calories: 202kcal

Equipment

stand mixer with paddle attachment
cookie sheets, ungreased (or lined with parchment)
small bowl
small plate

Ingredients

COOKIES

1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
2 egg whites (slightly beaten until frothy)
2 cups finely chopped pecans

FROSTING

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
1 egg
⅛ teaspoon salt
16 ounces confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375° F/190° C.

COOKIES

In the bowl of the stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and egg yolk, then gradually add flour and salt. Stir until well-blended. Put the egg whites in the small bowl and the nuts on the small plate.
Roll dough into 1″ balls. Dip in slightly beaten egg white, then roll in chopped nuts. Place about 1″ apart on cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly press thumb gently on top of each cookie. Return to oven and bake about 8 minutes longer.
Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Place a spoonful of jelly, icing, or chocolate in each thumbprint.

FROSTING

Cream butter, egg and salt. Add sugar until spreading consistency. (For chocolate icing, reduce confectioners sugar by 2 tablespoons whisk the rest with 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder.)