Raspberry-Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

Makes 4 dozen cookies

Soft and tender, with a tart jam filling, these are ideal cookies to enjoy with a cup of tea (or, maybe your morning coffee!). We've used raspberry jam, but you can use any you would prefer. These cookies can be baked in advance. Store wrapped at room temperature for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 14 oz/851 g all-purpose flour (6 cups)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons/5 g kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons/2 g baking soda
  • 1 lb 2 oz/510 g unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in pats, room temperature
  • 9 1/4 oz/262 g granulated sugar (1 1/3 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 8 oz/227 g chopped pecans (2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda into a bowl.

Directions

  1. Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until soft and fluff y, 1 1/2 minutes. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar while beating, taking about 1 minute. Continue to beat until creamed and pale yellow, 3 minutes more. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract and then the eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated, 20 seconds per addition, scraping down the bowl several times.
  2. Reduce the speed to low, add the nuts, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time, scraping down the bowl several times, until just mixed, about 1 minute total. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 day or up to 3 days.
  3. The cookie dough can be made in advance. Store it wrapped in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before proceeding.
  4. Position the racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven and heat it to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scale the cookie dough into 1 1/2 oz/43 g mounds and roll into balls. Place the balls on the baking sheets 3 inches apart.
  5. With the end of a wooden spoon, press a small well in the center of each ball of dough. Fill each well with 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam.
  6. Bake until the cookies are set and the edges and bottoms are barely golden, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time from front to back and top to bottom. Remove from the oven and let the cookies set on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then cool on wire racks.

CIA FOODIES

Raspberry-Pecan Thumbprint Cookies

Raspberry-Pecan Thumbprint Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies Soft and tender, with a tart jam filling, these are ideal cookies to enjoy with a cup of tea (or, maybe your morning coffee!). We've used raspberry jam, but you can use any you would prefer. These cookies can be baked in advance. Store wrapped at room temperature for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb 14 oz/851 g all-purpose flour (6 cups)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons/5 g kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoons/2 g baking soda
  • 1 lb 2 oz/510 g unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-in pats, room temperature
  • 9 1/4 oz/262 g granulated sugar (1 1/3 cups)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 8 oz/227 g chopped pecans (2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
  • Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda into a bowl.

Directions

  1. Cream the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until soft and fluff y, 1 1/2 minutes. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar while beating, taking about 1 minute. Continue to beat until creamed and pale yellow, 3 minutes more. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract and then the eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated, 20 seconds per addition, scraping down the bowl several times.
  2. Reduce the speed to low, add the nuts, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time, scraping down the bowl several times, until just mixed, about 1 minute total. Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 day or up to 3 days.
  3. The cookie dough can be made in advance. Store it wrapped in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before proceeding.
  4. Position the racks in the top third and bottom third of the oven and heat it to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scale the cookie dough into 1 1/2 oz/43 g mounds and roll into balls. Place the balls on the baking sheets 3 inches apart.
  5. With the end of a wooden spoon, press a small well in the center of each ball of dough. Fill each well with 1/2 teaspoon raspberry jam.
  6. Bake until the cookies are set and the edges and bottoms are barely golden, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through the baking time from front to back and top to bottom. Remove from the oven and let the cookies set on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then cool on wire racks.

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