Jam Thumbprint Cookies
The Christmas countdown is on. The countdown that stresses all mothers out- how will I accomplish everything before Christmas Eve? I lay in my bed last night thinking about everything I still had to cook and all the wrapping I had not finished, in that tortured dilemma- should I continue to lay here trying to fall asleep, knowing I am stressed, or just sod it, get out of bed and wrap. I’ll let you guess which way I decided. Every year my mother commented on Christmas Eve morning “Once I put my feet on the ground they will not rest again until Boxing Day night.” My complaints against what I thought to be her tired repetition mocks my adult mom self. We truly become our parents!
As if I did not have enough to do, I decided this past weekend that I had not baked enough and decided to tackle three different cookie recipes (in addition to the three I made in early December). For those of you in my masochistic shoes, this recipe really is a Christmas classic and would be a welcome addition to your Christmas baking. Ina (my love) rolls them in coconut and actually weighs them for a uniform presentation. You don’t actually have to pull out the scale, but eyeball relatively equal sizes. You don’t need to worry about spacing them too far apart as they do not spread much in the oven. Feel free to use any store bought or home made preserve, whichever is your favourite.
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
From Barefoot Contessa
Makes Approximately 32 Cookies
3/4 pound (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water, for egg wash
7 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
Raspberry jam
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until they are just combined and then add the vanilla. Separately, sift together the flour and salt. Mix until the dough starts to come together. Dump on a floured board and roll together into a flat disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into 1 1/4 inch balls (weight approximately 1 ounce each). Dip each ball into the egg and then roll it in the coconut. Place the balls on a lined cookie sheets and press a light indentation into the top of each with your finger. Drop 1/4 tsp of jam into each indentation. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pans partway through, until the coconut is golden brown. Cool and serve.
Cookies will keep in a tin or sealed container for several days, or frozen for several months.