STRAWBERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 cup butter 2 sticks, at room temperature
⅔ cup granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
⅓ cup strawberry jam

Instructions:

Prep: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Then, add in and beat the egg yolks and the vanilla extract.
Next, add the flour and salt. Mix together until incorporated and the dough comes together into a ball. If desired, chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (this is optional).
Shaping: Proceed to form the dough into1-inch-sized balls that are perfectly round and then place them onto the prepared baking sheet. Using the backside of a ½ teaspoon measuring spoon, press an indent into the center of the cookies to create a crater.
Bake & Filling: Place the cookie sheet into the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and if the indents look shallow, press them in again. Then, fill each indentation with a spoon full of strawberry jam.
Continue to bake in the oven for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the jam has melted slightly and the edges of the cookies are lightly golden in color. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

HOW LONG ARE THUMBPRINT COOKIES GOOD FOR?

You should keep the cookies in a single-layer air-tight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Use a piece of parchment paper between layers of cookies, if needed, to prevent bottoms of cookies sticking to the jam of other cookies. For best results, I recommend eating them within about 3 or 4 days.

CAN I MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH IN ADVANCE?

Yes, you can make the dough and keep it in a well-covered bowl in the fridge for up to a day in advance. So make the dough one day and bake it the next. Perfect for parties and occasions where you want fresh cookies but without being in the kitchen for too long.