'Fingerprint' Cookies Recipe
Christmas Cookies with Raspberry Jam or Ganache Filling
These rich little cookies are the smaller, cuter version of the traditional thumbprints. Fill them with jam or chocolate.
Thumb print cookie dough comes in many varieties. Here we are making the cookies with a mock shortbread. The texture of the cookie is every bit as lovely and the flavor is every bit as buttery as typical shortbread, but the dough is much easier to work with.
'Fingerprint' Cookies
- 2 c flour
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1 c butter
- Milk
- 6 oz dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate pieces
- 3/8 c heavy whipping cream- or -
- 1/2 c fruit preserves or jam
- Put flour and sugar into a food processor. Use blade to stir.
- Cut butter into 10 pieces and add to the flour mixture. Cutting the butter up will make it easier for the food processor to create an even-textured result.
- Pulse food processor until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
- Empty contents of the food processor onto a clean countertop.
- Adding milk 1/2 tsp at a time, work the dough into a cohesive ball with your hands. Don't let the dough get sticky, but make sure that it is workable.
- Divide dough into 8 pieces. Each of the eight pieces will make 4 fingerprint cookies. When you are finished dividing the dough, you will have 32 pieces.
- Roll each of the 32 pieces of dough into balls. Place on cookie sheet, and press your finger into the middle, forming a fingerprint hole.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Cookies should just be beginning to show a golden color.
- Cool completely.
Filling For Fingerprint Cookies
Ganache Filling:
- Heat cream to nearly boiling.
- Remove from heat.
- Add the chocolate pieces and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Stir to combine.
- Spoon or pipe into the cookies.
- Top with powdered sugar.
Jam Filling:
- Cook jam or preserves over medium low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Spoon into the cookies.
- Top with powdered sugar.
Tips
Shortbread can be fussy and fillings can be messy, but that doesn't mean that you can't have great fingerprint or thumb print cookies. Use the following tips for a better turnout.
- While adding gradual amounts of milk to your dough, make sure to sprinkle it over the entire surface of the cookie dough. This will help you avoid wet and dry spots.
- If you don't have time to make tiny fingerprint cookies, divide your dough in 16 pieces instead and make larger thumb print cookies.
- Pipe your fillings instead of using a spoon in order to achieve less mess and a quicker filling speed.
- Let the cookies set overnight before packaging. Try not to stack other cookies on top of these, as the filling will mush with much weight. If you must stack them, sprinkle a generous amount of powdered sugar on top to keep the filling from contaminating other cookies.
These shortbread fingerprint cookies are eye-catching for all of their simplicity. The rich flavors are perfect for Christmas cookie collections. Enjoy!
